People who plan to sell their house always opt for a basement renovation since it can return as much as 75 percent of the investment due to an increase in home value. It is usually an extra space in the house that you can transform into anything you want. You can turn it into your home office, library, playroom, or entertainment room. The options are endless!
The basement is one of the most commonly remodeled rooms in a house, yet many people still commit the same mistakes when renovating one. To fully enjoy the 75 percent ROI, you must avoid committing the following mistakes.
1: Having a Flood-Prone Basement
It is not only the location that makes your basement prone to getting mold and being always wet. The basement becomes flood-prone because of how it was finished. The way the house is laid out would automatically direct the ground’s hydrostatic pressure against your home’s foundation and get straight into your basement. If the material used is not durable enough to prevent this or cracks and joints make the transfer quicker and more possible, you would end up with more moisture problems in the basement. Incorrectly placed pipes and leaks could add up to that problem.
2: Placing Fiberglass Insulation, Wooden Studs, and Drywall
The fiberglass insulation, wooden studs, and drywall are great to have inside a home, but not if they are placed in the basement. These materials absorb moisture best and you would not want that in your basement. Since they are organic matter, instead of keeping your room dry, they could be the house that mold would love to hang out in. The best material to use is a waterproof and inorganic material that would prevent the presence of moisture. Moreover, you can be confident knowing that they would survive any water damage they would encounter.
3: Trusting the Vapor Barriers Too Much
Vapor barriers are always the recommended material used to damp proof a room. However, it is not always necessary to have it in a basement. In fact, the wrong installation can cause more harm than good. Instead of helping the room be moisture-free, it can encourage mold buildup because of how it works. What it does is trap the water vapor between the concrete and your attached barrier. That is the mistake you would not want as more mold growth and rotting are stimulated during this condensation process.
Conclusion
One of the secrets to having the perfect basement and avoiding all the hassles later is working with professional contractors who also value your home the same as you. Remodeling a basement and any other part of the house does not always come cheap. The last thing you would want is to realize the problem later and look into a potential reconstruction down the line. Do it right from the first time by keeping these mistakes in mind: trusting the vapor barriers too much, placing fiberglass insulation, wooden studs, and drywall, and having a flood-prone basement.
If you need basement contractors in Chicago, you are on the right page. Green Construction Holmes Builders can change the space into whatever you would like, whether a recreation area, home office, or personal gym. Call us at +1 877 326 8283 to get started!
