Essential Steps to Take When Finishing Your Basement

A basement can be a great place for storage. However, you might want to use your basement as another room or set of rooms that can provide you with recreational activities or a way to entertain guests. Before this happens, you may want to finish the basement in order to make it a more comfortable space. Here are some of the steps you should take to complete a home basement.

Add the Plumbing

If you plan to make your basement more than just an empty space, it's time to add the necessary plumbing components to it. Although this can be a tough job, it is possible to complete on your own with the right equipment and knowledge. You may already have some pipes in place in the area. If this is so, your job becomes a bit easier. If you don't have any pipes, you'll have to install what is known as rough-in plumbing below the floor of the basement. You'll run the rest of your plumbing through what you've installed below the concrete. Of course, this is definitely something you’ll want a professional to do.

Waterproof the Space

The underground nature of basements means that excess moisture or leaks might become a problem as time goes on. To fight against this threat, there are measures you can take. Waterproofing the area yourself can help make sure that the room stays dry and ready for use whenever you want. Interior waterproofing measures usually start with finding and sealing up any cracks or holes you might notice in the concrete walls. Hydraulic cement is a good option for this step. This kind of cement can expand to fill the holes. You can apply masonry cement to seal pores and prevent excess moisture from getting into the room.

Install Electrical Components

You can complete this stage on your own, but you should be aware that working with wiring can present many difficulties and dangers. In many cases, you'll have a subpanel in the basement that is meant to deal with your power needs. A qualified electrician can go through this process and make sure that the wiring is all connected and run correctly. Installing switches and outlets will be another part of this process.

Finish the Walls

With some of the harder stuff out of the way, it is a good time to turn the frames in your basement into proper walls. You can start by hanging your own drywall. It is very important to gather the proper materials and knowledge about drywall hanging before you start this process. You need to hang drywall accurately for everything to work well. After hanging it, you can finish it off with some sanding and joint compound.

A finished basement adds another layer of utility to your home. It's also a great way to get an additional space that you can personalize to your liking. Once done, you'll have another large area of the house to set up workstations, entertainment areas, or guest quarters.