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Basement Finishing Complaints

"[T]he single largest source of complaints to consumer and licensing agencies is home improvement contractors. But whether the job you want done is installing hurricane protection, redoing your kitchen, or a renovation of your entire home, you can dramatically reduce your risk of getting stuck if you follow some basic rules."
-Sarasota Magazine, June 2007

The home improvement industry has earned itself a very tough reputation over the years! Historically, homeowners have launched a volley of justified complaints about home improvement contractors who just haven't cut it. Late appointments, poorly completed work, confusing or changing prices, and a variety of other woes have all led up to a cautious customer base who doesn't know what to expect anymore. The following is a list of common basement finishing complaints that we've heard from the competition.

"I need work done on my finished basement, but my basement contractor is out of business!"

Half of all home improvement contractors fail in the first year and 96% fail within the first five years, according to the small business administration. If you've hired a brand new or fly-by-night contractor, you may find that they're out of business the next time you need them. If you were counting on them to keep promises or uphold a warranty, you may be out of options. Don't be in that position!

Total Basement Finishing's network of basement finishing contractors is selected from only the best and best-established contractors in the country. Each of their dealers are solidly grounded in the industry, has a great reputation with the local community and Better Business Bureau, and are trained at the Total Basement Finishing national headquarters in Seymour, CT USA.

"My basement was finished, but it flooded and is ruined."

Total Basement Finishing hears complaints like this about other contractors all the time! When drywall (including mold-resistant drywall) is installed in a basement, it can be ruined by water and moisture. Additionally, cloth and fiberglass designs can soak up water like a sponge, and the moisture that enters the walls can cause the cloth coverings to fall off. Despite the fact that fiberglass is synthetic, and mold-resistant drywall is said to be mold-resistant, both products are able to grow mold and become damaged in a wet basement.

If you recently finished the basement, you just spent a lot of money. You won't want to spend a lot more in the near future just to refinish the space. If your basement has been damaged by flooding and humidity, Total Basement Finishing has the answer. We offer long-term warranties against mold and moisture- 50 years for our walls, 30 years for our ceilings- and we prove that we're confident that our products will hold up for the long run.

"I loved my finished basement, but the smell is keeping us out."

When drywall, carpet and wood are installed with no vapor barrier, it's a recipe for disaster. Concrete is porous, and if it didn't allow water to pass through, it would never dry and cure. Moisture and humidity constantly pass through the concrete basement floors and walls to enter the home, where it can become trapped in carpeting and drywall. Moist drywall and carpet will begin to grow mold, mildew, and rot, causing it to stink and become destroyed. Likewise, drywall can also become damaged and ruined, and as the area begins to fill with mold, odors, and dust mite waste, this can even become a health risk for all who live in the household.

Due to the "stack effect", the air in a home moves the same way as it does through a chimney, with the warm air rising and exiting through the upper levels. This creates a vacuum below that requires new air to be pulled in through the basement and lower floors. As this air is pulled upwards, everything in the air is pulled up with it and forced into the home where you live.

"My basement finishing took several months to complete!"

Drywall and mold-resistant drywall is a messy, time-consuming job. While the work can be completed in as little as six weeks, even a concerted effort from a contractor is going to lead to a great deal of work in cutting the drywall, putting in studs, and hanging a ceiling. There are permits to be obtained, building codes to comply to, and materials to order. The dust that's created is enormous, and the final product is drywall that can be damaged by mold, water, and impacts, and cannot support weight without the aid of a stud.

New products designed specifically for basement walls are now being offered that can be installed in less than two weeks— sometimes sooner! Closed-cell hard foam insulation that contains no organic material is a fantastic way to insulate the home without the need to worry about water absorption or mold, and a hard board covering can allow a basement wall panel to support as much as 300 pounds per square inch! This means that your basement stays warm, and you can mount those shelves, cabinets, and plasma TV with no need to cut away the walls and insulation to find structural support.

"My basement finishing cost has run over by 25%. I don't know how I'm going to afford the extra expense!"

When conducting almost any home improvement job, a general contractor can often run over costs by as much as 10%, 25% or even 35% of the estimate. When something like this happens, the burden of expense can often land on the homeowner, who did not prepare to pay that much more for the work. Don't be put in this position! The Saturday Evening Post recommends that you have all basement work done by written contract that discusses in writing what the cost will be and how the contractor will be paid. Having a written proposal to work with gives you a leg to stand on and gives you the strength of not having it be your word against theirs if there is a conflict in price later on. It's also a good idea to come to an agreement beforehand on how much the price can exceed the estimate so that you don't find yourself paying more than you should be.

As an additional precaution, be sure to check on any potential hidden costs, such as the cost of ripping out existing building materials and disposing of them or the cost to prepare the basement walls and floors for the necessary work. A homeowner should not have to pay additional costs unless they've requested additional work to be completed.

"The salesman who visited used high-pressure sales tactics."

Some contractors are much better at sales than basement finishing. Aggressive sales tactics and hard-sell techniques may make a lot of money for the company, but they make for a frustrating and uncomfortable experience for the customer. If you find that your contractor is easily able to cut 20% or more off the price of the work, you can be sure that they were either charging too much in the beginning or are willing to cut corners and do cheap, shoddy work to hold back costs. Overcharging is dishonest and offensive, and using cheap building practices can lead to big problems later on down the road.

Another widely-used technique that some basement finishing experts have used is to offer a homeowner a big signing discount if they agree to a basement finishing on the spot. This benefits the salesman, because they are able to close the deal before the homeowners have had much time to think things over or seek another estimate. They claim that these bonuses will expire when they leave, and an artificial crisis is created. Why would a basement finisher pressure you to do the job before you had time to think about it?

"I didn't like working with so many different contractors just to get one job done."

When you're finishing the basement, you're going to want someone who can do it all, from the basement floor, to walls, ceiling, windows, window wells, support beams, wall partitions, basement doors, electrical work and lighting. There's also a variety of other services you may want as you finish your basement, such as reliable dehumidification or egress windows. If one company only specializes in walls, another only does windows, and another contractor specializes only in electrical work, how many people are going to need to work on your basement before you're done?

Total Basement Finishing specializes in finishing the entire basement- from the floor to ceiling. In less than two weeks, we can take your unfinished basement and transform it into something that's ready for the family to use and enjoy. We can take care of nearly anything you need for your basement finishing, allowing for one-stop basement finishing in your home! You won't need to coordinate contractors and schedules!

The Best Basement Remodelers 

In order to avoid these difficult situations, your best defense is to find a home improvement contractor who specializes in basement waterproofing and understands the specific needs of below-grade remodeling. They can advise you the best way to approach insulation, dehumidification, lighting, and the best building materials to use when finishing a basement. Your contractor should have a long-standing business with a strong reputation in the local community. They should be driven to treat you pleasantly and professionally, and their work should be prompt, as promised, and per contract. The job should be done right the first time, with the contractors always there if you need them.

Total Basement Finishing can provide this for you and your home. We offer free estimates and service that has proven reliable and high-quality for many years. If you'd like a free consultation and basement refinishing quote, call or contact us today!

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