The cabinetry and styles utilized for constructing basement bars often have more personality than cabinetry utilized in other rooms of the home. The homeowner feels free to create a more dramatic space in which their personal style can be expressed without the resale fears present when designing a kitchen or other predominant space in the home. The cabinetry style typically falls into one of the following three categories: traditional, contemporary, or transitional family friendly.
Traditional cabinet styles and finishes are often used to create a pub style bar. Typically a designer would suggest a door style with lots of detail and applied moldings in a darker wood species and stain for this style. One way a homeowner can add their personal touch to this style is by ordering the cabinets with distressing or in a rustic wood species. These options give the cabinetry an older more authentic appearance with use of sand through, worm holes, and dents. Decorative wood overlays are another way the homeowner can add their personality to the bar. The overlays make cabinetry appear handcrafted; their intricacy makes the cabinets appear that they are custom built by an artisan. Homeowners should also consider the type of storage they will need in their basement bar.

Typically in a traditional bar you will find stemware holders displaying wine glasses and lighted cabinets with glass doors displaying liquor bottles.
A basement bar found in a contemporary home is typically thought of as very simple; design flair and personality are not added necessarily by the intricacy of the cabinets, like in the traditional bar. These qualities are added by the accessories and cabinet finishes. Vertical lift door cabinets are being offered by most mid-level and up cabinet companies. This type of cabinet hinging is considered a more contemporary alternative to the typical hinging. Integrated appliances fitted with matching cabinet panels, creates a seamless and simplistic design—the bar may house a clear ice maker and the appliance would appear to be just another cabinet. Putting a dramatic finish on a contemporary door style will also create style and personality—cabinet manufacturers are offering bolder and a larger selection of paints and finishes. Although, a homeowner may fall in love with Washington Red Cherry paint, she may feel apprehensive about using it in her kitchen, but in a basement bar she can use the color that she loves.
A family friendly basement bar is possible with some of the options that cabinet manufacturers have. Typically family friendly cabinetry serves a dual purpose: storage for adult items as well as children’s items. The cabinets will often have roll trays and other interior accessories for games and children’s snack items. The adult cabinet storage available consists of locked liquor cabinets, as well as a safe out of reach cabinets for glass stemware. The most popular cabinet styles in family basement bars are simple in style so they are low maintenance and require little cleaning.

There is a great kitchen design book that can help you to design your space. Its Design Ideas for Kitchens (2nd edition) This book talks about layouts, cabinet types & styles, energy efficient appliances, hot new countertop ideas, and more. There is plenty of useful information that you can apply to the design of your new wetbar.

For more information or purchasing cabinets visit www.thecabshop.com

Waterproofing a basement is important to keep your home dry and mold free especially if you plan on remodeling your basement. There are many different basement waterproofing systems and methods. The requirements on every home vary depending on if you have a wet or dry basement. The moisture issues most commonly found in older homes are on the inside of the foundation walls or floor. Most new construction uses some type of exterior foundation waterproofing that usually keeps the basements fairly dry. If your building a new home I would definitely recommend some type of foundation wall moisture barrier.

 Before you begin with you interior fix make sure you check that your gutters & downspouts are clear all the way out to the curb. If you downspouts stop at the foundation you’ll need to get an extension to divert the water away from the foundation. Make sure the grade around the foundation slopes away from the house. Check for more tips at National Association of waterproofing http://www.nawsrc.org/tipsTips.php

 When fixing interior walls one cheap and easy solution is a paint product called DRYLOCK made by UGL. You can just use a brush and heavy nap roller to apply the product to the masonry walls. They have many different products available depending on your situation.

 You can see if this product is right for you by taping a 12inx12in piece of aluminum foil to the suspected wall. leave it for a few days. When you come back if there is moisture on the room side you have a condensation problem. If its wet on the inside that was facing the wall you have a seepage problem. Remember both problems can occur at the same time. If you have a condensation problem a dehumidifier should help.

 If your basement is fairly dry and you just have a few damp spots or walls you might get by with the latex Drylock masonry waterproofer. You can buy it by the or the This formula is for waterproofing all interior, exterior, above or below grade masonry walls, cinder and concrete blocks, stucco, brick, retaining walls, basements, concrete swimming pools and foundations. No pre-mixing or pre-wetting necessary. You can even tint it to colors if you’d like.

 If your basement walls are moist or leaky you might want to consider the Drylock Extreme Masonry PaintThis contains synthetic rubber and Portland cement which helps give the walls a much tougher barrier. It is a little more expensive and the fumes are much more intense. You’ll want to wear a respirator when using this stuff.

