News – Page 4 – Kaks Basement Finishing & Remodeling

Sep 12 2015

Basement Floor Refinishing Massachusetts

Aug 14 2015

Can A Finished Basement Be Light and Airy?

“When my husband first suggested finishing the basement into an apartment for my daughter and her two sons, I said “No way!”” Hope said. “It was such a dark space down there that I couldn’t imagine my grandbabies in it. What if they were scared? Maybe they’d have nightmares.”

Hope’s husband, Jeffrey, took her to see some basement renovations in Abington, MA that were similar to what he had in mind. “His best friend had had his basement renovated into an apartment for his in-laws,” Hope said. “Being able to see what a light and airy space they had really opened up my mind to the idea that this could work.” She shook her head. “The basement finishing company was really clever about how they installed the lighting and laid out the rooms – it really had an open, airy feel that was very comfortable.”

More and more families are searching for ways to make multi-generation housing work. These situations can include having an adult child – who may have children of their own – return to the family home to live, providing housing for aging parents or in-laws, or other family configurations, such as one sibling taking up residence in another sibling’s home.

In these instances, it’s often good to create defined spaces for each family unit. Rather than try to make a child’s old bedroom their current domicile and expect two families to seamlessly merge in shared spaces, such as the living room and bath, converting the basement into an apartment can make family harmony much easier to attain.

“You imagine that a basement apartment is going to be claustrophobic,” Hope said. “But don’t rely on your imagination. Get the facts. If you can see other basement remodels that have been done in your area, that’s a great start. You’ll discover the possibilities are so much more inviting and comfortable than you ever imagined!”

Jul 30 2015

Turning My Basement into a Gym Helped Me Get Serious about Fitness

“I knew I had to do something about my weight long before the doctor said a word,” Jeffrey said. “I mean, I couldn’t even walk across the office without getting winded. But going to the gym was difficult for me. I spend a lot of time at work, which means I’d either be able to work out very late at night or very early in the morning – and the crowd at that gym during those times aren’t exactly supportive to a big guy like me.”

After a check up that made the need for fitness a top priority for Jeffrey, he began looking into having a home gym built. “I knew once I had a finished basement, I could use that space for working out,” he said. “It’s convenient, it’s private, and let’s be real – it’s affordable. Have you looked at Boston gym membership prices lately?”

“Rather than going with a general contractor, I went with a company that specializes in basement renovations,” Jeffrey explained. “They explained the different basement finishing systems to me, and helped me pick which option would work best given my home’s layout.” After the walls were covered, and flooring and lighting installed, Jeffrey had a spacious bright area for his workout routine. “In the beginning, I didn’t have much in the way of fitness equipment – just a treadmill and an exercise bike.”

His wife had doubts about the entire endeavor. “I’d promised to get fit before, but nothing really came of it,” Jeffrey said. “So she had plans to turn this into a quilting studio once my enthusiasm wore off.” That was over a year ago. In that time, Jeffrey has lost almost 40 pounds, and his energy level has increased dramatically. “Having the basement turned into a gym made it so easy for me to get serious about my fitness,” he said. “Now I come down here before and after work and just do what I need to do. My doctor is thrilled, and so am I!”

Jul 23 2015

Using Pinterest To Create Your Dream Basement

“I don’t know,” Amanda said, waving her hands. “Some people have so much talent. They look at an empty basement and they see it being transformed into a beautiful home gym, or a yoga studio, or a playroom for the kids, or a home theater, or whatever. I look at my basement and I pretty much see this big, ugly, empty room and I can’t envision it as anything else. But I hate the thought of wasting all this space – it’s not exactly like Boston is known for its cheap real estate!”

If you’d like to finish your basement but have no idea where to start, let us introduce you to the social media platform you need to know about: Pinterest. Once thought of as a site primarily for brides-to-be deep in the throes of planning their wedding, Pinterest has become the digital go-to destination for anyone planning home renovations. Try searching for “Finished Basement Ideas” or “Creative Basements” to get started; if you already have a general idea of what you’d like to do, such a creating a home gym or a bar, search for terms that include “Basement Gym” or “Basement Bar Ideas”.

Be prepared to spend some time. There are literally hundreds of images of creative ways to finish your Boston basement. If you sign up for a Pinterest account, you can save and organize your favorite images on boards. These boards are a great resource to share with your basement remodeling company, to give them an idea of what you’d like to accomplish. Additionally, once you’ve signed up for Pinterest, you can save basement idea images you find on other websites or social media to your boards. It’s a great way to get inspired!

Jul 16 2015

Smart Storage That Works: Why Finishing The Basement Makes Sense

“I suppose every family has a lot of stuff,” Dawn said. “But I feel like we are above average in that regard.” An antiques book dealer, Dawn has built a considerable collection of volumes that are ‘just too good to let go of’. Her partner, Peter, has never met a piece of fine furniture he didn’t like. As a result, their Boston home was full to overflowing.

“We needed a sensible way to store things,” Dawn said. “But why put all of this time and energy into building a collection if you’re just going to hide it in boxes in the basement? What we needed was a space where we could enjoy and appreciate our things.”

“I hate spiders,” Peter said. “Which is why I was so averse to using the basement space for anything, really. Who wants spiders dropping down into their hair?” He shuddered. “But when we talked to the Boston basement finishing company that was recommended to us, we learned that there are several different ceiling options available. Once all those dusty floor joists were covered up and turned into an attractive ceiling, my fear of spiders vanished.”

The couple had their basement transformed into an attractive study, with lots of book cases and built in storage space. “We did the numbers, and creating this same space as an addition would have been much more expensive,” Dawn said. “Plus we would have lost a good chunk of our yard, and I wasn’t willing to make that sacrifice if I didn’t have to.”

“We have lots of books and antiques. But we know other couples who have things like sports equipment or their grandchildren’s toys: things they want to keep and have access to, but that don’t need to be right in the house all the time, cluttering things up,” Dawn said. “For those people, we strongly recommend they look into having their basement finished. We’re really glad we had it done, and we think you will be too.”

KAKS Basement Finishing & Remodeling