Courtesy: Royal LePage Binder Blog
It's no secret that a home with a finished basement is appraised for more than a home without. Making your underground space a useful area for storage, as well as a functional living space, is sure to drive the value and interest in your home up.
Before you start giving your space a facelift, make sure it's dry and clean. Waterproofing is essential and applying a sealer to your concrete floor will go a long way to help ensure your unfinished basement is more manageable to maintain.
Whether it be for an office space, laundry room, kid's playroom, home gym, wine cellar, a rec room or a mancave, your basement can create many new opportunities for sellers.
Paint
- The best colours for your basement will depend on how much light the area receives, as well as the purpose of the room. Keeping the room bright with soft white, sky blue, gray, bright purple and even a bold yellow is your best bet.
- If your ceiling is filled with exposed, rusted pipes or exposed beams, choose paint that matches or complements the walls, and give each pipe a couple of coats. This technique has been used in modern buildings and photography studios, it creates a clean and maintained look without breaking the budget.
- Basement walls of cinder blocks, brick, or even poured concrete can be transformed quickly and simply with a coat of paint.
Climate
- An unfinished basement can be musty and damp. A dehumidifier is a quick fix here. Run it regularly, especially during the summer months, to keep the temperature in check - and bugs away. Vapor barriers will also prevent moisture from spreading beyond the concrete walls.
- Insulating the ground and walls of the basement to protect against noise and low temperatures, using insulated panels, batting, and other common materials.
- Ventilation helps keep the basement fresh and ensures that any fumes are safely funneled away.
Light
- Inexpensive mirrors are a nice way to bounce brightness around a dark basement. Hang them up on opposite sides of the room to make the space feel both lighter and larger.
- Some basements have limited outlet opportunities, hanging some string lights is a creative and fun way to help spread more light through the basement. With just one outlet, you can illuminate a large area with several strings of lights.
Flooring
Remember when picking your flooring material for the basement, the possibility of your basement flooding is never zero.
- Tile and stone will keep moisture at bay, but it can be cold underfoot and difficult to remove.
- Vinyl is inexpensive and can withstand some water damage but can be difficult to remove if needed.
- Rubber is great for insulation but isn't completely waterproof since leaks can happen between seams.
Storage
Your basement is easier to access than your attic, making it a convenient storage area for seasonal decorations and clothing.
- Keeping things off the ground not only helps with saving space but can also save your items from water damage if the basement ever floods. Vertical storage space helps keep things easily accessible and tidier looking. This includes the use of shelving units, heavy-duty hooks, and peg boards.
- Plastic containers can also help protect your storage items, keeping them properly labeled can keep everything organized, and help you find the things you may be looking for in the future, easier to locate.
- Put the items you use the most in the most accessible area, so you don't forget about them and buy another one.
- Designate a specific area for storing holiday decorations.
When selling your house, showing the best qualities of each room helps buyers picture living there. This rule is no different for the basement. Buyers will want to see the possibilities of each space in the house. Whether the basement is finished or has been tidied up with some simple steps to make it look a lot less like something out of a scary movie, improving your space in any way helps create new opportunities and increase your home value.
If you're thinking of selling your home, contact us to find out more about how we can get your home ready for sale. Our plan for marketing your home includes a home staging consultation that can include options for helping your basement look its best for potential buyers.
