Building a basement is a long and complicated process.
There are many things you need to think about before starting the project: the foundation, the excavation, waterproofing and more.
In this article we’ll give you 15 key tips that will make your life easier when building a basement. Read on!
1) Make sure you have all the needed permits from local authorities . A construction without permits is illegal and can be risky for your home as it could get damaged or destroyed during the construction if it isn’t supported properly by a well made foundation.
2) Hire a professional engineer to do an inspection of your property and detect potential problems with your current soil . If there are any issues like too much water in the ground or weak soil in some areas, you can find a way to deal with them before starting the building process.
3) Even if you don’t have enough money to finish the whole project at once, make sure that you have enough funds available for starting it . The excavation and foundation are crucial parts of the building process, so they must be done first. Only then should you continue with other steps like the internal walls and floors.
4) If your property doesn’t comply with current construction codes , try to adjust it as much as possible before starting the project . Running into problems during the construction could cause a lot of delays and extra expenses.
5) In order to avoid leaks and water damage, make sure your foundation is properly waterproofed .
6) Choose a good soil to build the foundation. The type of soil you’re working with will affect how easy it will be to excavate and dig the basement.
7) If you want to use topsoil as a base before excavating, test its ability to support the weight of the building structure by using heavy equipment on it. If there aren’t any problems, this type of soil can be used for finishing touches like landscaping and brickwork after finishing the rest of the basement walls.
8) If you plan on heating your basement in cold weather or cooling it during hot summer days, install an HVAC system from scratch instead of adding a central ducting system to an already existing one. This will save you time and money during the building process.
9) When excavating, determine where all utilities go before starting the project . Electrical wires and pipes can be damaged during the excavation which would create extra expenses and delays while they’re being replaced or repaired.
10) Make sure your basement has good lighting. Dark corners make some people feel unsafe, so try to make it as bright as possible using natural light from windows or artificial light from LED bulbs installed on walls or ceilings throughout your basement. In case you don’t have enough natural light, consider installing an egress window in order for that part of your house to be up to code.
11) In order to improve the air quality in your basement and prevent it from becoming musty, use a dehumidifier and ventilate it properly. You can achieve better results if you add insulation to your basement walls before starting the construction process.
12) Before finishing the floor of your basement, waterproof and protect it against moisture by adding a vapor barrier on top of it. This will keep water away from damaging any wires or pipes that might be installed underneath the finished flooring material.
13) If you want to heat your basement effectively, make sure you buy an energy-efficient boiler for heating up water . These boilers are both cheaper and more efficient than many other types available on the market today.
14) Do regular maintenance on your HVAC and boiler systems. This will keep them working properly and save you the trouble of dealing with future repairs.
15) If you want to avoid any problems that could arise due to moisture, install a sump pump underground before excavating. This will keep water out effectively and prevent it from coming in through cracks or leaks in the basement walls .