Basement Remodeling

February 24, 2010

Basement bars

The top three items people want when remodeling their basement. Home theaters, bathrooms and bars. A basement bar adds a nice touch to a finished basement. It can make a simple snack area for your home theater or an exciting place to entertain friends and hang out to watch a football game on the big screen. Whatever it is you need, it can be done. The biggest factor when creating a basement bar is budget. By time you add cabinets, countertops, tile, appliances, etc the cost can add up very quickly. You need to figure out what the primary use of the bar will be and try to set your budget accordingly.

A simple basement bar could be made up with several different cabinets choices for the floor and the wall cabinets. You could use a midrange quality cabinet with a laminate top. You can use an inexpensive sink and faucet to make it a wet bar. Depending on budget you can add a tile floor or backsplash.  If that’s not in the budget just paint the drywall behind the bar and carpet up to the cabinets. You can always add the tile work later down the road. The average cost of a simple basement bar would be around $2,500-$4,500 depending on your selections and feature

Basement bar

Basement bar with undercabinet lights, a mini frige and wine fridge but no sink

Simple basement bar
Bar with mini fridge, wine fridge, and sink

An custom bar would usually consist of higher end cabinets, granite countertops and be slightly larger or have an actual wrap around bar for seating. The cabinet choices for this type of bar would vary greatly. You could also dress up the cabinets with different types of decorative moldings. This would be the type of bar for entertaining guests at a party. You would basically have all the features of your kitchen. This bar would not only have a sink and faucet but it would have a disposal, dishwasher, refrigerator, wine fridge, microwave and more. You would complete the bar with floor tile and an interesting tile backsplash accent complete with under cabinet lighting to highlight the features in your design. You could have different levels to the bar or add pendant lighting above. You could build in flat screen TV’s or fish tanks in the wall. There is many different ways you can make your bar stand out above the rest. the average cost of a custom basement bar will start around $5,000 and go up from there. For more information on basement remodeling visit BasementSource.com

Custom basement bar

Basement bar with full fridge, microwave, wine rack, undercabinet lights, tile backsplash, and more

November 19, 2009

Tankless Water Heaters and Energy Savings

     Today’s homeowners want energy-efficient appliances. What better way to do that than with a tankless water heater. You can get an endless supply of hot water while saving money and our precious natural resources. Basement remodeling companies have been installing more and more of these systems. Why not, they take up less space, they are more efficient and they last twice as long.

     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 

July 5, 2008

Basement remodeling including planning, design, and costs

Planning and Ideas for your Finished Basement

Planning and Ideas for your Finished Basement

    If you want basement remodeling done first you need to set a budget. Next you need plans or a design for the basement. You can design it yourself, have a basement remodeling contractor do it, or have an architect design the plans.  A basement remodeling job can be a diy project if you have all of the skills but most people don’t have the required construction knowledge to handle all of the different aspects of the project.  You must be able to do rough carpentry, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall and much more.  You also need to know all of the local building codes which can be difficult in some areas.

     

    The easiest way to finish your basement if you don’t have all of the skills is to hire a basement remodeling contractor.  You can find one in the Yellow pages or join a service like Angie’s list. Just make sure whom ever you choose can show you samples of finished basements they have done and references from previous customers. It is always best to get at least two estimates before making your final decision. Ask your contractors to break down the costs items by item so you have a clear view of where the money is being spent.  I always tell my clients to call me after they have all of their quotes in and I will come back and go over the quotes with them.  This helps make sure the quotes are apples to apples and they are getting everything they want.

     

    Before you get started with your basement remodeling project make sure you have a clear vision on what you want the space to be.  A good basement remodeling contractor will be able to help you through the process by giving you ideas and tell you what may or may not work in your space.  Decide what your requirements are for the basement.  Do you want a home theater, bathroom, bedroom, home gym or a gameroom for the kids? Do you have leaks or moisture issues and need waterproofing done?  What type of finish materials do you want for plumbing fixtures, trim, lighting, windows, flooring, etc?  A good place to start is looking at basement remodeling magazines or finding pictures of finished basements on the internet. Google Images has hundreds of pictures from basement contractors across the globe. You can check out pictures from some of our jobs at http://www.aribuilding.com/basement

     

    Having the answers to most of these questions will help your contractor give you a more accurate quote for the final basement remodeling costs.  If your in Columbus Ohio contact us for a free estimate on your basement remodeling project. We would love to help you complete the basement of your dreams.

     

    Planning and Ideas for your Finished Basement

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