I (Joshua) wanted to share a recent request from a client to turnkey their completely unfinished basement. This was a major transformation to the 1800 square foot space as it was starting from where the original builder left off. If you just can’t wait for the final reveal, here’s our Tiktok and all the items (stair lights, light fixtures, faucet, etc) are linked at the end of this post!
@hammerandhandsawThe stair lights were only one of the highlights from this client job. They were looking to add some dramatics to the entry for their guests. Lighting is oftentimes one of the overlooked elements to a design whether by the fixture or the light itself. There were three areas throughout the basement where extra care was taken for light placement. The main living area featured a chandelier with recessed dimmers in each corner of the room. The separate lounge area featured smaller recessed dimmers throughout the soffits in addition to the centerpiece to create different settings in the room. Bring up the lights for an exciting poker game or dim them for a more relaxing vibe. Lastly, the tread lights serve a dual purpose. Of course there is a ‘wow factor’ but, these lights can double as a safety feature – illuminating a dim area. Especially when it’s movie night in the basement. So don’t forget to get creative with your lighting on your next remodel or DIY project. BTW we’ve posted the full story (and links to all the products) of this basement job on the blog link in our bio, hammerandhandsaw.com
Keep reading to see the transformation! Here are some before photos:
There was no plumbing or electrical and only a rough idea for the design but for the most part, this was an open project. We worked with the homeowners to reconfigure their layout to optimize its potential while keeping the cost in mind. The project needed to include a bedroom for overnight guests with a full bathroom, a kitchen for food prep (no running up and down the stairs to entertain), wet bar, dining area, a living area with seating around a large screen television, an office, and a sitting room/lounge for quiet relaxation.
The initial assessment of the basement did not reveal any moisture problems in its current condition that might be a future concern for water intrusion and/or mold. Identifying issues early before any construction begins can save money down the line by introducing mitigation strategies ahead of time.
The homeowners did inform us of high radon levels in the basement and we suggested that a local company complete a full mitigation before any remodeling took place. Radon is an odorless, invisible, radioactive gas naturally released from rocks, soil, and water. Radon can get into homes and buildings through small cracks or holes and build up in the air. Over time, breathing in high levels of radon can cause lung cancer so it was important to address this before any work started.
Basement Remodel Phase 1: Planning
Since this was a client job, final say of the color scheme and finishes were decided by the homeowners. Their main concern was creating a space to entertain their guests with low cost luxury in mind. Quartz countertops were a kitchen must have to go along with the dramatic large format tile that was planned for the shower.
The basement’s size of 1800 square feet lent much room for different area designations – something a small basement might not allow while keeping in mind the space’s purpose of entertainment. This basement was almost the size of two basements compared to other homes we’ve remodeled!
The main goals and unique features to add were:
- Complete framing
- Soffits for HVAC, rough electrical and plumbing
- Add pantry closet
- Add entertainment wall with built ins
- Run electrical for entire space
- GFI breakers (required for basements and moisture prone areas)
- Special purpose outlets for kitchen and bathroom (wet areas)
- Functional lighting
- Low voltage audio
- Run plumbing for entire space
- Tie into main drain for bathroom fixtures and kitchen fixtures
- Install drain pump for kitchen
- Relocate drain for toilet and shower
- Tie into hot/cold for kitchen and bathroom fixtures
- Install HVAC system for temperature control
- Install an electric fireplace
- Install motion activated stair lighting
Because this would be a high-traffic entertainment space with a kitchen, it was important to install appropriate flooring in case of spills and foot traffic. With luxury vinyl planks, we were able to achieve a low cost luxury look with durability for a long lasting space that is easy to maintain.
Related Post: The Best Renovations to Increase Home Value
Basement Remodel Phase 2: Framing & Demolition
Since there was little to no demolition required to start the dream basement our client was looking for, we started by adding soffits around the ceiling where HVAC ductwork and plumbing/electrical could be run and enclosed after the drywall was installed. Most basement remodeling projects in our past have required extensive demo, but this was a nice change to be able to start the job without having to remove or relocate any basement walls.
Basement Remodel Phase 3: Rough Mechanicals
Our next steps to the finished basement remodeling, were to bring in the requirements to turn the basement into a living space. With HVAC, plumbing, and electrical, this is where a basement remodeling project, or any remodeling project, begins to take life.
First up was the HVAC. Since the ductwork usually takes up the most space in a ceiling or crawlspace, we started there. Our licensed subcontractor was able to run all the supply ducts and intakes in a couple of days before setting the air handler and compressor.
Next up, our licensed plumber was able to bring in the properly sized supply lines and drain lines to our planned wet areas. This includes the kitchen and wet bar, and the full bathroom. We needed to jackhammer the concrete subfloor to relocate the drain lines for the toilet and shower out to an appropriate distance from the wall. Our planned toilet had a 12 inch rough-in and the Schluter shower drain needed to sit flush with our planned tile wall installation.
While the plumber was taking care of the basement’s water needs, our licensed electrician was handling the requirements for the electrical supplies. He started by reviewing our plan and making suggestions for how the space would be used that might impact furniture placement and other factors for the purposes of lighting and device placement in media room. We rearranged and added several features before he started his work.
Low voltage wiring was added throughout the basement to allow overhead speaker installation so the homeowner could use the space similar to a home theater in the living room. Extra rooms around the basement also were wired with speakers so guests could still participate in the entertainment without all being in the same room.
