Base remodel

Basement remodels can expand your square footage, but they do have a few different requirements from other remodeling projects. Keep egress and moisture prevention issues in mind from the planning stages, and these concerns will not add excessive complications to remodeling your basement. Finishing the basement is one of the most common residential remodeling projects in the country. When you think about it, it makes sense: by taking advantage of the unfinished space you already have in your basement, you can increase the square footage of your home without having to build a whole new addition. But whether you're planning on having a remodeling contractor in to do the work, or you are considering tackling your own basement finishing project, it's important to remember that remodeling basements requires a few special considerations. Educating yourself on these specific issues is the first step toward a successful basement remodel. Residential building codes, although varying by municipality, all require two ways out of a bedroom, no matter where it is located in your home. Called "egress," this is to provide safe exit for occupants in the event of a fire or other emergency in which one of the exits has been blocked. For ground-floor and upstairs bedrooms, this second way out is easily accomplished with a window, but for basement bedrooms, the situation can be more difficult. Installing a window as a basement emergency exit is certainly doable, but it definitely requires more planning. For starters, most basement egress windows will require a window well to hold back surrounding soils and provide passage to the outside.