What You Need to Know Before You Begin Your Basement Renovation in Toronto
If you are lucky, there will be empty and unused space in your home that can be renovated according to your needs. This is your basement, and it may have more potential than you think. In fact, if planned carefully, your basement can be one of the most attractive and desirable parts of your home.
Much cheaper than adding a tier or other extension to your home, basement renovations can not only create additional living space, they can also increase the energy efficiency of your home with proper insulation and airtightness. You can hire the best custom house builder in Toronto if you want to renovate your basement and make it a usable space.
- Before starting to repair the basement, there are some important things to note:
Air quality. If you have a moisture problem in your basement – and if you've recently moved in, you'll probably know if you do – you'll need to work that problem out before you start repairing. Check your foundation on walls and floors and repair any cracks that could be causing problems. Using a dryer also helps a lot in the hot summer months if you haven't already.
Heating. Make sure your current heating system can handle the extra capacity. If not, you'll need to fix it before proceeding with the dungeon repair.
Structural problems. Supporting pillars, low ceilings, and floors that run under a city sewer system can present some challenges for basement renovations. A professional renovator can handle all this effectively.
Make a very detailed plan of what the finished basement will look like, right down to the placement of the furniture, so you have a good idea of how everything will fit together. Take some time to draw to think about all the possibilities. Changes on paper are much easier to make than if the walls were already installed.
The next step is your budget. While you may have thought about money since you first thought about renovating your basement, now is the time to find out exactly how much your plans will cost. Talk to a contractor or go to a hardware store – or both – to get an idea of how much your plan will cost.