Creating a Kitchen in the Basement

Posted by cynthia on Jul 27, 2011 in Basement Design, Basement Finishing, Basement Finishing Contractors, Basement Finishing Permits, Finished Basement Ideas, Home Improvement, Uncategorized |

By Elizabeth Gormley

A kitchen, or kitchenette, in a finished basement has some great advantages.  Maybe you are housing guests, in-laws, a nanny, or you have a tenant living in your finished basement.

A kitchen downstairs allows privacy as well as extraordinary functionality in your home.

Also, a new modern kitchen is one of the most effective ways to add value to your home, and looking to the finished basement is a great way to go at a fraction of the cost an addition would be.

A new kitchen is a tall task for even the most accomplished do-it-yourself homeowner.  Much of the design and execution of the kitchen should be handled by a contractor.  This is particularly true when it comes to installing cabinetry, counters, and new appliances.

Because a kitchen of any sort poses some challenges such as plumbing, grease, smells, noise and cooking fumes, as well as some hazards concerning fire safety, consult your local building and fire codes to see what they recommend and what kind of permits you will need to build your basement kitchen safely and up to code.

One of the reasons homeowners are wary of a kitchen basement is the possibility of flooding.  The appliances are expensive, and the right amount of water can ruin your refrigerator, oven or dishwasher.  It is imperative to seal and waterproof your basement before getting started.  Also, consider that a kitchen is the most common place for a house fire.  There should be an easy escape route, aside from the main stairway.  If there is not, you will need to create one.

The proper ventilation is key in a basement kitchen.  Think about how cooking odors can linger in your upstairs kitchen, and realize the basement is below ground level.  It will be much more susceptible to trapping smells.  Plan on installing a ventilation hole in the side of the basement.  This will be effective against cooking scents and also condensation.  For ventilation and safety, the kitchen should not be tucked into an interior corner of the basement.  It should have at least one wall with open air behind it.

Even if you do not have a tenant or live-in downstairs, a kitchen basement is ultra-convenient in today’s modern home.  Particularly if you have a basement home theater, have friends over for movie night or Sunday football games.  You can fetch snacks and beverages in seconds, with the fridge and oven just a few steps away.

For help with your basement finishing project, enlist the help of one of our skilled Total Basement Finishing contractors! They offer free design consultation, offer full-service basement remodeling and will help you  obtain the necessary permits.

Basement Bathroom Tips: Shower Heads

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Basement Bathroom, Basement Design, Basement Finishing, Basement Finishing Contractors, Basement Renovations, Energy Efficient Basements, Finished Basement Ideas, Uncategorized |

By Jacques Bouchard

When it comes to a quality basement finishing, it’s all about the details.  A basement bathroom is a fantastic way to improve on your home, and it pays back for itself by 80% or more when the

home is sold.  If you could greatly improve the quality of your space by adding another $50 on to the final cost of the job, wouldn’t you do so?

There are few ways to improve on your home that are more effective than choosing the best shower head possible for your basement bathroom.  You spend a lot of time in front of your shower head, and  the way the water is released makes all the difference.  Enjoying a soothing, comfortable shower is a guiltless

pleasure. And if your family is growing, it may be the only valuable moment of privacy and quiet you’re guaranteed every day.

To help you make the most out of your basement bathroom, Total Basement Finishing offers these shower head shopping tips:

1. Choose a handheld shower head.

Fixed shower heads give a sleek designer look to a shower, but they’re much more difficult to repair and often fall short of the quality of their handheld counterparts.  A handheld shower head is able to be mounted in a cradle that allows for all the advantages of a fixed shower head, but they also are able to be removed to aid in bathing with children and seniors.  Additionally, a detachable shower head allows for ease of use when cleaning the tub, cleaning objects placed in the tub, and bathing pets.  When selecting a handheld shower head, be sure to select one with a high-quality, durable hose that can stand high water pressures without blowing out and can endure daily use without wearing down or forming kinks.  If a handheld shower head is definitely not your thing, remember that you can also install multiple fixed shower heads in a single shower-including one on both ends.

