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Aug 28 2016

Finished basement in Mashpee Massachusetts

August 25 at 8:09am · Mashpee ·
Mashpee basement renovation

This finished basement in Mashpee Massachusetts was finished about 5 years ago using wood studs, fiberglass insulation & drywall.

Here’s the story.

The homeowner called us and asked if we would be interested in taking a look at her basement. After our conversation we decided to go to Mashpee Massachusetts to evaluate the space. During the evaluate I met with the homeowner and her parents. She explained that they would like for the parents to be able to utilize the existing space in the basement. Because they were getting older and the house that they are currently living in is getting to be just too much, and the homeowner would feel a lot more comfortable knowing that her parents were with her and she would be able to care for them. Their initial ideas was to use the existing space and maybe just configure it a little bit different adding a bathroom a Living room etc but they had concerns. (Mold) the homeowner explained that she had the space built about five years ago using a general contractor, after just a short time she never used the space because she complained about slight headaches and could smell a musty moldy smell. She went on to explain that she did not feel comfortable having her elderly parents living in a space with these conditions, so how do we fix it? I explained to her that the materials used in the basement by the general contractor were the wrong materials to use, and the only way to get rid of it would be to start over and rip it all out. This is not what she wanted to hear, she was devastated, I spent all that money with the general contractor and now you’re telling me that it is no good? As we concluded I told her that I would come up with a price to refinish the space with everything that she asked for. About 3 days later I gave her the price immediately she asked if we could meet again. I said sure not a problem would you like to meet in our showroom in Hanover Massachusetts? She replied with yes that would be great. As it turns out her parents are from Hingham Massachusetts the next town over how convenient. After reviewing the layout, pricing and materials they decided that the best thing to do was to start over from scratch & move forward with Kaks. They signed on the spot.
Please visit us @ www.impressivebasementsboston.com

Aug 14 2016

Basement Finishing – Greater Boston area – Kaks – Us Builder Review

KAKS Basement Finishing & Design
Utilizing space to increase value of homes in New England
Written by: Tom FaunceProduced by: Sean O’Reilly

Basement finishing is a home renovation method that has become increasingly popular as homeowners seek to increase the value of their home by utilizing every square inch. For nearly 10 years, KAKS Basement has been the leading source in the Greater Boston area for basement finishing and organizing. With top-quality workmanship and a professional, personal touch, KAKS converts unusable space into a new level of living.
Founded in 2007 by Steve Sweeney, KAKS maintains dedicated teams comprised of qualified licensed professionals with many years of experience. These skilled craftsmen have helped KAKS to establish a reputation for completing projects on time and budget. “Our goal is to direct, manage and work closely with our installations crews and electricians to determine our customer’s specific needs while keeping their budget a priority,” says Sweeney. “We believe in open communication as a key to achieving the desired results.”
A full-service company
KAKS is a one-stop shop. With its talented and experienced crews, KAKS is able to see every project through from design to completion. In addition to basement finishing, KAKS provides full basement clean-out services as well. Customers do not need to concern themselves with emptying junk and clutter and KAKS is a full-service company. By providing all labor and hauling the company is able to maintain low overhead and pass the savings along to the customer. Once the project is complete, KAKS will rearrange any items or furniture for its customers by performing a full cleaning of the space, leaving it spotless.
In all of its basement renovations, KAKS uses Impressive Basement Systems, which has been utilized in the industry since 1972. The 100 percent eco-basement finishing system has been installed all over the country and was featured on the A&E hit show Flipping Boston. Along with proven durability, advantages of the system include water and stain repellant, removable panels for easy access, noise control and high thermal insulation. KAKS also uses 100 percent waterproof vinyl flooring planks with realistic textures in wood or stone and also offers lighting and ceiling options. Customers can complete their space with new lighting, detailed suspension ceilings for easy access from top names like USG and Armstrong or a plastered finish ceiling.
With mold and mildew a concern for most homeowners in New England, KAKS uses wallboard products that are specifically designed to inhibit mold and mildew growth. Unlike ordinary wallboard or other common building materials, these specially treated selections create an environment unsuitable for mold to survive. Prior to beginning any renovation, KAKS will thoroughly inspect each basement for signs of moisture penetration, which could be through foundation cracks, window seals or other vulnerable points.
Maintaining a personal touch
With its full-service approach and the niche market that KAKS maintains, the company has been fortunate to not only survive through the economic downturn but to thrive as well. “We really weren’t affected by the housing market collapse,” says Sweeney. “What we witnessed was people wanting to take advantage of getting the full value from their home. We saw some of the luxury builds decrease a bit but not by much.”
With an influx of space-utilizing work, KAKS has managed to maintain steady, manageable growth as a company. “I don’t want to become a company with a corporate feel,” says Sweeney. “I want KAKS to continue to be a company that runs a tight operation, and has people that want to do business with us because they know that they are going to receive personal attention. We remain very aware of that when it comes to growth.”
With its attention to detail and personal touch, Kaks Basement Finishing & Design remains a leader as a premier New England basement finisher.

