Basement Renovation

A finished basement can be a great place where you can entertain your family and friends by putting in a recreation room which includes a pool table, ping pong table, pinball machine, and/or dartboard.

Contained in this new concise snapshot report are these essential facts and figures that can give direction to luxury marketers' business and strategic plans.So what�s best? Checkered tiling is what �Ultimate Game Rooms� are all about. Match the tiles up with your wall color for the ultimate effect. Whether you use 6x6, 8x8 or 12x12 tiling squares it�s a checkered floor that makes your game room �Ultimate�.Basement renovation planning is key to the success of your basement. For instance, if you decide you want a wetbar and/or bathroom, you will need to have the plumbing done first. This would be a top priority because the plumbing usually goes beneath the cement floor. After the plumbing is completed, you need to plan and install the electric which may include hiring a certified electrician. Your plans should include enough electrical outlets, telephone lines and cable hook-ups. These will be used for your television(s), lamp(s), computer(s), electronic games, and a computer modem. Once installed, you must decide on paneling, dry walling, or painting to cover your cement walls. Although paneling might be cheaper, the refined look of drywall makes it the material of choice for finished spaces.Let�s start with furniture. If you�re creating a theme then your furniture must match. For example if you want a �Beach or Hawaiian Theme� then the best pub tables, pub chairs and accessories would be made of wicker or rattan. If you�re creating a Green Bay Packer�s Theme then you�d want chrome bar stools with green or yellow vinyl cushion covers to match. Otherwise if you just want a great game room make sure you bar stools and pub tables match.1. Look for basement foundation cracks. Hairline cracks in the basement can be the fault of improper curing where as large cracks are most likely caused by settling. Both can be repaired with hydraulic cement if the crack is not active i.e. whatever caused the crack is no longer an existing problem. If the basement crack is still active then the crack patching may be re-opened later.Paneling can look dated and does not always last long.To control noise, have thick wall to wall carpeting and a high quality pad can absorb much of the sound. You can use sound deadening material below any underlayment or subfloor. This is nice especially if the basement is used for a bedroom or office. An easy way to reduce noise is by installation of thick insulation between ceiling joists.Next comes the flooring. There is a variety of floors that can be put into game rooms. A few examples would be hardwood, vinyl, cork, bamboo, carpet tiling, ceramic tiling, area rugs and wall-to-wall carpeting. If your game room is located in a basement that eliminates most if not all hardwoods because of moisture problems in basements.Luxury Furniture, Lamps & Floor Coverings Snapshot Report 2010.Creating Your �Ultimate Home Game Room�The next phase in your plans should be the stairwell. Some professionals suggest you should open up the stairwell and install a banister because a basement typically features stairwells that are enclosed. By opening up the basement stairwell you remove some of the basement like atmosphere. Some designers would like to see the doorways of the basement widened and employ arches and columns to dress them up. Examples include French Doors for privacy or a partial separator using decorative glass to add elegance to the basement room.

After your basement renovation are complete, start adding the "toys" that will make it an enjoyable area where you get away from it all.

Author: Keith Hoyng