Developing a Basement - Tips and Recommendations

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by ken0042

The conduit has a few cables ran inside and labeled so I can easily fish another line through. I have already had to use it to run an extra network cable into our family room.

Where do you buy the conduit?

[ken0042]

Home Depot; in the electrical section. I wasn't buying enough to warrant shopping around.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Where do you buy the conduit?

we used the tubing for built in vacum systems, was cheap and work real well.

[darklord700]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Home Depot; in the electrical section. I wasn't buying enough to warrant shopping around.

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

we used the tubing for built in vacum systems, was cheap and work real well.

Do you guys run the conduit the whole lenght of the wire?

Would something like this work?
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/nonm...-2-inch/954575

Thanks.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Do you guys run the conduit the whole lenght of the wire?

Would something like this work?
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/nonm...-2-inch/954575

Thanks.

i ram the vacum tube (which it pretty wide 1-1/2 to 2 inches) from the centre of the wall (where the TV would like) down to the built in on the side of the fireplace (TV was above fireplace). You can plug the wires through post construction.

This stuff
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/pvc-...-length/902868


That make sense?

[ken0042]

That would probably work, and being looks like it is flexible so handy for going around corners. I used the non-ribbed stuff; just thinking it would be easier to pull cable through at a later date.
http://www.homedepot.ca/product/sche...-inches/954459

Insert "ribbed" joke here.

[KTrain]

If you have the buildiing plans for your home (basement) you can use that as the starting point for your drawing. I found that was much easier than starting from scratch. You usually get those when you purchase your home.

[automaton 3]

Originally Posted by Titan

The problem is if the floor was not poured properly framing is a pita...Framers hate concrete guys, drywallers hate framers, mudders hate drywallers, Painters hate everybody.

+1 to this. The finishing carpenter hates everyone too.

[darklord700]

Guys, I'm wiring for Home Theatre. So there will be a lot of cables behind the wall plate like this:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/pr...seq=1&format=2

I can only imagine the spagehttie of conduits and cables there will be. Should I hire someone like an electrician to wire for me? I'm not particularly handy, I can paint walls but that's about it.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Knalus

Anyone have any ideas on how to increase head space around a low beam?

There aren't any easy ways.

You could see if a shallower beam can handle the load and change it out. Depending on the space, you could put in a steel beam instead, or raise the beam into the joist space and hang the joists off of it with joist hangers. You won't be able to do that if you have ductwork above the beam, unless you also move the ductwork.

My dad removed a telepost in the middle of, and raised a part of the ceiling in his rec room by installing two steel beams side by side and hanging the joists on the side of the beam instead of them resting on top. He used two beams so that he could put ductwork between the two without haven't to go below the joists.

It's all about how much money you want to spend. Any method you might use will require temporary support.

[darklord700]

Do you need to pull a permit if you move a stell post cemeted to the ground a few feet to the left or right?

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Do you need to pull a permit if you move a stell post cemeted to the ground a few feet to the left or right?

Yes, and you should definitely check with a structural engineer too.

[GP_Matt]

For those recommending the infloor heating in the bathroom.

Are you using electric heat? Does it stay on all the time, run on a timer or just have a switch to turn it on and off? If you have to turn it on and off does it heat up fast enough to enjoy it for a quick trip or is it more for having a shower or during a gathering?

[4X4]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

For those recommending the infloor heating in the bathroom.

Are you using electric heat? Does it stay on all the time, run on a timer or just have a switch to turn it on and off? If you have to turn it on and off does it heat up fast enough to enjoy it for a quick trip or is it more for having a shower or during a gathering?

It runs off a thermostat.

[Bindair Dundat]

Originally Posted by darklord700

Do you need to pull a permit if you move a stell post cemeted to the ground a few feet to the left or right?

Hell no...just go ahead and put it where ever you find it more convieient.

I mean its not like its an engineered pointload, sitting on a minimum 12" diameter piling sunk below frost line (again as a minimum). Your 3-4" suspended basement slab will carry that weight just fine...

Just don't say that I was the one who told you so.

Dinking around with things you don't understand is asking for trouble.

I have seen this before. Almost 4" of deflection in the centre of a 4 ply 2 X 10 beam, spanning 22 feet between the two (unaltered) bearing points.
This was "carrying" the center span of a loft level floor beam on a 2 x 6 bearing wall that was "carrying" the built up 4 ply 2 x 8 post, that was "carrying" the center of the girder truss, that was "carrying" the high end of the sloped ceiling...
Outside, you could see the drop in the ridgeline of the roof ...

Why it never collapsed? I'll never know. And it was all because of one "insignificant steel post" that was in some "handyman's" way.

They're sometimes a pain to design a basement layout around, but they are immovable objects without getting a structural engineer on board.

Period.

[lucky1]

my basement sounds pretty similar to yours - what I ended up doing is as follows:
drop all the heating vents to floor level - makes a huge difference
make sure that each room has its own cold air return, with a minimum of 2 returns in the media room
I put in a projector in the media room, so all the wiring and such was run thru the ceiling joists - HDMI, RGB etc etc
Sound insulation in the ceiling - makes a big difference
2 vacuflow plug ins
didnt put a tub, but put a steam shower in - was a little $$$ but oh god do I love my steam room
didnt put in a bedroom, only a den - the rules are a little tighter when there is a bedroom involved
gas burning fireplace - best way to keep even heat in the basement (without going in floor heating)
lots of electrical outlets -
pot lighting
drywalled ceiling - I hate the look of a suspended ceiling

I love that basement......