The Big Basement Remodel Begins!

Life has been a little crazy since we entered the land of two kids under age two in August, but we’re still alive and kicking, and we’re about to embark on a basement remodel. We’ve redone most of the main level of our house on our own, but we knew that these days we couldn’t get the basement done ourselves in a safe, sane manner.

While we have cleaned up our basement since we bought our house as a roach-infested foreclosure in 2009, the space is not pleasant: the walls and floors are in disrepair (to put it mildly), there are remnants of an illegal kitchen, there is an illegal bedroom, and the bathroom subfloor is so squishy that we don’t even go in there.

Here is what it is like now:


We had some contractors out in May to give us bids, and it was a rough start. The first quote we got back was over double our budget amount. The second quote we got was high but workable, but then the company went out of business. We were deflated and shelved the project.

Fast-forward seven months. After thinking creatively, buying design software, prioritizing our project goals, and getting more bids (and re-bids), we are finally ready to go. Our contractor starts demolition next week!

Thanks to the fun program Home Designer Suite, we can share what we are envisioning with you.
(As a non-spacial person, this program is hugely helpful for me to.)

Drumroll please...

Illegal bedroom and kitchen are removed, creating a large open space.
Bathroom and closet are enlarged and reoriented.



A dfferent view of bathroom and walk-in closet.

Years down the line, we will add an egress window and wall to morph this section of the basement into a legal bedroom
(the largest one in the house)



Kitchen space is recaptured into the large room
(Albiet, we'll reinstall a sink where one is now to be green cleaner-creation central.)



Stairs will get a new finish and a half-wall on one side. The walk-in craft closet will be rebuilt.

What do you think?