Aug 07 2016

Basement Finishing Duxbury MA.

The neighbors have moved back into their summer home again, like they do every year. As a family, they love coming to the Duxbury seaside for the summer to spend time with friends and family, and mostly for all our kids to enjoy summertime together.

The home they have is a bit small for a family of five but they have managed, and when it rains the kids all seem to get together at our home or theirs to hang out and watch movies or play video games.

About a month ago, my neighbors talked about needing more space at the summer home, especially when stuck indoors, having to potentially move… I certainly didn’t want to see them go, and neither did my kids! My family was relieved to hear that the neighbors were going to add on to their home. Not up and out, but down… utilizing the old basement.

I had a tour with Matt and Marcia, and they showed me all the unused space and a plan for a great new family room. Although it was damp from some water that came in, Matt told me that “We could still finish the basement with basement specific materials, from a basement finishing company.” He also said, “I wanted to keep it local with a smaller South Shore basement finishing company that I found, one with great design ideas and a solid reputation, and most importantly for Marcia, real walls.”

I asked Matt what he would do about the water coming in when it rained and his quick reply was “We plan on saving thousands by not using a waterproofing company first… don’t need them.” Marcia added, “all the downspouts from the gutters on the house are the culprit. They’ll be readjusted to send water away from the foundation.”

“Even if I get a little moisture in here, it’s okay, because the company will be using waterproof, mold and mildew proof materials for the walls and floor. “ I was happy to know that Matt and his family weren’t moving.

Just some weeks later with the basement finished, now whether it’s raining or not, their house has all the extra space they were looking for. Inside summer days can be just as busy as outside, and their new finished basement is absolutely amazing, to say the least. My family is ready to remodel our basement next… stay tuned.

Aug 06 2016

Basement Flooring Options for Boston Area Basements

Waterproof flooring in the basement? It does sound like the perfect idea. When refinishing a basement, think twice about putting carpet in a new basement family room, it tends to get dirty so quickly from the basement humidity and traffic. Carpets in high humidity trap in dirt and musty odors, and can produce mold or mildew. Everything seems to stick to a slightly damp carpet, especially in the summer months. Ceramic tile floors in basements have been popular, but can be very slippery when damp or wet from humidity, and grout lines can stay wet looking for many months out of the year. Stained grout lines are very hard to clean.

Putting in a new, commercial grade 100% vinyl floor from a reputable basement finishing company is the best solution and now that the wood look is so popular, you can have it in your basement, and never have to worry about it buckling, rising up, staining or peeling from your cement foundation like real wood and laminates can. New wood-styled vinyl floors can come in individual planks, not sheets of vinyl like in the past, planks that are about 5” or 6” wide and a few feet long each. The individual pieces of vinyl make the finished product resemble a real wood floor to the point where you can’t tell that you’re not looking at wood, but at a durable, stain-resistant, scratch-resistant vinyl. They come in many colors, some noticeable favorites are Walnut brown, Birch blonde and Nantucket gray. Plank style flooring in vinyl clicks together, does not require adhesive to hold it down and is applied directly onto a smooth foundation. No sub-floor required with this application, and this will also save you money.

