Turning Basements into Home Offices

Creating the perfect home office is vital to your success while working from home, and your finished basement is a great location to create an office space. Your basement offers familiar surroundings to you and your family, but it also offers a safe and private location to handle your business. 

Before considering or beginning your basement home office remodeling project, here are a few factors to keep in mind:
 


Waterproofing: The first and most important step is to ensure that all basement moisture problems are resolved. If your basement appears to be damp, wet, or flood prone then the first step is to contact a good waterproofing contractor. The basement waterproofing contractor will determine your specific conditions and recommend the best option to suit your specific needs. 

Basement Waterproofing must be done properly, so it is best to avoid DIY jobs using internal sealants and waterproofing paints. These products usually do not withstand hydrostatic pressure and over time they tend to chip, crack and peel.
 If you are going to run your daily business from your basement, you must protect your expensive home office equipment and any vital documents. It could be quite costly to find all of your expensive equipment underwater one day.



Moisture: Humid basements can also cause several problems. They can be unhealthy to you and your family due to the growth of mold and mildew. Fungus grows in dark, damp areas and tends to cause foul odors.

 Other results of humidity are peeling paint, damp spots where water has absorbed through your walls, cracked walls, possible structural weakening, rusting appliances and decaying wood.



Heating and Cooling: Moist air can be quite difficult to heat or cool, so it can be costly to your energy bills. Basement floors usually tend to be cold. When you modernize you should consider all of your options carefully.

Flooring: There is a large variety of flooring products to choose from. All tend to work appropriately, but you will be left with the tough choice to decide what product will best fit your needs.
Hire a Basement Finishing Contractor: Hiring a contractor is very important unless you are an experienced contractor. If you are inexperienced it is best to call a professional basement finishing contractor and not try to tackle the project yourself. A professional will have all the necessary tools, products and expertise to complete the job. 

Your contractor will discuss your options of flooring, walls, outlets, ceilings and light fixtures. Your contractor will also sketch the remodel to be sure your basement home office needs are met.


Furnish and Decorate: Now comes the part you have been waiting for: decorating and moving in. Assign all furniture and bulky equipment a place. Bring in your supplies and materials and place them neatly. 

Bring in your computers, printers, phones and all small appliances and equipment. Always have them properly installed. Add books, media, and training and reference materials. Organize your office to best fit you and your customers’ needs. 

Install mini blinds and curtains, hang pictures and prints, add plants and flowers, comfortable pillows and accessories. Also add family photographs to give your office a homey feel.


Enjoy your new finished home office basement and get to work. It is a good idea to build a website, send out invitations for the grand opening to your new location and let everyone know you are definitely open for business.  
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