The Ins and Outs of Steel Basement Windows

Posted by cynthia on Jul 14, 2011 in Basement Design, Basement Finishing, Basement Finishing Contractors, Basement Renovations, Basement Windows, Egress Windows, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing |

by Jacques Bouchard

Why do basement windows exist?  If you’ve been looking at your single-paned steel basement windows recently, you’ve likely asked yourself this very question.

There’s a simple answer:  if there were no basement windows installed, the area would look like a dungeon.  Of course, when steel basement windows corrode, rust, jam shut and/or fall apart, they’re hardly doing their job.  With all the moisture and rain pelting against these flimsy windows, they simply don’t stand a chance.  In five, maybe ten years a the most, you can expect to replace them.

Once the frames are rusted and water is collecting in the window wells from rain and snow, you can expect your steel basement windows to let in a lot more than just sunlight.  Water will leak in through the cracks, running down the basement walls and leaving an ugly puddle on your new remodeled basement floor.  This water can damage possessions, including the carpet, and the smell created is not what you imagined when finishing the basement.

Drywall Creates a Vicious Cycle

Posted by cynthia on Jul 13, 2011 in Basement Design, Basement Finishing, Basement Insulation, Basement Renovations, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing, Home Improvement, Waterproof Basement Wall Panels |

By Jacques Bouchard

When it comes to home building practices, old habits die hard.  Despite the fact that better and more effective building practices are being designed for the home, there’s still builders that will keep beating that dead horse and install the same broken-down systems they’ve built their whole life.  This is especially true if the same old ways provide a cheap solution for them.  Why would a builder stop doing what’s making them money?  They’re not the ones who live with the job, right?

Here’s the bottom line:  the basement is different than the rest of the home.  There are fewer windows, the ceiling is often lower, and above all, there’s moisture and humidity.  If you install drywall in the basement, it’s probably not going to work out, and even if it does, it’s still a poor building material for the job.  The following are four good reasons to take drywall out of the formula in your basement finishing plan.

Basement Design: Build the Perfect Kid’s Play Room with TBF.

Posted by cynthia on Jun 14, 2011 in Basement Carpet, Basement Design, Basement Finishing, Basement Floor Tiles, Featured, Finished Basement Ideas, Finishing Basement Floors, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing, Kids Play Room, Waterproof Basement Flooring, Waterproof Basement Wall Panels |

Total Basement Finishing products are perfect to build just about any type of basement room you can think of. They are resilient, versatile and impeccably finished, giving you the high end look you expect in a remodeled basement.

However, if there is one type of room where TBF’s exclusive features are especially desirable, that room is the Kid’s play room. Let’s face it: our little bundles of joy can get very rough, and very messy.

Here’s how TBF products can handle playtime better than conventional finishes and competing basement finishing products:

Top Six Mistakes People Make in Basement Remodeling Projects

Posted by cynthia on Jun 23, 2010 in Basement Carpet, Basement Finishing, Basement Framing and Insulation, Basement Insulation, Basement Lighting, Basement Subfloor, Finishing Basement Floors, Finishing Basement Walls, Waterproof Basement Flooring, Waterproof Basement Wall Panels |

The wrong finishing choice can have disastrous consequences.

Almost everyone who owns a house with an unfinished basement, dreams of having it finished. How can you not think of it? After all, an unfinished basement is a whole floor’s worth of space that can be easily turned into any type of room your family needs.

However, basement finishing projects are hardly inexpensive and, because basements are like no other room in the house, there are special challenges when it comes to choosing the best finishes and configuration. Basements usually house utilities, plumbing, wiring. They are also quite prone to moisture and water accidents. All of which must be taken into consideration before you tackle your project. Making the wrong choices, can literally spell disaster.

Making Space for a Finished Basement

Posted by jacques on Apr 13, 2010 in Basement Finishing, Finished Basement Ideas, Finishing Basement Floors, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing, Home Improvement |

Image Credit: Kim Scaborough

How to Make Room for More Room in Your Home

I did a little spring cleaning over the weekend.  Among other things, I brought four 60-gallon Rubbermaid containers into the basement.  Four. More. Giant. Containers.

In all, I have three dozen of these storage units now– all filled to the brim with things I’m not likely to touch (or think about) again for the next five years.  As I stacked the containers, I thought of the most common reason homeowners never finish their basement:

“I’d never be able to finish my basement with all that stuff in there!”

Pishposh. Remodeling a crowded basement IS possible.  Here’s what you should do:

Don’t Plan to Finish the Entire Basement

Most basement remodelers do not recommend finishing every inch of your basement.  While an entire floor of your home is overkill, SOME storage space is a good thing.  Allocate one-half to one-fourth of your basement as a dedicated area for storage, utilities, and laundry.

Total Basement Finishing’s Everlast Walls Qualify for Federal Tax Credit.

Posted by cynthia on Mar 22, 2010 in Basement Finishing, Energy Efficient Basements, Finished Basement Ideas, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing, Home Improvement, Waterproof Basement Wall Panels |

There was never a better time to remodel your basement the green way.

If you’ve been dreaming of transforming that dingy basement into a home theater, a home gym or any type of livable space in your home, the time to finally tackle that project is now.

The Federal Government, under the section 1121 of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, is giving qualifying homeowners a series of incentives to make their homes more energy efficient, including a Tax Credit of 30% of the cost of energy efficient improvements, up to $1,500 dollars.

Total Basement Finishing’s  EverLast Perimeter Wall Panels qualify as an eligible building envelope component under 25c of the Internal Revenue Code and IRS Notice 2006-26.

Basement insulation is one of the most cost effective energy efficient improvements. The U.S. Department of Energy reports enormous savings from insulated basement walls.  For example, picture a 1,500 square-foot home in the northwest U.S. that has a finished basement with R-10 insulation.  If it’s heated by natural gas (at $0.72/therm), a homeowner should save $400 every year with an R-10 insulation!

EverLast Basement Wall Panels are mounted on a R-13 rated, closed cell foam insulation board which,  unlike fiberglass and competing fiberglass based insulation boards, will not soak up moisture and loose its R-Value. There are also other features that make Total Basement Finishing’s EverLast walls the best choice for your green basement remodeling project.

• 100%waterproof, inorganic and non-absorbent. Will not soak up water, support mold growth or get ruined, even if your basement floods.
• The cement core panels give you sturdy walls to hang book shelves, flat screen TVs and fixtures with no need to look for studs.
• The washable, stain-resistant, waterproof finish is virtually maintenance free while giving you the refined, high-end look you are looking for in a basement remodeling project.
• Everlast Wall Panels come with an impressive 50 years warranty.

There was never a better time to get the basement room of your dreams with Total Basement Finishing. But you have to act quickly: homeowners only qualify for this credit if the walls are installed after 12/31/08 and before 1/1/11.

Contact us today for your Free Design Consultation.

For more information on the Federal Tax Credit and qualifying products. visit the U.S. Department of Energy website.