We have decades of experience as basement renovation contractors in Ottawa and our dedicated team of renovations experts will walk you through the entire process from design to completion. We will be able to put together a strategic plan for your Ottawa basement renovation project that will accomplish all of your objectives within your budget.

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7 Tips for Basement Renovations

Renovating the basement sounds effortless, but unless the house is fairly new and has been planned for a future remodel, most basements are not made to be later transformed into living spaces. Still, most of the challenges we face can be defeated with planning and a creative mind. Take into consideration these 7 tips when having basement renovations:

1. Plan exits and escape routes

Infrastructure codes involve the existence of safe exit routes and accessible in an emergency, especially if the basement will be renovated to include a room to sleep. A universal requirement for basement renovations is a window opening that is outsized enough for an individual to get out and to contribute an easy path to ground level. A general resolution is to cut into the foundation and build a way to escape through the window.

2. Keep the basement dry

Discover sources of moisture or water interference and obliterate it. This can be accomplished by digging around the foundation and applying an external drainage system to mount a drainage system on the inside boundary or simply plugging a small crack with hydraulic cement. And do not disregard to check the upper plumbing: copper pipes of cold water can “sweat” profusely in hot climates and can ruin the basement ceilings. Putting insulation on the pipes is a simple solution to this problem for basement renovations.

3. Identify hazardous materials in the basement

A lot of basements have asbestos enclosing materials to close up joints in pipes or lead paint. Take time to recognize all probable hazards and speak to professionals in the elimination of hazardous materials to investigate material samples to make sure that there is no risk for danger. Waste pipes that run along the wall and out through the foundation necessitate some additional planning and creative installation of frames.

4. Do drain

You could put up a bathroom in almost any basement, but sometimes the cost and inconvenience are numerous. Many times, you can get rid of some of the concrete slab and attach a new pipe to the existing waste, but only if they are deep enough to provide ample drainage slope. If not, you can raise the bath area with a raised floor on the concrete slab, but it can only be done if you have adequate ceiling stature. If your waste pipes run along the ground, frequently your best option is the installation of efflux pump sewage. Some adhesive and a few screws are all it takes to meet code requirements for installing interior walls in the cellar. In areas that are susceptible to earthquakes, it requires much more.

5. Make a retrofit of the basement

Regularly, local building codes call for certain structural retrofits for finished basements, especially in regions that are likely to have earthquakes. Usually, they are simple and economical additions that can be completed while the basement walls are open, but are much more costly and difficult if done later.

6. Plan for future renovations in the basement

Because the basement contains most of the mechanical components, any future renovations to the home require an access to them. Run electrical circuits or waste pipes or supply before closing the roof, or consider installing a suspended ceiling with removable panels if you have the height to do so.

7. Take into consideration the noise

If the finished basement renovations will have the purpose of a games room or TV, think about installing sound insulation on top of the ceiling and put in a resilient channel (RC channels) to the joists prior to installing plasterboard (drywall). The channels supply break RC sound waves, dropping the noise from above and below the underground room ceiling.