Basement Developer?

[BigNumbers]

As a bridge to a new house in a year or two, I am exploring the possibility of developing our basement. Nothing fancy, but want quality marksmanship first and foremost. I could handyman it myself over the next year, but I want this done in a few months, so out for bid she goes

Has anyone got a recommendation for a development company that does quality work and comes at a reasonable price? Any ballparks on what this should cost, per sq-ft?

[hungryhun]

I am a drywall contractor and work with Revolve Renos. They are a small company that offer a very hands on experience. I've been with them for about 3years now and the owners are great people. One of the owners, Angela is the main designer and her partner Curtis is the construction manager. They offer exactly what you're looking for, quality workmanship and a great price.

http://revolverenos.com
https://homestars.com/companies/2852599-revolve-renos

[soreshins]

In for info

[OMG!WTF!]

Price can be tricky especially if you don't have your finishings picked. Flooring can be .99 cents a foot or 10 bucks a foot. Even painting can range greatly from primer and one coat to perfect walls with two coats and unlimited touch ups. Getting permits is also essential, especially if you're planning on selling in a couple years, and that will add to costs. Also make sure you upgrade any mechanical before you close things up. If you need a new direct vent hw tank, now is the time. Run your electrical and gas upgrades now too. I guess just be sure of exactly what you want and you'll get a closer price from the start.

[Ducay]

I have no recommendations, but title led me to this

[Russic]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

Price can be tricky especially if you don't have your finishings picked. Flooring can be .99 cents a foot or 10 bucks a foot. Even painting can range greatly from primer and one coat to perfect walls with two coats and unlimited touch ups. Getting permits is also essential, especially if you're planning on selling in a couple years, and that will add to costs. Also make sure you upgrade any mechanical before you close things up. If you need a new direct vent hw tank, now is the time. Run your electrical and gas upgrades now too. I guess just be sure of exactly what you want and you'll get a closer price from the start.

I wasn't as focused on this as I should have been. I at least did a bit, but I wish I'd gone overboard and wired internet all over the place like some sort of crazy man.

[Deelow]

Bob Hunter has done a lot of work for my parents. They always seem pretty happy with him. Fair price, good work...
https://www.facebook.com/hunterhomes.ca/

[Tron_fdc]

I know a guy that is EXCELLENT. He's picking away at my basement right now, and he's awesome. Not the cheapest, but he did a basement in my wife's old house, and did a $70k landscape job on my neighbours place. Both were pretty ridiculous (we're talking beer lines, bar, concrete counters, heated floors, 15 ft stone fireplace, full tile shower/steam etc etc).

PM me if you want his number.

[DoubleF]

Just want to mention ...

Heat vents should be on the floor for proper circulation (heat rises... blah blah science stuff). It's ok to have them on the roof when the basement isn't developed, but when you are developing the basement, you are supposed to spend a few hundred bucks to get them extended to the floor. Otherwise, your temperature in the basement is kinda weird once your renovations are in (top always hot, bottom colder). I have seen many basements will the vents in the ceiling. That's not supposed to be the case when I spoke with a developer.

Additional:
- New/Extra insulation is really cheap and putting extra/better insulation into the walls before drywalling up will keep the basement warmer. Good place to spend money.
- Waffle board under hardwood/laminate will keep the floor from being as cold. It serves a functional purpose.

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Just want to mention ...

Heat vents should be on the floor for proper circulation (heat rises... blah blah science stuff). It's ok to have them on the roof when the basement isn't developed, but when you are developing the basement, you are supposed to spend a few hundred bucks to get them extended to the floor. Otherwise, your temperature in the basement is kinda weird once your renovations are in (top always hot, bottom colder). I have seen many basements will the vents in the ceiling. That's not supposed to be the case when I spoke with a developer.

Additional:
- New/Extra insulation is really cheap and putting extra/better insulation into the walls before drywalling up will keep the basement warmer. Good place to spend money.
- Waffle board under hardwood/laminate will keep the floor from being as cold. It serves a functional purpose.

Agreed on the heat runs to the floor as long as it's done correctly.

Whoever finished my basement (before we bought the house) thought some cheap, less than R5 rigid was sufficient behind the ducting coming down the exterior walls. So now that stud space is a bit of a cold zone when the heat is off and when the heat is on the air to those vents is being cooled on it's way through.

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Just want to mention ...

