All parts of your house have their own intended uses. In most cases, all of the parts inside a house are completely finished based on the owner’s design and requirements. However, there is one part of a house that the owner tends to delay its finishing. This part of the house is the basement. Some use their basements for storage purposes. Because of this, people would forgo finishing the area to save on construction or renovation expenses. But there are circumstances where homeowners feel the need to turn their basements into usable rooms and not just for storage. This article will show why hiring a basement renovation contractor is cost-effective. In addition, it will also give you tips on the cheapest ways to finish a basement yourself.

HIRING A BASEMENT RENOVATIONS CONTRACTOR

Before talking about the tips to finish your own basement cheaply, it is important to point out some crucial points why you should just hire a contractor that offers basement renovation services instead. You may not see the value of a contractor now, but all the hassle, time, and resources that you end up using to finish the job can actually be more than what you have expected. You may refer to the following points why it is more cost-effective to have a professional team do the job:

LEGALITIES AND STANDARDS WITHIN THE PROVINCE OF ONTARIO OR A SPECIFIC CITY

o   Some people may not realize it, but there may be permits, standards, or building codes required by certain cities within the province of Ontario in relation to finishing or renovating the basement of a property. There are cities that may require a building permit when the finishing of a basement includes making alterations to windows, doors, openings, walls or the basement’s foundation, installation of insulation, adding plumbing, gas, or electrical fixtures, adding or changing the stairs. These types of work may affect the stability of the house. Contractors will help homeowners deal with these legalities and documentation so that the jobs can start at the soonest possible time. Some cities are serious about these legalities and illegal finishing of basements may lead to the place getting shut down by the local authorities.

PROJECT PLAN AND COST ESTIMATES

o   Some of the most valued services given by basement renovation contractors are the reports they give to homeowners such as property evaluation, cost estimates, and the creation of floor plans that would fit the requirements from the homeowners. Receiving these documents and information from the contractor is a way for customers to plan their next steps regarding the project.

CONTRACTORS EMPLOY A TEAM OF TRADESMEN THAT ARE FULLY-LICENSED AND INSURED

o   The cost of labor when doing a basement renovation or finishing is very tricky as homeowners will have to regularly check the level of accomplishment based on the project plan. This can be a tedious job since there are many parts of the project that are hard to track. Also, finding individual licensed tradesmen may be more expensive or can be a hassle for you. In Ontario, homeowners are not allowed to hire freelance licensed electricians to do electrical jobs in their houses. The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) requires that for residential jobs only licensed electricians working in licensed electrical contractors can do these types of jobs. Any type of electrical job within the province is required by the ESA to be registered with them.  However, with a basement renovations contractor, you will not have these concerns since all the staff and tradesmen employed are legally allowed to do jobs for any type of building structure.

PROJECT ACCOUNTABILITY AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

o   It may not seem to be a problem at the beginning, but the risk of having the job to finish a basement done by freelance or individual licensed tradesmen may bite you in the back after some time. With these individual workers you are not sure if these people can still be contacted after they get paid for finishing their work. There will always be a risk that you may not be able to reach them when you find problems with their jobs after a few days, weeks, or even months. But by hiring the services of a basement renovation contractor, you are assured that you can contact the company when there are problems that arise from the jobs done by its employees. Accountability will not be an issue when you hire a basement renovations contractor.

SAFETY

o   If you choose to do all the jobs necessary to finish a basement by yourself, you risk yourself from health hazards or risk damaging your own property. You must always remember that licensed tradesmen went through extensive schooling and training to be able to be allowed to do jobs related to their expertise. They are equipped with the knowledge and tools to successfully finish jobs while considering the safety of everyone within the vicinity. Their knowledge may be what you lack to accomplish the job efficiently and safely. Basement renovation contractors are known to only hire tradesmen that have received their licenses.

FULLY-CUSTOMIZABLE MATERIALS

o   With regards to the types of materials that will be used for your basement, a contractor will be able to offer you some options that you might prefer to use while not risking the property to have structural or foundation problems. You must always remember that a contractor is well-versed with all the electrical, structural, plumbing, and other codes and standards that are required by the local government. The material options that they will be offering to homeowners have already been evaluated not to cause problems within the property. They are aimed to make it possible for you to achieve your dream basement.

LONGEVITY AND REPUTATION WITHIN THE INDUSTRY

o   It is a well-known fact that customers should always transact with reputable businesses to ensure that they will get their money’s worth. Reputable business renovation contractors have achieved their positive reputation because the numerous customers they had in the past were happy with their services and results. This just shows that by transacting with these contractors you are assured that you will be happy with the final result of your finished basement.

TIPS TO CHEAPLY FINISH A BASEMENT

For those who may not have the budget to hire a contractor to do the job, you may actually do the job yourself as long as you abide by the laws within your city or province. If you are not bound by any governing body that requires you to hire licensed tradesmen or contractors to finish the job, you may follow some of these tips to help you lower your project costs:

•       You should be clear on what you will be using your basement for. Finishing a basement will depend on your planned usage of the space. Planning to use the basement as a home gym will need different materials and setup as compared to making the basement as a workplace or an additional bedroom. You must decide this before starting the project so that you will not be changing materials and design in the middle of the project.
•       You can look for contractors that offer free services to evaluate your basement in relation to your preferred usage of the space. They might also give you free reports and price estimates. You can use these as a basis for the quantities and design that you will need to do the job.
•       You must determine all the materials you will need to finish the project. It is very important that you create a project plan to ensure that you will not make mistakes in purchasing materials and in finishing the tasks. Mistakes may force you to waste resources since you may need to purchase more materials or redo certain areas of the basement.
•       You should buy materials in bulk so that you can avail of any discounts that may come your way. When you purchase all the materials that you need at once, this would mean that you will be spending less for the delivery fees. Also, buying in bulk usually gives customers a discounted price. This will be great help for those with tighter budgets.
•       You should choose high-quality materials. Look into the long-term use of your basement so that the project will become cost-effective. Never settle for cheap but low-quality materials as these may degrade faster and may cause your basement to be useless in the near future. Also, using high-quality materials will keep you and your family members safe.
•       Lastly, follow safety protocols. Nothing can be more expensive than having to go to the hospital because of injuries or health issues that you may get from finishing your own basement. Always be ready with protective gears and safety tools. Using chemicals during the project may give intoxicating odors that can be poisonous when inhaled. Protect yourself with a mask and other protective gears.

FINISHING A BASEMENT SHOULD BE DONE BY PROFESSIONALS

If you currently do not have the budget to hire a contractor to do the job of finishing your basement, it is highly advised that you do not proceed with doing the job yourself. It would be better to delay the finishing of your basement until you save enough to hire the services of a basement renovation contractor. It is very important that you will not run into health, safety, and legal issues for finishing your basement. You may consult with Basement Now at 647-370-1399.