basement finishing ideas – Kaks Basement Finishing & Remodeling

Aug 21 2015

Great Basement Finishing Contractors Don’t Need High Pressure Sales Tactics

If you’re thinking of having your basement converted into a home gym, or transformed into an apartment for your adult children or in-laws, or need the space to run your business, chances are that you already know there are a lot of basement finishing contractors in the Boston area. Figuring out how to tell which one is the right company to work on your home becomes easier when you keep these pointers in mind:

High pressure sales tactics are a big red flag! No matter what you’re shopping for, intense high pressure sales tactics are always a bad sign. Be very wary when you’re told special incentive pricing will only be available if you decide immediately; you should never feel pressured to sign on the dotted line immediately. Basement renovations are a significant investment. It’s worth taking the time to make a good decision. Don’t let high pressure sales tactics force you into a decision you’ll regret later.

Check references & previous projects A reputable Boston basement refinishing company will be happy to show you pictures of other projects they’ve done. In some instances, you may even be able to tour finished basement renovation projects. As a best practice, it’s always great to look at projects that are similar in nature to the project you’re considering – in other words, if you want a new home gym, you want to see other home gyms this company has done. Ask for references, and then call or email those people with your questions about the basement finishing contractor. If a contractor balks at either showing you previous projects or connecting you with satisfied customers, run, don’t walk, away!

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!

Jun 02 2015

Create an In Home Fitness Center by Finishing Your Boston Basement

Yael is always dancing. Her feet are never still. The twenty-seven year old Boston native has trained in several forms of dance, including modern, jazz, and tap. “It’s my favorite workout,” she explained. “You put the music on, work through a couple of routines, and before you know it, you’ve really worked up a sweat! Dance works everything – your core, your abs, your legs.”

Yael’s husband, Seth, prefers a more stationary form of exercise – namely, a stationary bicycle. “I took a spin class a few years ago and it just clicked for me,” he explained. “Now I don’t like to go a day without getting on the bike.”

The couple had looked for a home that had space for a home gym when they were house-hunting in Boston, but to no avail. “The homes that already had space for a gym were way out of our price range, and the ones that were in our price range didn’t have the gym,” Yael explained. Money was the determining factor in making their home purchase, and they wound up buying a home that didn’t have an in home fitness center. But the desire for a home gym remained.

“That’s when we thought about the basement,” Seth said. “We weren’t really using that space for anything. so I looked into the possibilities for basement remodeling in Boston. I wanted a company that could transform this dark, unused area into a comfortable, private home gym.”

“I hadn’t realized how dramatic the transformation would be,” Yael added. “Our basement finishing contractors really listened to us. I felt like they understood how we wanted to use the space, and what our concerns were. They finished the walls and installed flooring and lighting, and all of a sudden we’ve got this great home gym.”

“What really impressed me is how well everything was built,” Seth said. “The crew moved quickly, but they didn’t cut any corners. We chose specific flooring for Yael’s dance area and they did a fantastic job installing that. It’s really one of the home improvement decisions I’ve been most pleased with.”

Mar 31 2015

Basement finishing do’s and don’ts

So you want to finish your basement? Stop… there are things you need to know before you hire someone and jump in with both feet! Finishing a basement isn’t as easy as one might think. Here are 5 things you should be thinking about in your basement, and how they affect you when finishing a basement: 1 mold, 2 mildew, 3 water leakage, 4 humidity, and 5 materials. Once you understand these concerns and know the do’s and don’ts, you’re off to the races. Basement finishing with the right materials can bring much valuable living space in a short time and at a lower cost of that of a home addition, while offering the same square footage.

Ok, so now let’s talk about design. Designing a basement can be so much fun and can look great, but keep it simple in my opinion. The simpler, the better. Keep walls as clean as possible, minimize jogs and what I call, ‘little catch-alls’. I know, let’s maximize every square inch, that’s what you’re thinking. Not always true… simple is best. This goes for the ceiling, as well. Don’t make it look like you’re boxing around something. This is an amateur move, so sacrifice some ceiling height for aesthetics. Another important thing is to keep it as open as possible at the stairs. You don’t want it to feel like you are entering a cave! If you keep these tips in mind, your new basement will be inviting, and people will want to use it all the time.

Now that the room is set and it’s a blank canvas, it’s time for you to stage it. Bring in furniture and items to define what the room will be. Maybe you want a family room, a play room, game room, etc. Make it cozy and fun with big floppy comfy couches, oversized beanbags, gaming systems, big flat screen television placed just right, and don’t be afraid of darker colors which can make it feel warm and cozy. Adding an electric fireplace is another great design idea. It can provide some extra heat and ambience. So, in short you can design almost anything with your basement. You can let your imagination run wild and have fun, but keep it simple.

KAKS Basement Finishing & Remodeling