5 Pro Tips for Renovating Your Basement In 2020

You have been saving for several years now and have planned your dream basement renovation since you first moved in! Is it finally the time or more specifically a good time to finish your basement? What are some key factors you should consider before proceeding with one of the biggest investments of your lifetime?

Desire Basements has been in the basement renovation industry for over a decade now. Over our years in the basement finishing industry, we as homeowners and renovators have learned and evolved on factors relating to a successful and affordable basement renovation project. Today, we will breakdown 5 top and key tips for renovating your basement in 2020.

Hire a Basement Renovation Professional

Of course, you would think “who else would I hire if not a professional?”. You would be surprised to know the number of real horror stories that are taking place on a day to day basis. Even a “professional” company with a website, professional salesman, a showroom, and other features can turn your project into a horrible experience, not to mention a contractor without any of these initiatives. So how do you determine if you have truly hired a professional with a great track record? 1. Look for reviews on key platforms like Google. 2. Ask for several references and on-site meetings. 3. Look for professionalism and commitment from the sales rep, the initial representation of a company says a lot. 4. Review the package you are being offered in detail and make sure nothing is hidden. 5. Make sure the company is licensed and insured.

Floor Plan & Design

A floor plan and interior design can make a world of difference in the quality of your basement renovation. You would be surprised to know that most contractors finishing projects at a lower rate then industry average doesn’t even bother with any form of design or floor plan. This can result in a basement that looks just like the next rather than a unique personalized basement. We always stress the importance of design and planning to our clients to such an extent that we create a floor plan and 3D design for you right on spot. Furthermore, we create a professional 3D rendering like no other so we can bring your discussions and your imagination to life. Another key factor to interior design is picking out finishes that complement one another, and that is where the expertise of an interior designer comes into play.

Permits & Building Code

When finishing your basement, a key factor to investigate and to verify is if the individual you are hiring is knowledgeable in the Ontario Building Code (OBC). Did you know that every basement project in Ontario required a building and electrical (ESA) permit? One reason the government demands a permit is due to the very fact that most basement finishing or general contractors are not familiar with the Ontario Building Code and professional building methods. These two factors lead to an unsuccessful and possibly a dangerous outcome. When a basement renovation project is completed with a building permit, the city performs inspections throughout the project timeline to ensure that everything is done properly and according to the code. For this reason, we always recommend you to discuss the possibility of obtaining a building permit with your contractor to protect your family and investment.

Quality of Materials

Probably the topic we at Desire Basements primarily stress on, quality of materials. We have written a few blogs about why receiving quality materials is key. We urge any homeowner looking for a professional basement finishing company in 2020 to review all the materials they are being offered in detail prior to any type of commitment. Most basement finishing companies are mass producing basements with low-quality finishes as they profit dramatically more than using quality materials. The worst part is, they charge you just as much if not more then companies with quality finishes. The only problem is that almost 70% of homeowners do not investigate enough to discover this key factor. Do yourself a favor and ask to see everything in detail before you commit, don’t be fooled by the fee display options!

Contract & Timeline

What better way to protect yourself and your large investment? A professional and detailed contract. We strongly believe that a true professional would automatically provide you with a detailed contract for your basement renovation project. A contract protects both homeowners and contractors as it provides mutual boundaries and an understanding of what is expected. A very important tip is to protect yourself with a clause regarding the duration of the project. There are way too many horror stories about basement renovation or general renovation projects taking up to half a year. The worst part is, the client is not compensated for the delay and in most cases, the client ends up paying a lot more than originally agreed to. A contract can protect you from these types of misfortunes and scams.

These are several key tips we recommend for your upcoming basement renovation or general renovation project. There are many more items to check off your list but we hope that these 5 pro tips will help you with your upcoming project! As always, never hesitate to reach out to us at Desire Basements for any questions or inquiries about your upcoming basement finishing or general renovation project!