Home Remodeling And Repair

Home Remodeling And Repair: Basement Remodeling

Remodeling or finishing your basement is one of the larger home remodeling and repair jobs, but when it’s done well by an experienced Phoenix contractor, it can significantly increase the value of your home as well as giving you and your family additional usable space in your home. At the same time, there are a number of challenges unique to basement remodeling which you should be well aware of before you start shopping around for a PA contractor to handle the job. Dampness can be an issue. There’s no getting around the fact that basements tend to be fairly damp due to their very nature – but this doesn’t mean that a damp basement is inevitable. You can talk to a Phoenix contractor about waterproofing your basement. Water can get into your basement in a number of ways: between your slab and foundation walls, cracks in the foundation or porous walls, among others. All of these are issues which can be overcome, but your contractor should inspect your basement carefully to identify them before any other work is done.

Dampness, as we all know, can lead to mold. If you can have your basement waterproofed, however, mold can’t grow; but you will need to get rid of any mold that you already have growing in your basement. A Phoenix contractor should be able to recommend a mold remediation service to take care of this before the rest of your home remodeling and repair job begins.

Radon is another issue which homeowners interested in having their basements remodeled. Radon is colorless and odorless, but it’s a very hazardous carcinogenic gas which is among the leading causes of lung cancer in people who do not smoke. You’ll want to ask your Phoenix contractor to test your basement for radon and have a mitigation system installed if necessary. Radon is a naturally occurring element which makes it way up from the soil and although it’s not dangerous in low concentrations, it can build up in an enclosed space like a basement and become a health hazard. A contractor can install a mitigation system which vents the potentially harmful gas outside, alleviating the problem.

Emergency Exits

In order to comply with building codes in most cities, a finished basement has to have an exit directly to the outside of the home in the event of a fire or other emergency. If your basement already has a door which opens to the outside, then this will probably satisfy the requirements of your city’s building code. However, if your basement does not have an exit which leads to the outside, you’ll have to talk to your Phoenix contractor about installing what is known as an egress window. This is a window which is large enough to be used as an emergency exit if needed.

There are some issues which have to be addressed if you want to remodel your basement, but like other major home remodeling and repair projects, finishing your basement can make your home both more livable and more valuable if you decide to sell at a later date.