Basement Renovation Money-Saving Tips in Windsor, Ontario

Summer has arrived here in Windsor, or as we call it here…..construction season! Many families here are considering a variety of DIY projects around the house, one of the most common is to expand useable floor space by renovating an unfinished or partially finished basement area. Here are some money saving tips that we use in the industry to reduce cost, increase useable space or improve appearance of the finished product. I hope you can make use of one or more of them in planning your project.

 · Make use of wasted space under the lower end of the stairway leading into the basement. Consider roll-out bins or shelves to hold laundry or other supplies.

 · Finish off the floor if your plan is to incorporate a family room or home office. If the floor in your basement is concrete, decide on the flooring you will use; laminate or engineered flooring, or carpet.

 · If you decide on carpet, and your floor is smooth, carpet and padding can be easily tacked down and stretched directly on top of the concrete. It’s important to know that once the carpet is stretched that it will lay flat across the entire floor. An uneven floor will cause the carpet to be unsupported underneath any low spots. If you prefer not to go to the expense of leveling the floor properly, then glue the carpet down, otherwise the carpet will wear much quicker in the unsupported areas.

 · If you decide on laminate or engineered flooring, you will have a great looking basement. The material and installation is more expensive than carpeting a floor, but usually cheaper than using a ceramic tile. Laminate is essentially saw dust and glue, made under great pressure and a lot of heat. The finishes on laminate are very tough; the floor is sturdy and wears very well – and good for high-traffic areas. Engineered flooring is essentially made by laminating a thin layer of hardwood flooring to the top of thin plywood and will wear similar to actual hardwood flooring of the same wood, however since it is plywood, it will resist warping under the high humidity conditions generally found in basements.

 · If part of your basement renovation includes a bathroom, time and costs can be cut if bathroom fixtures are located near existing plumbing. This means designing the bathroom floor plan close to the main waste-vent stack and house drain – with reduced cost involved in the installation of underground pipes.

 · When deciding on small bathroom design, it is easier and less complicated to arrange the bathroom fixtures along a line on one wall. Check local codes for plumbing and electrical requirements for your project.

 · Always remember when planning for ANY basement project that wood must NEVER touch concrete, under ANY circumstances! Concrete is inherently porous and absorbs small amounts of moisture directly from the ground under itself and will eventually rot any wood touching it. Any wood product which must be touching concrete, such as the base of a wall, should be installed with a gasket under it.

If you would like advice concerning your summer project or you would like a cost estimate for a project you are considering, please dont hesitate to contact us.

 Lakeside Interiors dedicates a portion of its profits to the community we work in by using our skills to assist the elderly or underpriviledged free of charge. If you know of someone in your area who could use our assistance, please let us know.

This article was published by:
Keith McGorlick,
Author, Blogger,
Home Improvement Expert &
President of, Lakeside Interiors
Windsor & Barrie Ontario
In Windsor, call 226-946-9651 or,
lakesidewindsor@gmail.com
lakesidebarrie@gmail.com