Basic Principles of Basement Design 101Basement Design 101
15 Jul, 2009 in Home & Family - LandscapingAny basement remodeling and renovating require some knowledge of basic basement design principles. After all, no one wants to invest in a project that could end up looking bad in terms of design. Not only that. Designs and architectural plans will also affect the technical aspects of your basement such as the electrical wiring, to waterproofing. Any design will also have to take into account the type of basement you want for your house.
Your basement design can range from the very simple to the very intricate. When planning on your designs, there are a number of things for you to think about. Do you require a full basement? If you do not prefer a full basement, is a smaller space enough for your specific needs? These are just some of the important questions to ask before drawing out your basement plan.
A fully-finished basement can add value to your home. A fully finished basement can be an additional room for just about any purpose such as laundry facility, storage, and even a home entertainment center or game room. Your fully finished basement will call for several factors that an unfinished or partly finished basement would not.
Like the other areas of your home, your basement should be welcoming and livable. Thus, you will have to incorporate finished walls installed with drywall, floors that cater to the purpose of the room, electrical systems and appropriate wiring for lighting, good plumbing systems and HV AC systems to help maintain the comfort levels of the room.
Now one thing you should really consider first is waterproofing. You have to ascertain your basement is dry. A continually wet or moist basement will result in a basement design disaster since it will damage the materials you incorporate to accomplish your project. If you have a wet basement problem, do not worry. Ascertain your rain gutters are free of obstruction and the downspout configuration is not making water to puddle by the foundation of your house. The immediate terrain surrounding your house should be slanted downwards to direct water away from the foundation. If you must, speak with a building expert on alternative methods that can be applied to solve ground water issues that may not be as evident.
After waterproofing your basement, the next step is to look into its insulation and think about the heat source. You could employ a fireplace or stove. Choose the type of heating system according to your basement design.
Next, take a look around. How does your basement look? More likely, your basement has pipes and wires that are exposed and not to mention very unsightly. In this case you could easily finish your basements surfaces. There are wall and ceiling systems that can be applied to successfully hide those you do not want to have to look at in your basement. There are panels you can obtain that act like drywall”search for wall alternatives that are insulated, resistant to mold and mildew, seamless and acoustical. To hide wires and pipes along the ceiling overhead, incorporate a suspended ceiling.
Lighting is another aspect of basement design and decor which you can be creative about. For the best results for your basement design, attempt to incorporate three types of interior lighting. For instance, you could place some practical lighting so you could perform tasks such as reading and doing some office work, and then you could employ sconces or series lights to add a dramatic effect.