An additional lighting circuit was added in the lounge area that allowed the recessed lighting around the soffit eaves to be dimmed. This would allow the homeowner to create several uses for the space and decide the mood for whatever might take place at the time. Using lighting can sometimes be a forgotten design feature in remodeling and new construction.
With accents and other decor, lighting can be used to create different moods in areas that often times come at low cost if planned ahead. Dimmer switches and motion sensors were also used in other areas of the basement to allow convenience and functionality throughout the space. We were also able to include special purpose outlets that supported USB charging for convenience in several locations: the kitchen bar, living rooms, and bedroom all included fast charging.
Basement Remodel Phase 4: Installing Drywall
Once the MEP rough in was complete, we took this time to review our floorplan again and make sure that we did not overlook any areas of the planned final design. It is much easier to fix any errors now before drywall starts going up on the basement walls.
It only took a day from our skilled drywall crew to get the ceilings and walls covered with the new drywall. Majority of the drywall process is skim coating and sanding. This process is best done by skilled hands as any imperfections on the walls will show through paint in your basement finishing job. No need to try and save cost here by doing it yourself, a skilled crew will save you time by getting the job done right and quickly.
From start to finish was a little over a week to complete this stage. The time to finish was increased slightly since the homeowner wanted to incorporate bullnose corners from the main living space upstairs in the basement. These pieces can be hard to find since their use is not as common anymore.
Basement Remodel Phase 4: Flooring & Paint
Once the sheetrock had been finished, sanded, and walls swept of dust, we were ready to bring the first splash of color to the basement. Several ideas were shared during this stage, and ultimately the homeowners went with Pavilion Beige SW 7512 for the walls. The color brought a warm feel to the finished basement without making it feel dark. Since basements aren’t necessarily known to be a bright space, we were careful with lighting considerations and colors to not make the basement remodel feel dim.
The luxury vinyl plank flooring that was used for this project was from one of our favorite suppliers for flooring and cabinetry, Barton’s Home Outlet. This product allowed a fast an easy installation since the flooring came with a pad attached. This allows for a softer feel on the floors and low noise since the subfloor is concrete. We utilized this flooring throughout the entire space except for the bathroom that would be tile.
The tile in the bathroom was sourced from Floor & Decor, another favorite vendor, where the supplies and materials for most tile installations can be found. The floor was Emilia Porcelain Tile, while the shower walls were Rialto Grand Polished Porcelain Tile with the matching mosaic floor, Rialto Grand Hexagon Porcelain Mosaic.
Mapei Warm Gray grout was the grout used in all areas including the kitchen where we used Rosata Bianco Antimicrobial Porcelain Tile for a feature wall and backsplash. These choices, the homeowners felt tied the basement remodel together for a cohesive look.
Basement Remodel Phase 5: Cabinets, Fixtures, & Appliances
For the kitchen cabinets, the homeowners decided to go with a shaker style cabinet. The GHI Stone Harbor Gray Shaker Cabinets were the final choice that come ready-to-assemble. The cabinets come painted, but need to be assembled. This can take some extra time, but was another factor to reduce overall cost to the client. In the living area, a small change to GHI Arcadia White Shaker Cabinets were the choice to break up the monotony across the remodel. Since they are the same style and just a different color, installation was very similar to the kitchen cabinets.
The countertop installation was handled by a local fabricator where the homeowners chose their style of quartz stone. They made the process very simple. Once the cabinets were fully installed, they came and took digital measurements so the countertop would fit to the nearest 1/16th inch. We supplied the sink and faucet and installation came about a week later. After only a few hours, the kitchen was fully installed and ready to be finished with new fixtures and hardware.
The new bathroom fixtures included an elongated chair height toilet for accessibility for all and a pedestal sink for space saving in the small area.
Appliances included a microwave and oven wall combo, dishwasher, and a full size refrigerator. Our local building authority does not allow the addition of another cooktop or range due to the zoning and classification of the property.
By the way, if you want to dive even deeper into how to design a kitchen space that you will love for years to come, check out our Comprehensive Guide to Creating Your Dream Kitchen post!
Basement Remodel Phase 5: Final Touches
Lastly are the finishes. After all the recessed lighting, chandeliers and sconces were installed we were able to begin detailed finishes on the basement. One feature everyone was excited to see installed were the LED Intelligent Stair Light Motion Sensor Set.
Here are the links to the different items we chose:
- Ceiling Fan – Amazon Ceiling Fan
- Kitchen Pendant Lights – Amazon Black Kitchen Pendant Lights
- Kitchen Faucet – Amazon Black and Gold Kitchen Faucet
- Kitchen Bar Sign – Amazon Black Bar Sign
- Kitchen Cabinet Pulls – Amazon 20 Pack Black and Gold Cabinet Pulls
- Kitchen Sink – Amazon 30 Inch Workstation Stainless Steel Undermount Sink
- Stair Lights – Amazon LED Intelligent Stair Light Motion Sensor Set
- Recessed Lights – Amazon 12 Pack 6 Inch LED Recessed Lighting
- Bathroom Light – Amazon 2-Light Black Bathroom Light Fixture
- Bathroom Mirror – Amazon LED Backlit Mirror Bathroom Vanity with Lights
And this is the final basement reveal!
Let us know what you think by tagging us on Pinterest, Instagram or TikTok @hammerandhandsaw!
Did our story inspire you to finally start your own renovation or remodel but you’re not sure where to start? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Planning a Home Renovation