Water Filters: the perfect addition to any kitchen or bathroom

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Home Improvement, Uncategorized |

By Francine Maglione

You’ve repainted, refinished and even hung up a few pictures, so what else can you do to make your kitchen or bathroom complete? Add a water filter! Go green in your kitchen by forgetting about bottled water and installing a water filter on your sink’s faucet. Your water will be healthy and tasty, and the filter will save you money because you won’t have to keep buying expensive bottled water.

More importantly, decreasing your use of water bottles will help the environment in a big way. Water bottles pile up in landfills and take up space, so if you need to take water with you, buy a reusable thermos. You can wash it when you need to and continuously use it for years!

The Refill Not Landfill organization reports that 80 percent of water bottles end up in the trash or a landfill. They also report that transporting bottled water long distances burns large amounts of fossil fuels, not to mention that it adds to air pollution. If everyone avoided bottled water for one week, it would save 24 million bottles!

New West Gypsum Recycling, Inc., reports that more than 1.5 million barrels of petroleum go into the production of the 38 billion plastic water bottles Americans throw away every year. And according to filterforgood.com, one Brita pitcher filter can replace about 300 plastic bottles that you and your family would have used and thrown away. Give this tip a try and get a step closer to “living green.” While you’re at it, add a filter to your bathroom sink for those middle-of-the-night trips for a glass of water.

Check out the rest of our website for more basement remodeling ideas.

10 Tips for Living Environmentally Friendly

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Home Improvement, Uncategorized |

By Francine Maglione

1. Make the jump to fluorescent lighting; it uses about a quarter as much energy as incandescent lighting and can last many times longer.
2. Use phosphate-free detergents; they get clothes just as clean, but are gentle on the environment.
3. Paper or plastic? Neither! Bring reusable bags to the grocery store.
4. Pass on harsh drain cleaners for a more eco-friendly approach such as pouring baking soda mixed with a half cup of vinegar down the drain followed by boiling water.
5. Overloaded with free coffee mugs? Use one in your bathroom as a toothbrush holder or mouthwash mug.
6. Drink filtered water and take a thermos with you to minimize waste made by water bottles.
7. For small paint jobs, mix old paint colors together instead of buying more.
8. Dont fall asleep with the TV on.
9. Redecorating? Go vintage! Buying vintage furniture requires no additional resources and eases the load on landfills.
10. Eliminate drafts around windows, doors and garage doors to conserve heat and AC.

(Tips compiled from TreeHugger and Planet Green)

Tips on Paying Your Contractor

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Basement Finishing, Basement Finishing Contractors, Basement Renovations, Home Improvement, Uncategorized |

By Francine Maglione

When it comes to coughing up payment to your basement contractor, things can go sour quickly. Is the contractor going to take your money and run? Are you stiffing an honest contractor out of hard-earned money? Too often, the problem lies with the contract and a vague description of payment terms and conditions.

Tim Carter of “Ask the Builder” believes that the best way to pay a contractor is to agree on periodic payments that are based on the amount of work completed. Carter advises against paying for work that has not been performed and recommends getting a breakdown of costs from the contractor before the job begins.

You must also remember to always have enough money to complete the unfinished tasks so you aren’t left with bills you can’t pay and an incomplete job. One suggestion Carter makes is to use a tiebreaker clause in your contract. This has the parties agree on an independent inspector who will give a ruling on the quality of the work done and settle any disputes between the contractor and homeowner.

To read more about Tim Carter’s tips for paying a contractor, check out these “Ask the Builder” columns:

Tips on Paying Contractors

The Other Side of the Fence – Be Fair to a Contractor

When to Pay a Contractor

Picking the Best Basement Wall Products

Posted by cynthia on Jul 26, 2011 in Basement Finishing, Basement Finishing Contractors, Basement Framing and Insulation, Basement Insulation, Basement Renovations, Energy Efficient Basements, Featured, Finished Basement Ideas, Finishing Basement Walls, Green Basement Finishing, Uncategorized, Waterproof Basement Wall Panels |

By Jacques Bouchard

As the real estate slump continues to worsen and homes become more and more difficult to sell, homeowners are finding that the best option for gaining more living space for their family is to finish the basement.  In response to this ever-increasing trend, many companies are designing wall panels especially for use in a basement.

However, these companies are often providing products that are hastily researched, poorly created, or make false or misleading claims about how well they work and how appropriate they are for a basement finshing project.  Before you make a decision on the basement wall product that’s right for your home, consider these five questions: