Maybe you just bought a new home or didn’t have the time to finish your basement stairs; whatever the case, the state your stairs are in is no longer acceptable to you.

Don’t worry. It’s common among homeowners to leave this step to be finished later. However, putting it off ’til later can make its design and execution seem like an afterthought. Just because it’s in your basement doesn’t mean no one will ever see it. Read on below if you are in the mood to revamp your basement, starting with its stairs!

Since basements are below the ground, they’re more prone to taking water than other parts of the house. Floor drains in a basement steer water into the sewage system, preventing flooding. But these fixtures aren’t very visually appealing. 

What to do with floor drains in the basement? Many homeowners end up covering their basement floor drains when finishing the floor because of their appearance. They either cover the drains temporarily using temporary caps or permanently using cement.

But is covering a floor drain a good idea? Before deciding on this, continue reading to see the pros and cons of having a floor drain.

A bowed basement wall is usually curved from the outside to the inside. To identify such, look for a bulging wall that forms a convex shape. The problem with bowing basement walls is usually referred to as inward deflection.

A basement wall that is bowing is most probably cracked too. The cracks could be horizontal or vertical. The cracks tend to open up more when it rains and contract during the hot weather.

Choosing the right flooring for your concrete basement floor needs to be done with so much care. There are many factors to put into consideration when you want to install laminate flooring over concrete, especially when handling it as a DIY project. The aim is to ensure that the laminate flooring lasts long. 

There is a high risk of damage by excessive moisture when laminate flooring gets installed over concrete. Basements are the most humid areas in most homes due to condensation and they’re also prone to flooding. However, if you prepare your concrete basement floor well, laminate is a very practical option.

Having a finished basement goes a long way in increasing the property value of a home. So having a finished basement is no doubt an asset as it increases the square footage of the usable space in the home. Unfortunately, many homeowners do not know what a finished basement is. Real estate agents get asked so many questions about what is considered a finished basement.

In Toronto, pricing for the basement is calculated based on the square feet. Professionals charge between $5 and $30 for each square foot. The average square feet for a basement should be 1000 sq ft. This means that the cost of a basement in Toronto is pegged between $5,000 and $30,000.

The basement of your house is an area that you can make very good use of if you will work on it appropriately. You can transform your basement into a living room, a gym, a relaxing place, or any other use you may want to put it to. All you need is to beautify it in accordance with what you want to use it for.

With the concrete walls and floor, you most probably think that your basement has no value. This is not the case. With a good finish, the value of your home is likely to go up. Homes with good basement finishes fetch a fortune in Toronto. It is therefore important that you find out what it will cost you to finish the basement by either hiring a contractor or opting for DIY.

There are different software that you can use in designing your basement. It doesn’t matter whether the project will be done by you or a contractor. When you plan your design, the cost of the project will fairly reduce.

With Toronto’s weather during winter, your basement is most definitely very cold. It is important to find out what makes it as cold as it is before coming up with measures to heat it up. Here, we will avail all the information you will need to heat up your basement.