Did you buy your home with plans to eventually finish off that basement? There is no time like the present! Here are a few reasons why you need to upgrade your basement before another year goes by (and there is still time this year!).
It Needs to be Refreshed
Even if your basement is finished, when was the last time it was updated? Basements are no longer the cold cellar-like storage spaces of yesteryear. If you’ve gone through all the trouble of updating your kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms, but have neglected your basement, you are lowering your home’s aesthetic and value. Give your basement the same love you gave the rest of your house. It deserves it, and so do you.
It’s an Extension of Your Useable Space
You may be thinking, “Why should I upgrade my basement? Nobody goes down there!” Why would they go down there if there is nothing to do, see, or experience other than a couple spider webs and dusty canning jars? When you take your basement from bare boards and a concrete floor to a useable space, it will see plenty of action.
What have you been longing for in your house? An awesome game room? A private dressing room complete with space for all your shoes? An organized storage system that sees all the hockey gear, skis, bikes and other items properly stored and accessible? A private pub? Or maybe just a good old media room with comfortable couches and a big TV to get away from the shuffle and hustle of life and upstairs.
Basements don’t have to conform to the “second family room” status. The space is only limited by your imagination! From an epic home theatre and gaming room to a prim and proper wine cellar with a space for private tastings, your basement has potential.
Safety and Security
If your basement is your primary storage space for heirlooms, keepsakes and valuables, is it flood proof? If your basement is the place you plan to wait out a tornado, is it full of unsecured objects that can hurt you if they fall?
When your basement is your storage/safe space, upgrading it is paramount. Raised shelving and storage can keep your items off floor during flooding (go one step further with raised, waterproof compartments). Locked cabinets that are bolted to the wall are a good idea in your tornado shelter. Fire-rated safes installed behind false doors protect valuables and are not just limited to castle-like mansions.
Your basement can be your stronghold for your personal items and for your own safety.
Value
Of course, if resale is on your mind, a dark and dingy basement as a footnote to a beautiful house will drive down the value. When fixing up the house to sell, talk to your contractor about how to finish the basement in a neutral, tasteful way that will have potential buyers envisioning stay-cations they are dying to take.
Chat with a Contractor Today about Upgrading Your Basement
Have a qualified contractor take a look at your basement. Discuss what you want for the space and he or she will let you know all the possibilities based on your basements’ construction, your timeline and your budget. You are already heating and lighting the space – why not make it work harder for you and become the additional, useable square footage you have been longing for?
HomeFix specializes in basement renovations in Calgary and area and have been revamping ‘beware’ to ‘be there’ for over 25 years. Modern and timeless can go hand in hand with HomeFix.