Heat vents should be on the floor for proper circulation (heat rises... blah blah science stuff). It's ok to have them on the roof when the basement isn't developed, but when you are developing the basement, you are supposed to spend a few hundred bucks to get them extended to the floor. Otherwise, your temperature in the basement is kinda weird once your renovations are in (top always hot, bottom colder). I have seen many basements will the vents in the ceiling. That's not supposed to be the case when I spoke with a developer.

It's more important to have the cold air returns in the right spots in relation to the room, the vents and the furnace. You can leave the vents in the ceiling if the returns are correctly placed because it creates a better circulation. A handyman special would do well to move the heat vents to the floor level or above a window. But a real venting contractor might design something different. Cold air returns are better at lower levels which might conflict with ground level vents. Not my area of knowledge but I've seen a lot of pros arrange vents at the ceiling and returns at the ground.

[Yellefan]

Originally Posted by OMG!WTF!

It's more important to have the cold air returns in the right spots in relation to the room, the vents and the furnace. You can leave the vents in the ceiling if the returns are correctly placed because it creates a better circulation. A handyman special would do well to move the heat vents to the floor level or above a window. But a real venting contractor might design something different. Cold air returns are better at lower levels which might conflict with ground level vents. Not my area of knowledge but I've seen a lot of pros arrange vents at the ceiling and returns at the ground.

Yeah I had my basement professionally done last year and they did the heat vents in the ceiling and the cold air returns at floor level and my basement is the most consistently comfortable temperature in my house now.

[heep223]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

Just want to mention ...

Heat vents should be on the floor for proper circulation (heat rises... blah blah science stuff). It's ok to have them on the roof when the basement isn't developed, but when you are developing the basement, you are supposed to spend a few hundred bucks to get them extended to the floor. Otherwise, your temperature in the basement is kinda weird once your renovations are in (top always hot, bottom colder). I have seen many basements will the vents in the ceiling. That's not supposed to be the case when I spoke with a developer.

Additional:
- New/Extra insulation is really cheap and putting extra/better insulation into the walls before drywalling up will keep the basement warmer. Good place to spend money.
- Waffle board under hardwood/laminate will keep the floor from being as cold. It serves a functional purpose.

My heat vents are in the ceiling and returns are down low. My basement is very comfortable. I think as the cold air down low is returned, the warmer air moves down to replace it.

Everybody has a different opinion, that they present as fact.

[DoubleF]

I learned something new. I would then presume if the heat and return are on opposite elevations of the room, the temperature would be consistent?

[Envitro]

I finished my basement last year and had an HVAC guy come and move a few registers, etc... I asked him about the vents in the ceiling and he looked at the returns and said it was all good. As long as there's good airflow for the in/out airflow it's fine. He said most people move them to the floor and it's recommended but if you just analyze the airflow it can be left alone.

My basement is probably the most comfortable area of the house, so take that for what it's worth...

[Madman]

Originally Posted by Yellefan

Yeah I had my basement professionally done last year and they did the heat vents in the ceiling and the cold air returns at floor level and my basement is the most consistently comfortable temperature in my house now.

My HVAC company did the same and my basement is great.

I have the Barricade 2x2 subfloor tiles as well and the basement is super comfortable.

[Kjesse]

If you are going to do any millwork such as cabinetry, pm me and I'll give you the name of an independent guy who has done my basement bar and home theater cabinets, and right now is refreshing our upstairs bathroom cabinetry. I was greatly surprised when, after a trip to home depot, his custom build prices were less than the off-the-shelf home depot installs, and his work is very good.

For example, our floor to ceiling recessed media cabinet was going to be over $6k from home depot using standard sizes which would have needed inserts to fit the wall, he made it custom to take up the entire space (only a few inches wider) and his price was around 4.5K, and included slide out shelving and a reinforced shelf for a very heavy amplifier.

The custom bar was also much less compared to the home depot quote, and was much nicer.

[heep223]

What do you guys all have as far as flooring is concerned in your basements?

[BigNumbers]

I was thinking of the barricade subfloor to create a thermal break, then engineered hardwood, but I'll let you know what an actual contractor suggests and I am sure others here will have some ideas on what they used and how it worked out.

[Fuzz]

Laminate in the bathroom, carpet in the workout room and theatre and old probably asbestos riddled tile in the workshop/laundry.