They are both a great place to find ideas for finishing your basement.  If the project is a ” Do it yourself ” remodeling job or your hiring a contractor you should really check out the following book:

” Basement Ideas That Work“

I recommend it to customers who are still looking for ideas and its a must have for anyone who is planning on finishing a basement on their own.

This book has all types of tips, tricks, plans and more about finishing a basement

Otherwise you need to hire a basement contractor or design expert to guide you through the process.

Whether its google images or the book you will be able to see what some of the latest trends in basement remodeling are along with samples of home theaters, bathrooms, wet bars, playrooms, fitness areas, built ins, basement flooring, basement remodeling plans and much more. You can find other basement remodeling books at the BasementSource.

Both are helpful tools for creating the layout of your space because you can see ideas that have  worked for others. Helping you choose style, colors, textures and much more.

If you need a basement remodeling contractor in Columbus Ohio and surrounding areas contact us.

Thanks.

The bathroom in your basement is one of the smallest but it typically sees the most traffic, especially when you’re entertaining guests. It is the perfect opportunity to take a risk and design a space your guests won’t soon forget.

Before you start construction on the basement  figure out the floor plan of your space. Then figure out your personal style. Do you want contemporary or traditional decor ? How will it fit in with the rest of the basement. To get great new ideas and keep current on trends, look at remodeling magazines, search for basement remodeling images on Picasa or Google images, visit a local plumbing – bath showroom, or check out home improvement websites. You can find articles on recent trends  and new bath products that can help you determine what products best fit your needs.

When working with a relatively small space every styling detail counts. Some manufacturers product sets are making it  easier for homeowners to coordinate their pieces. This way each element in the room is designed to perfectly match each other.

Lavatory Sink & Faucet

Most homeowners we deal with are trying to maximize space in their basement bathroom. Usually a pedestal sink is the best way to do that. A pedestal sink provides a clean, open look to the area. The only drawback is a loss of storage space. You can offset that by installing custom built ins or a small closet. If a pedestal sink isn’t your style you can use a sink base cabinet with a granite top and under mount sink. You can also use a  vessel sinks. This is where the bowl sits on the top of a vanity cabinet. Vessel sinks are becoming one of the latest trends in bathrooms and add a unique design to the space.

There are many different styles of bathroom faucets. Popular versions include wide-spread faucets ,vessel fillers and wall-mount faucets. The faucet and finish you choose will help pull the decor together . Many of them have matching accessories for towel bars and toilet paper holders.

Toilet

The toilet is one of the most important elements. You want to choose a model that is not only stylish but also highly reliable. Again many  toilets are now designed as part of a collection to  match your sink and the other pieces in your bathroom. Most popular choice is the elongated bowl model with a good water efficiency.

Shower Surround, Doors & Valve

The shower can be the centerpiece of your bathroom. The latest trend is accented tile walls with borders or inlays and poured pans with  tile floors. Add a seat or built in wall niche for a little pizzazz.  The shower valve should match your faucet or you could even upgrade to a unit that has body spray jets.

The shower doors are also an important aspect to the bathroom. Our favorite and again most popular is a frameless shower door system. It has a track on the top, bottom and two sides but the glass has no frame around it. This makes it not only were appealing visually but also easy to clean. You can get the doors and the glass in several different finishes so make sure that the finish you choose compliments the rest of the bathroom.

Accessories

You’ll still have to pick out a mirror, light fixtures, cabinets and hardware along with toilet paper holders, towel bars, etc. That’s usually easily done after you get the rest of the bathroom fixtures picked out. Check out the recommended bathroom remodeling books below.

     Tankless water heaters  are small wall mounted  units that heat water only when needed by using an electric coil or natural gas to heat water passing through a network of copper pipes inside. This eliminates the risk of a tank failure and the energy lost by constantly reheating water. Two of the most popular tankless water heaters are the Bosch AquaStar 2700ES NG (natural gas) and Bosch AquaStar 2700ES LP (propane) .  Typically the gas-fired tankless water heaters will produce higher flow rates than an electric tankless which is why I use and recommend the Bosch ones you see above. Some of the smaller tankless systems you might find cheaper online or at Home Depot cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous usage in a large household so be careful when making a selection. The Aquastar 2700ES delivers 7 gallons per minute( enough to run several fixtures at once), electronic ignition( no standing pilot light), direct vent combustion, remote thermostat, and a 12year warranty on the heat exchanger with a 2year warranty on parts

     For your installation make sure you check local building code requirements and/or have a qualified plumbing , heating, or general contractor help you with your installation. Whether you choose gas or electric they should be able to help you make sure the gas venting requirements or the electrical wiring requirements are met. Remember the proper installation/maintenance of your system can optimize the energy efficiency and help it last for decades.

  
  Guidelines for the Tax Credit can be viewed on the ENERGY STAR website. 

     The average life expectancy of a tankless system can be over 20 year where a standard tank might last 10-15 years. A tankless system can have an energy savings of up to 50% and most are energy star rated. To make things even better this item qualifies for a Federal Tax Incentive equal to 30% of the purchase and installation cost up to $1500. Theses home improvement tax credits are available for energy-saving home improvements that are placed in service in your primary residense from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010.  

     You can also check   http://www.dsireusa.org/. DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. There you find information for all state and local Incentives/Policies for Renewables & Efficiency.

Click here for information on how to apply for the energy tax credit

(IRS) guidelines for consumers can be viewed here: IRS Notice 2006-26 

The Saniplus includes the macerating unit toilet tank and bowl but no seat.Since the reservoir, the macerating pump and the pipes are hidden from view, this type of installation gives you the lean and clean look of a European bathroom or powder room. The toilet uses only 6 liters (1.6 USG) of water per flush. The Saniplus is simplicity itself to install; there are just four connections:

If you want to conceal the unit in the wall you will need the extension also.

The Saniplus macerating system is comprised of a pressure chamber, which starts and stops the unit, and the motor, which drives the stainless steel macerator blades and pump. To learn more about the macerating process please refer to What is a macerator? A normal operating cycle for Saniplus takes about 10–20 seconds depending upon the discharge pipe run configuration; power consumption is therefore minimal.

You can find out other detailed information, specs, and other helpful products at Saniflo.com. If you are interested in purchasing one, Amazon.com carries both the SaniPlus Macerator Toilet with Elongated Bowl and the SaniPlus Macerator Toilet with Round Bowl.

Remember when doing basement remodeling always do you own research before choosing the products you will use and make sure
that they are right for your job. If you need help try this book or hire a competent basement contractor to help you with these decisions.