Generally you can tell if a basement is finished just by looking at it. However, that's not always the case. The following questions will help you indicate whether or not a basement is finished. In order for a basement to be considered finished, it must have a permanently installed heating and cooling unit with a continuous power source such as an HVAC system, electricity, natural gas, a permanently installed propane tank, or heating oil.
Does the basement have concrete walls and floors, but the rest of the house has carpet, vinyl, wood, tile, etc.? The floors must be completely covered with an installed cover. What basement finishing and basement remodeling have in common are the possibilities. Twin Cities basements are often a blank slate with a lot of square footage to work with. Think of a basement remodel as an opportunity to design an entire floor of your home! With a design-build firm, you have the opportunity to reconfigure the layout of your basement to craft a custom space with the specific fit and function your household needs.
We can guarantee no other basement design will look like yours. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. The information on this website is for informational purposes only; it is deemed accurate but not guaranteed. It does not constitute professional advice. All information is subject to change at any time without notice.
Contact us for complete details. A trap door with a ladder or any other type of interior egress is not acceptable — you must have stairs built to code with proper clearances. Exterior stairs are not required. If you have a basement apartment, then exterior stairs may be required depending on your municipality.
Your finished basement must have the same utilities as the floor above. That means the basement must have the same power source and share plumbing with the floor above. For basement heating and cooling, your ductwork in your basement must link to the house ductwork. You cannot have forced air on the floor above and only baseboard heaters in your basement. If you insist on basement baseboard heaters, you still need registers, too.
Some people do not like covering their basement ceilings because all their wiring and plumbing get covered, too. A drop ceiling is a great alternative to drywalling, as it will continue to let you have access to space above without having to remove drywall. Lighting a basement must be according to the building code. Some municipalities will have specific guidelines for lights in a basement, while others will simply allow you to follow a general plan for lighting an interior residential space.
Any other room needs a switch at the entrance, which is no different than light switches you would have on any other floor. When the basement is finished, it is not required to have a specific number of rooms or bathrooms.
A finished basement could have multiple bedrooms and bathrooms or just one room plus a utility room. If you do opt for a bedroom, it must have a window that a person can fit through in an emergency. If your windows do not meet that standard, then you cannot, according to the IRC, have a bedroom in your basement.
You can still have a finished space, however. The overall square footage will only include the spaces above grade, except the attic when you get a property tax statement. Even a little moisture can trigger big issues in a finished basement. The problem is, both homeowners and contractors can be over-eager to get busy with finishing work. This impatience often leads to a failure to observe a basement long enough to know that it does leak sometimes.
Always begin with a question: Is my basement reliably and completely dry all year round? No wishful thinking here, either. Just the facts, and be sure to give yourself time to gather them properly. More time is better. Every hole in the ground is dry during an August drought. The real test comes during a wet fall or rapid spring thaw. Assess airborne moisture vapour migration into the basement with sheets of plastic taped over concrete.
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