When thinking about your basement...

• For those of you reading this and contemplating building a new home with the idea of finishing your basement later - may we suggest this : get your contractor to dig the basement and pour the foundation walls an extra foot deeper. Another option would be to have him make you house one foot taller by building a knee wall on top of the foundation. Then the first floor joists rest on the 1 ft. knee wall rather than a sill plate directly on top of the foundation. This way, when the ductwork goes in you will have roughly an 8-foot ceiling.
  
  In addition, we suggest that you watch the subcontractors and control the placement of the interior utilities ( furnace and plumbing for a basement bathroom). They do not always put things where the plan shows and we may have to open up the concrete floor later to relocate sewage and plumbing for your basement bathroom, increasing the cost of finishing your basement.
  
• We would also advise you to purchase a sewer back up or similar insurance policy. This is generally available on your homeowner's policy as an additional rider. Many of the policies have a ten thousand dollar cap. Your greatest risk of flooding damage is during the great thunderstorms when the power goes out. Then your sump pump does not keep up with all the additional water, as it is not operating. For this reason as secondary safety measure, your should have a battery backup sump, if you live in an area where this might happen. These pumps will automatically kick - in when the power goes out.
  
• Regarding carpet, we recommend a heavier pad that is mildew resistant. This will not absorb moisture as much as usual carpet pads. This type of pad is specifically designed for potentially damp areas such as a basement.
  
• Themes (Sports, 50’s, Movies, Artistic, Country, Futuristic, Roman / Greek, Golf, OSU, etc.)
  
• Demolish the wall on the main floor where the basement door is and create a finish look that flows with the area with matching stairs to a lower level instead of a door to the basement.
  
• Replace the existing door on the main floor leading to the basement stairs with a French door or any other door with some glass in it.
  
• Use wall sconces for an elegant touch. By putting them on a dimmer switch you can alter the mood. Realize that well done lighting includes not only lights in the ceiling but lights in the walls, add a nice touch too.
  
• Home Theater Room (as fancy as a movie theater, even with special seating!)
  
• Enclose metal posts with Architectural Woodwork for an added decorators accent
  
• Build Cabinetry or Bookshelves recessed into the new walls for a built in look, space saving and to use empty spaces between walls
  
• Custom made Media Center (can also be design to be built into the wall)
  
• Professional Luxury Office / Work Stations with all the high tech you can envision, projector screen, luxury library, office storage, safety box, etc
  
• Reading Room /Family Library / Study Room
  
• Children Play Room with designs, shelving and colors just for them
  
• Pool Table Room Designs (with an exhaust fan vented outside, for smokers)
  
• Wet and Dry Bar / Kitchenette ( you can use normal appliances or under counter wine cellar, under counter ice maker, under counter refrigerator)
  
• Intercom Systems, even with video monitors. One can go at the front door.
  
• Full Size Kitchen with commercial range hood vented outside, walk in pantry, commercial grade gas cook top, commercial sinks, etc. (We have built this for an upscale residence because their current kitchen as beautiful as it looks was not to practical and they entertained often. We also built a walk-in pantry the size of a bedroom and a great Family Room with a gas fireplace vented outside!)
  
• Cedar Closet, even a walk-in Master Closet with adjustable hangers, shelving, shoe racks, drawers and a full mirror with adequate lighting. And what do you think if it’s also the ironing and sawing center? The closet room of your dreams!
  
• Gas Fireplace (vented outside!). There’s also electric fireplaces that look great and provide good heat.
  
• Exercise Room (with ceiling fans, appropriate lighting, special cushioned floor, exhaust fan vented outside, TV/VCR brackets that hang on a wall or ceiling, wall designs using glass panels or glass-blocks, etc.)
  
• Full Bathroom (standard or with walk in shower, custom built steam and or sauna room, hot tub)
  
• Large Windows / Egress Windows (excavation and masonry work needed)
  
• Bulkhead Overhead Access Door (excavation and masonry work needed)
  
• Walk Out Exterior Door (excavation and masonry work needed)
  
• Architectural Ceiling Designs
  
• Laundry / Sawing / Craft / Ironing Center
  
• Home Workshop
  
• Wall Designs using Glass Block, Stones, Metals, Plastics, Hardwoods, Commercial grade Glass Panels, Cork, Wood Veneers, curves and other shapes
  
• Sound Insulation on ceilings (if you have hardwood floors, marble or ceramic tile floors above the basement area insulating the basement ceiling will make it less noisy when someone is walking in the first level. Also if you plan to have a Home Theater in the basement insulating the ceilings will improve sound absorption).
  
• Use more lighting than less, if the electric panel allows (or we can add another panel to your existing). Decorating with lights in a basement makes also for a great design.
  
• Hardwood Floors (Yes, you can have hardwood or laminated floors in your basement!)
  
• Walk in Wine Cellar Room, even Climate Controlled
  
• Heated Floors
  
• Bomb Shelter
  
• Your basement space has the most design flexibility of any area in your house. Have fun with it and please confirm to the local building codes in your area.