Newsroom – Page 4 – Kaks Basement Finishing & Remodeling

Jun 10 2016

Basement Offices Promote Work/Life Balance

“I work in finance, and my work day is never really done,” Adam said. “I bring work home from the office all the time. But I also have a four year old daughter who deserves – and demands! – my attention.”

It was hard for Adam to focus on his family when he could see the piles of work waiting for him. “I’d always have the laptop open,” he said. “And I’d see that there was a new email, and so I’d read that – before you knew it, I was working through dinner and bedtime almost every night.”

This situation was not acceptable to his four year old, Casey. “I asked Daddy why he bothered coming home if all he was going to do was work all the time.”

A family conference led to the realization that Adam needed a place for his work that was separate from where the family did their day-to-day living. “The kitchen was out, and the living room wasn’t working either, and when I suggested our bedroom, my wife said absolutely not,” Adam said. “That left the basement.”

Building a home office in the basement is a very popular renovation in the Scituate region. Basement spaces tend to be underused, and basement remodels are much more cost-effective than adding another room to the home. “The way our home is on the lot,” Adam said, “we don’t really have the space needed for a first floor addition – and building up is very, very expensive.”

The family basement was on the small side, but it had more than enough room for what Adam needed. “Really, as long as I have wi-fi and room to sit and concentrate, I’m good,” he explained. “I’m really pleased that our Scituate basement renovation company built in some storage for our camping gear and my files – it makes the whole thing feel organized and put together. When I’m down here, I can concentrate on my work. And when I’m upstairs, I can be 100% a family man.”

Jun 03 2016

Money Magazine’s Tips for Smart Basement Remodels

We were thrilled to see this article in Money Magazine that calls finishing the basement the cure for an undersized home. The fact that renovating the basement costs about half of what a comparably sized addition does is the reason many Hingham homeowners choose to improve underground.

Money Magazine mentions many people’s top concern about refinishing the basement: moisture. If your current basement gets damp or even wet, there are steps that can be taken so you can have a finished basement without worrying about mold or mildew. Every home’s basement issue is unique: in some cases, cracks in the foundation or poorly maintained gutters can be responsible for moisture. New drainage or a sump pump may need to be installed. The key is to eliminate, as much as possible, the source of moisture and then choose a basement remodeling system that’s robustly mold-resistant.

Another issue we were glad to see Money Magazine discuss is soundproofing. It’s a smart investment to protect the downstairs from all the sounds of activity upstairs, and vice-versa. Sound proofing helps maintain privacy in the household, a vital consideration if you’re converting the basement into a downstairs apartment. Sound control and quality are very important for the basement home theater as well.

In Massachusetts, habitable spaces are required to have a ceiling height of no less than seven feet. Basements that were not intended to be habitable spaces can be much lower. As your Hingham basement specialist, we can advise you on what needs to be done to bring your home into compliance; the answer varies depending on how the basement was originally built.

Finally, the Money Magazine article touches on something we don’t often talk about: the tax implications of having your basement refinished. A basement renovation doesn’t add to the footprint of your home, and generally tax assessors don’t count finished basements as living spaces, so the impact on your property tax bill is minimal.

It’s really a great read so we recommend everyone check it out!

May 28 2016

Make 2016 The Year of the Awesome Basement

Memorial Day signals the beginning of summer. For many Scituate homeowners, the long weekend is also the start to home renovation season. One of the most popular home improvements, and one that Realtor.com definitely delivers in terms of customer satisfaction and resale value, is finishing the basement.

Many houses are built without much attention being paid to the basement. Instead of being viewed as a useful living space, basements are often relegated to being strictly utility and storage areas. Home heating systems, plumbing pipes and electrical panels often reside in the basement, but not much else.

Finishing the basement means transforming that underused space into a fun, functional area. Here in the Scituate region, we’ve transformed basic basements into home recording studios, office spaces, private gyms, and even apartments for the family’s older child.

One of the reasons basement renovations in Scituate are so popular is that they’re a much more cost effective way to add space to the home than adding an addition or second story. The permitting process is often much faster and simpler, and the entire job takes a fraction of the time of new construction. When you’ve got a growing family or are trying to make the most of your budget, finishing the basement often makes good financial sense.

2016 is the year to make your home renovation dreams come true. If you’ve been trying to make due with a home office squeezed into the dining room or it turns out that a child’s bedroom isn’t quite as suitable now that that child is 20+, talk to your Scituate basement renovation specialists. Your basement can be transformed into exactly what you need!

May 20 2016

How Do Bathrooms in the Basement Work?

“We’ve been considering converting the basement in our Hingham home into an apartment for our oldest daughter,” Jeffrey said, “but I’m not sure how that would work out from a plumbing perspective. If she needs to come upstairs into the house every time she has to use the bathroom, that’s really going to take away from the sense of a separate space we’re trying to create.”

If you’re familiar with traditional bathroom plumbing systems, you know that a toilet’s drain pipe runs downward, generally into the basement where it is then connected to a municipal sewer system or the home’s septic tank. Gravity plays a pivotal role in keeping everything running smoothly. So what happens when you’re already at the home’s lowest point and there’s no further down to go?

Enter the upflush toilet. These specially designed toilets can be installed on any flat, finished surface. Upflush toilets contain a macerator, which breaks waste products down into tiny pieces, and a pump that quietly and efficiently lifts the waste materials up to the home’s existing sewer infrastructure when the toilet is flushed. Upflush toilets were first introduced in the early 1990’s, and have been functioning reliably in basement bathrooms ever since.

Having your basement finished to serve as living space can involve creating several different functional areas. In the bathroom, in addition to the toilet, you’ll need a bathing option as well as a space for washing up. Shower units are the most common option, but free standing tubs can also be installed. Talk to your Hingham basement renovation specialists for details.

The bathroom in a basement remodel doesn’t have to be bare-bones or utilitarian. Working with skilled basement renovation contractors, you have a wide range of options, from family friendly to spa-like elegance. Choosing the right flooring, lighting, and wall finishes in addition to your plumbing fixtures can result in a gorgeous bathroom in the basement that you love!

May 13 2016

Finished Basements Don’t Have To Be Dark!

One of the top concerns homeowners have about finishing their basement is that the resulting space will be dark and gloomy. This worry was born during the 1970’s, when many basement conversions didn’t make the best use of available lighting options. Couple that with the era’s penchant for wood paneling and burnt orange shag carpeting and it’s true: you wind up with a dark space. But we’ve come a long way since the 1970’s!

If you’re thinking about having your Plymouth basement finished, here’s what you need to know about creating a bright, airy space. Every home’s layout is different and in some instances, your basement may be configured to allow for a maximum amount of natural light to enter the space. This is particularly true for basements that have traditional cellar doors that can be reconfigured into separate entrances – a very popular option when basements are being finished into living space for adult children or in-laws. Talk to your Plymouth basement renovation contractor about what the natural light options are for your space.

Additionally, artificial lighting options are almost limitless. Choose your lighting based on what you’d like to do in your new finished basement. For example, home offices need steady, bright white lighting while the home theater basement needs dimmable lights to accommodate film viewing. Don’t skimp on lighting, and choose wall finishes and decor accessories that maximize the amount of light in your room. White and lighter colored walls reflect more light than dark walls or paneling; mirrors are a tried and true trick that can do wonders to increase the amount of light in your new space.

KAKS Basement Finishing & Remodeling