High quality vinyl flooring for the basement can handle water, it can pass around it, or be beneath it and as the water dissipates, the floor is unaffected. Basements with potential future water leaks would really benefit from this feature. To clean it up, all you would have to do is quickly remove any excess water directly on the floor with towels or a wet vac, place a fan at floor level to help circulate the air, and run a dehumidifier to help dry all of the floor and the air.

Remember, moisture in the foundation cement will always be present no matter what you do. The nature of your foundation is to breathe, and concrete can be like a sponge at certain times of the year, especially when humidity is very high. If you are trying to decide on what type of floor to put down for your basement refinishing project family room, think high quality vinyl floor planks in rich wood textures to give your new space a warm and inviting look, without all the trouble of real hard wood. A product that can handle the humidity and traffic should be priority. Not to mention how easy this new waterproof floor will be to take care of, and keep clean. After a family party, for example, a quick vacuum and light mop up is all it takes. When refinishing your basement, ask for vinyl wood-styled flooring planks.

Jul 22 2016

Getting The Basement Ready For Finishing

Spring… I know we all can’t wait for it to get here every year. Goodbye snow… I love seeing it melt. Can’t wait for grass growing, flowers blooming, longer days, more sunshine, we all have so many plans for Spring. Spring cleaning is definitely on my list and after the long winter we’ve had, I’m looking forward to getting down into my basement and finally cleaning it out. Living in Norwell Massachusetts i know how important it is to keep an eye out for any cracks or leaks in a basement, especially with all the snow melting around the foundations outside, and I for one, will be moving out most of my useless storage and preparing the space for a Basement finishing.

Recently, I came across information about this basement company regarding Mold and Mildew Proof Basement Finishing Systems that are available. Because water and humidity in the basement seem pretty hard to avoid it caught my attention right away . What they were talking about was everything that i have been concerned about when thinking about finishing my basement. Wow finally someone figured it out, and i could not believe that here they are located less than 2 miles away from my home on the South Shore in Hanover Ma. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for, who wouldn’t want walls that are made specifically for the basement that are waterproof and mold and mildew proof? A nice design plan for the basement is NOW a great idea, so this Spring, I plan on moving forward with that long overdue basement remodel? The info below is from the Kaks Basement website www.impressivebasementsboston.com this is just a little sample of what they talk about, if you want to know anything about finishing a basement this is the place!

First tip: Keep an eye out for mold. Mold needs a source to grow, and there are five ingredients necessary for mold growth – food source, air, moisture, suitable temperature, and a surface to grow on. Paper, wood and other organic materials like carpet, for example, are conducive to mold and mildew growth. Drywall is lined with paper, studs are usually made of pine wood, definitely not suitable materials for the basement since mold growth in basement walls is a serious home health concern. Long-standing moisture problems can lead to decay, resulting in structural damage to the house. Have it checked by a professional, then choose a basement wall finishing company that specializes in building basements with proper materials.

Second: A good dehumidifier is recommended for the basement at all times to control moisture in the air. Keeping the humidity low is key. Air quality in the basement is important. Go with certified green, eco-friendly materials that aren’t detrimental to the basement.

Last tip: The cost of a full Basement Finishing System is about the same as a conventional drywall basement. That seems hard to believe, until you get a price from a basement refinishing company with all electrical, waterproof flooring and better quality materials than a general contractor could give. Go get a free basement evaluation, and not from the local handyman.

NOW, my basement plan is for drywall-free walls and yes, a plastered wall finish, with a relaxing, light paint color. With having the same looking walls from upstairs in the downstairs basement: strong, durable, plus mold and mildew-proof, and paintable! Once it’s finished, it will be a seamless look into my new family room, and cleaning the basement should finally be a breeze. No more dreaming about it…
Spring is reminding me that it’s time to get started and clean out the basement.

KAKS Basement Finishing & Remodeling