Welcome back to the Hometime Circuit Breaker!

BEHIND-THE-SCENES

So, you want to finish your basement, do you. We don't blame you—it's some of the cheapest space available when you want to expand your living space. As you start your planning, the first thing we recommend is that you remember all the reasons you don't like to spend time down there right now. Things like, it's dark, dank, and has low ceilings. These are the issues you need to address as you plan your new space.

The first, and most important, issue is water. There's no point in spending good money to put nice materials in a basement that is subject to flooding or even just occasional seepage. If your basement has ever had water in it, you have to figure out why, fix the problem, then wait and observe a while to make sure you really fixed the problem before you finish the space. Common problems are poor grading around the foundation and missing or faulty gutters—easy enough to fix. If the problem is due to a high water table, your fixes are harder and more expensive—you're going to need a sump pump and a drain system below the slab or around the footings to catch and redirect rising water before it makes its way into your basement. Call a reputable waterproofing contractor. Dampness caused by condensation is easily handled by conditioning the air in the basement, running a dehumidifier, and insulating the pipes.

Light is another important element if you want to create a space that doesn't "feel" like a basement. You have to have egress windows in any bedrooms and that will help bring in some light. And of course, you can add windows in the living areas, too. On a recent Hometime project, the Autumn Woods house, we installed much bigger windows than were required in the basement and dug out some really big window wells. Even though we had to install ladders and railings in the window wells, it was worth it because they really flooded the basement with light.

Artificial light plays a significant role, too. Eric Odor, the architect on our most recent basement project (Expanding Living Space), taught us that because we had only one window in our space, we'd have to really pump up the fixtures at the other end of the basement to balance the light from the window. Otherwise, the far end of the basement would seem even darker than it really was.

From a design perspective, choosing the same style and quality of light fixtures for the basement that you have in the rest of the house also contributes to making sure the new space doesn't feel like a gussied-up basement. For Expanding Living Space, we opted for a lot of sconces, a pendant over the dining table, and some funky track lighting over the desk and kitchen counters. Recessed lights are another good option. You can even get some that install in dropped ceilings and there are special shallow models if ceiling height is a problem.

Finally, here are a couple of other design tricks we've picked up to help make your new space somewhere you'll really want to spend time. First, try to keep the space somewhat open by designing multiuse spaces, otherwise you end up with a rabbit warren. And use nice-quality materials (assuming you fixed those water problems) to match the look and feel of the rest of your house.

This Month's CIRCUIT BREAKER Specials

Pick up more useful design tips and a whole lot of how-to information—including how to move pipes under the slabs, frame walls, finish a bathroom, lay various types of flooring, and more—with the Hometime Basements Book and Video combo. Our special Circuit Breaker Price is $14.35 (normally $17.95).

The new Hometime T-shirts are here! These ash-gray, heavyweight cotton shirts feature the redesigned Hometime logo embroidered in blue. Get yours for just $9.95 (regular price $11.65).

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