For many residents, a basement is a large, cold, damp space serving zero interest to their home. However, investing in a basement development in Calgary can turn this sad part of your home into a profitable component that benefits your lifestyle and home’s value.

To transform your basement into a thriving new part of your home, you have to focus on the critical features of the development. These features are the building blocks of your basement, and without them, you won’t be able to maximize your design and layout.

Before we get to that, let’s look at the benefits that you can experience with a basement development in Calgary.

Calgary Basement Development Benefits

A basement development offers many benefits, both financially and socially, including:

Space Creation: The additional usable space can be worked to your liking, opening up more opportunities for you to maximize it.
Versatility: Your basement development can be turned into any room you desire. It can be separate living quarters or be used as guest suites, bedrooms, entertainment rooms and office space, to name a few.
Increased Home Value: A refurbished basement is like having an extra bedroom or entertainment section in the house. Basement finishes and renovations are guaranteed improvements that increase your home’s value and curb appeal.
Energy-Efficiency: Many basements are suckers of energy and heat. But you can remodel yours to make it more energy efficient, resulting in reduced costs and increased comfort.
Extra Income: Many homeowners turn their basements into mini-apartments and rent them out to earn extra income. You can do this by yourself or with the help of a property manager.

Four Key Features of a Basement Development in Calgary

There are many factors that homeowners must consider when it comes to engaging in complete home renovations in Calgary. But for your basement development, there are four key features that will have the most impact on it:

Framing & Layout

In many situations, basements are created as vast open spaces with little construction. Therefore, starting a basement development requires creating an appropriate layout. The layout is not merely a blueprint but a plan meant to establish where framing will be positioned. Framing is needed to determine where to place walls so you can create more rooms out of the vast open space. These two factors will act as the foundation of your basement, where everything else will flow. Without them, you won’t be able to proceed with your additional rooms, be it a bathroom or bedroom, as well as aid with other basement renovations.

Plumbing & Electrical Upgrades

Once the layout has been completed, plumbing and electrical systems need to be installed. This is a critical part of the development as you have to ensure that these systems connect to the right rooms (plumbing to the bathroom, for example) and work as they should. Failure to do so will result in your basement being poorly connected to central home systems.

Flooring & Ceiling

Your floor and ceiling will have a significant impact on the comfort levels in your basement suite. When choosing these sections, you have to consider factors such as increased humidity, cooler temperatures, and how limited lighting can influence your material choice. You should also consider the maintenance of these products, as it will vary in cost and time required. For flooring, you can choose from vinyl, linoleum, laminate, hardwood and carpets. As for ceilings, consider whether you want to have a suspended ceiling or not. It can give off a very “basement” feeling, so consider other options available to you.

Adequate Lighting

As basements are underground, they typically receive little, if any, natural light, compared to other rooms in the home. Therefore, the amount and type of lighting you install in your development will impact the aesthetics of your basement, the cost (in terms of installation, the lights itself and the energy bills) and the atmosphere within the suite. Ensure your plan is geared towards ensuring the entire basement receives adequate lighting.

All in all, investing in your basement has its benefits, as long as you can focus on the key features that will impact its development and long-term outlook. These factors must be considered when you speak to your Calgary home renovations company, thereby ensuring your investment is maximized.

Ultimate Homes & Renovations is Calgary’s only 11- time “Renovator of the Year”. Our mission is to bring your home to life. For over 40 years, we have established ourselves as the industry’s elite team of contractors for complete home renovations in Calgary and Edmonton. Our quality craftsmanship, superior customer service and our ability to exceed expectations are how we have established ourselves as the renovator of choice for homeowners. Contact us at (403)-287-3122 (Calgary) or (780)-430-6441 (Edmonton).