Turning your basement into a bedroom could make practical sense. Converting this space is cheaper than building an extension and it could add some serious value to your home. To help you convert your basement, here are the steps you’ll need to take.
Fix up any damage
Before you can begin your conversion, you need to make sure that your basement is in good condition. Any cracks you find will need to be properly sealed up. Some small cracks may be possible to fill with caulk, but larger ones will probably require calling in the pros. You may also want to check your home’s foundations – if there are signs of subsidence, foundation repair could be a necessity (you don’t want your whole basement to collapse). Finally, consider the ceiling of your basement and whether any of the beams need repairing.
Frame the walls and ceiling
Many basements have bare concrete walls and ceilings with exposed piping and wiring. These will need to be framed with wood panels and plaster to make the room feel more home-like (unless exposed pipes and concrete is your thing). This could also be a chance to add some insulation to your basement to keep it warm in the winter months. Framing can be a big job and you may want to hire a company to do it for you.
Install new flooring
Most basements have a solid concrete floor, which isn’t particularly cozy. Laminated wood or carpets could be a much more suitable option. Drop and lock wooden flooring is a great DIY option for those looking to save money on wooden floor installation. As for carpets, this can be fiddly work and you may be better off simply hiring carpet installation experts.
Add some electrics
Next, you’ll want to wire in some electrics. This could include sockets, light fittings, and possibly even electric HVAC. A qualified electrician will need to be hired to do this job. Basements can get pretty gloomy, so you may want to shop around for high luminosity lighting options. Strategically placed spot lighting could help to illuminate the entire space, but it could be expensive to install – a cheaper alternative could be track lighting, which will also help to light up the entire room. Take the time to peruse through these options.
Start furnishing
Once your basement is fully converted into a bedroom, it’s time to start furnishing it out with furniture. How you style it is completely up to you – if it’s a guest bedroom, you may be planning to stay fairly neutral, whilst a kid’s bedroom could be a chance to do something a bit wilder and more fun. If access to your basement is fairly restricted, you may want to consider buying flat-pack furniture. This will be a lot easier to navigate into your basement. Nowadays, there are lots of stylish flat-pack beds and wardrobes that you can look into.