 Both products can be applied to damp surfaces. First you want to make sure the walls are clean from rust, dirt, grease, or oil. Then make sure there are no Efflorescence, a (white, powdery, crystal-like deposit on the masonry surface). This must be removed with a wire brush and sometimes an acid wash. You will also need to patch any cracks or holes in the wall joints or floor. For this you can use <strong>DRYLOK® FAST PLUG </strong>a fast setting hydraulic cement. Make sure you dampen the area before applying the fast plug for a stronger patch. After thats all done your ready to paint. The coverage of the Drylock is about 50-75 sq ft per gallon. Ex. An eight foot tall wall that is 10 ft long is 80sq ft and would likely use more than one gallon.

For more information on Basement Remodeling visit:  BasementSource.com

by: David Michael

Basements and the hidden danger of Radon   

More and more people are turning towards finished basements especially now with the slow housing market. It’s a very cost effective way to take advantage of the extra space in your home. However there are some precautions you need to take when finishing a basement. Number one is Check for RADON. You cannot see, smell or taste it, but it could be lurking in your home.Most people don’t think at all about the danger of radon in their home. Radon is a radioactive cancer-causing gas. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) and the Surgeon General’s office have estimated that as many as 20,000 lung cancer deaths are caused each year by radon. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. The Surgeon General has warned that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States today. If your home has high radon levels, you’re at risk for developing lung cancer. There are scientific studies of radon exposure that indicate that children may be more sensitive to radon. Do you really want to expose your family or your children to this toxic hazard? You shouldn’t, it’s not worth the risk.    

Testing is the only real way to know if your home has a radon problem. There are many different test kits that can be purchased online. If your homes radon levels are high there are many ways that you can fix it yourself fairly inexpensively. Here are some of the recommended test kits:    

First Alert RD1 Radon Gas Test Kit
 by First Alert 

Professional Radon Gas Dual Canister Test Kit
by Accustar Lab   

You can also purchase a radon gas detector
Safety Siren Pro Series 3 Radon Gas Detector # HS71512
by Pro Series   

RADON CAN GET IN THROUGH:
 Cracks in concrete floors
Crawl spaces cracks in walls
 Sumpump opening  gaps around service pipes
 Cavities inside walls
Even the water supply   

Radon is a national and global problem. The EPA estimates it in millions of home nationwide. Elevated radon level have been discovered in every state in the US. Check your state and see the results.
 

For more information visit the EPA or the following links 

EPA Radon Publications for Homeowners: 

Consumers guide to radon

A citizens guide to radon 

Health Risks  

Is radon where you live  

 Source: http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/ 

     Today’s homeowners want energy-efficient appliances. What better way to do that than with a tankless water heater. You can get an endless supply of hot water while saving money and our precious natural resources. My basement remodeling company has been installing more and more of these systems. Why not, they take up less space, they are more efficient and they last twice as long.

     Tankless water heaters  are small wall mounted  units that heat water only when needed by using an electric coil or natural gas to heat water passing through a network of copper pipes inside. This eliminates the risk of a tank failure and the energy lost by constantly reheating water. Two of the most popular tankless water heaters are the Bosch AquaStar 2700ES NG (natural gas) and Bosch AquaStar 2700ES LP (propane) .  Typically the gas-fired tankless water heaters will produce higher flow rates than an electric tankless which is why I use and recommend the Bosch ones you see above. Some of the smaller tankless systems you might find cheaper online or at Home Depot cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous usage in a large household so be careful when making a selection. The Aquastar 2700ES delivers 7 gallons per minute( enough to run several fixtures at once), electronic ignition( no standing pilot light), direct vent combustion, remote thermostat, and a 12year warranty on the heat exchanger with a 2year warranty on parts

     For your installation make sure you check local building code requirements and/or have a qualified plumbing , heating, or general contractor help you with your installation. Whether you choose gas or electric they should be able to help you make sure the gas venting requirements or the electrical wiring requirements are met. Remember the proper installation/maintenance of your system can optimize the energy efficiency and help it last for decades.

  
  Guidelines for the Tax Credit can be viewed on the ENERGY STAR website. 

     The average life expectancy of a tankless system can be over 20 year where a standard tank might last 10-15 years. A tankless system can have an energy savings of up to 50% and most are energy star rated. To make things even better this item qualifies for a Federal Tax Incentive equal to 30% of the purchase and installation cost up to $1500. Theses home improvement tax credits are available for energy-saving home improvements that are placed in service in your primary residense from January 1, 2009 through December 31, 2010.  

     You can also check   http://www.dsireusa.org/. DSIRE is a comprehensive source of information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. There you find information for all state and local Incentives/Policies for Renewables & Efficiency.

Click here for information on how to apply for the energy tax credit

(IRS) guidelines for consumers can be viewed here: IRS Notice 2006-26 

Why not take advantage of  the usable space in your basement. Create a finished basement your family can enjoy and increasing the value of your home.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

If you want basement remodeling done first you need to set a budget. Next you need plans or a design for the basement. You can design it yourself, have a basement remodeling contractor do it, or have an architect design the plans.  A basement remodeling job can be a diy project if you have all of the skills but most people don’t have the required construction knowledge to handle all of the different aspects of the project.  You must be able to do rough carpentry, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall and much more.  You also need to know all of the local building codes which can be difficult in some areas.

The easiest way to finish your basement if you don’t have all of the skills is to hire a basement remodeling contractor.  You can find one in the Yellow pages or join a service like Angie’s list. Just make sure whom ever you choose can show you samples of finished basements they have done and references from previous customers. It is always best to get at least two estimates before making your final decision. Ask your contractors to break down the costs items by item so you have a clear view of where the money is being spent.  I always tell my clients to call me after they have all of their quotes in and I will come back and go over the quotes with them.  This helps make sure the quotes are apples to apples and they are getting everything they want.

Before you get started with your basement remodeling project make sure you have a clear vision on what you want the space to be.  A good basement remodeling contractor will be able to help you through the process by giving you ideas and tell you what may or may not work in your space.  Decide what your requirements are for the basement.  Do you want a home theater, bathroom, bedroom, home gym or a gameroom for the kids? Do you have leaks or moisture issues and need waterproofing done?  What type of finish materials do you want for plumbing fixtures, trim, lighting, flooring, etc?  A good place to start is looking at basement remodeling magazines or finding pictures of finished basements on the internet. Google Images has hundreds of pictures from basement contractors across the globe. You can check out pictures from some of our jobs at http://www.aribuilding.com/basement

Having the answers to most of these questions will help your contractor give you a more accurate quote for the final basement remodeling costs.  If your in Columbus Ohio contact us for a free estimate on your basement remodeling project. We would love to help you complete the basement of your dreams.

Thanks,

Advanced Renovations, Inc.

basement remodeling

If you are getting ready to finish your basement ? check out google images or find a basement remodeling book.

They are both a great place to find ideas for finishing your basement.  If the project is a ” Do it yourself “ remodeling job or your hiring a contractor you should really check out the following books:

” Basement Ideas That Work“

or

“ Design Ideas for Basements (2nd Edition) “

I recommend it to customers who are still looking for ideas and its a must have for anyone who is planning on finishing a basement on their own.

Otherwise you need to hire a basement contractor or design expert to guide you through the process.

Whether its google images or the book you will be able to see what some of the latest trends in basement remodeling are along with samples of home theaters, bathrooms, wet bars, playrooms, fitness areas, built ins, basement flooring, basement remodeling plans and much more.

Both are helpful tools for creating the layout of your space because you can see ideas that have  worked for others. Helping you choose style, colors, textures and much more.

If you need a basement remodeling contractor in Columbus Ohio and surrounding areas contact us.

Thanks.

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Many people want to have basement remodeling done to add extra living space. Do you want a bathroom in your basement?  Many times what they find out is that the house they live in the basement was never roughed in for a bathroom.  Normally you would have to have your basement contractor or plumber jackhammer or saw cut the concrete floor to run the new sewer lines into the existing system and then put the concrete back.  Doing that is not only costly but its also very messy.  There are new systems that can save you money and spare you from the dirty work of tearing up the concrete.  The Saniflo Saniplus can be built into a wall cavity in the basement concealed behind the framing system.  The Saniplus is a system that is used to install a complete bathroom in a basement up to 9 feet below the sewer line, or even up to 100 feet away from a soil stack without breaking up the concrete. You can have a toilet, vanity, and shower unit all hooked up to this unit.

The Saniplus includes the macerating unit toilet tank and bowl but no seat.Since the reservoir, the macerating pump and the pipes are hidden from view, this type of installation gives you the lean and clean look of a European bathroom or powder room. The toilet uses only 6 liters (1.6 USG) of water per flush. The Saniplus is simplicity itself to install; there are just four connections:

If you want to conceal the unit in the wall you will need the extension also.

The Saniplus macerating system is comprised of a pressure chamber, which starts and stops the unit, and the motor, which drives the stainless steel macerator blades and pump. To learn more about the macerating process please refer to What is a macerator? A normal operating cycle for Saniplus takes about 10–20 seconds depending upon the discharge pipe run configuration; power consumption is therefore minimal.

You can find out other detailed information, specs, and other helpful products at Saniflo.com. If you are interested in purchasing one, Amazon.com carries both the SaniPlus Macerator Toilet with Elongated Bowl and the SaniPlus Macerator Toilet with Round Bowl.

Remember when doing basement remodeling always do you own research before choosing the products you will use and make sure that they are right for your job. If you need help have a competent basement contractor to help you with these decisions.