Unlocking Your Dungeon: How to Finish a Basement Without Finishing off Your Checkbook
by: Donald Lee
One thousand square feet, fifteen hundred square feet, three thousand square feet?however big your home is, you know it could always be a little bit bigger. Whether you?re in the throes of parenthood and trying to find spaces to stash your kid?s toys, or you?re starting a home business, you could probably use an extra room or two. One way to get more space is to buy a whole new house. For those of us in the real world, though, a far more economical and practical solution is to finish the basement.
Yes, that creepy, crawly dungeon can be turned into a playroom for your children, a home office for your bustling new business, or an entertainment room for the weekend?s big game. You?ll just need to cover over the cold concrete floors and the gray foundation walls. Then there?s the pipes hanging from the ceiling that you?ll want to hide, and the washer, dryer, and storage boxes that you might want to section off.
OK, maybe this project isn?t sounding so practical or economical anymore. But actually, despite the time and effort that goes into it, finishing your basement is basically easy and cheap?if you know how to go about it the right way. There are eight key considerations you ought to make if you?re down with finishing your basement. They?ll help you figure out how to go about it, as well as help you decide if you really want to go about it in the first place.
No. 1: Just how much value will the basement add to your home. Chances are, a finished basement will make a ?cellar? want to offer more to buy your home. But by how much? To be worthwhile, make sure the increase in your home?s value will over-compensate what you spent to finish your basement. Talk to neighbors who have finished their basement, or do research online or with your real-estate agent to see what houses are worth in your area, with and without finished basements.
No. 2: Have a good sense how long you will be in your home after you finish the basement. Sure, a finished basement will bump up the value of your house, but you also want to be sure you will get some value yourself out of all that new space.
No. 3: Be realistic about costs and work time. Depending on your basement, finishing it could be more intensive than you first imagine. Can you really spent (or borrow) $10,000 at this time? Do you want contractors in your home for two weeks?
No. 4. I don?t need a contractor to do work I can do myself! (Oh, really?). Even handymen or women can get themselves in over their heads when it comes to major projects like finishing a basement. And don?t get us wrong. You may be capable of doing all of the necessary work. But are you able?meaning, do you have the time and energy after your 9-to-5 job, your children?s sports practices, and a few hours of sleep?
No. 5: Local laws may have something to say, too. Hiring a contractor or doing it yourself?whatever way you decide, you may have to comply with local or state codes for such construction. Again, a neighbor who?s recently done a similar home renovation could be a wealth of information, as well as municipal or state Web sites. Following such regulations may seem like a pain, but they may help you prevent real pain that comes from injuries if you carry out your project without safety codes in mind.
No. 6: Sure, it?s a good idea to finish the basement?but exactly how? Here?s the fun part. Once you determine that it will be worth it to go through with the project, now you need to figure out what sort of room you want down there. Will the theme be a spare bedroom, a playroom, work-out gym, office, home theater, etc.?
No. 7: Are you being realistic about the basement?s new theme? OK, it would be great to have a fitness room down there, but do you really have the room for the treadmill and the weights? Do you have the square footage for two couches and a 60-inch high-definition TV? Will you have the ceiling height to fit your 7-foot-tall bookshelves?
No. 8. Your basement can handle your vision of finished glory?great, now make it happen. Start shopping around for all your necessary appliances and furniture. Do your research on price and selection and get your best value. In many cases?such as with office furniture or fitness equipment?buying used is the way to go. Used stuff can be none the worse for wear, and at online classifieds or auction sites, you can more often than not--get great deals on it.
Steps 1 through 8?just like that, it?s simple to make your house that much closer to being that figurative castle, or that is, to turn your castle?s dungeon into the king?s (or queen?s) court!
About The Author
Donald Lee is the public relations manager for Buysellcommunity.com. Buysellcommunity provides free classified listing services. Buy, Sell and trade: auto, computers, household items, real estate, pets and much more.
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Turn a Tract Home into Your Own Personal Retreat
Turn a Tract Home into Your Own Personal Retreat
by: Aldene Fredenburg
We're all familiar with tract homes: white or light gray houses featuring small rooms with white walls, prefab cabinets, a postage stamp of a front and back yard. Well, you can transform one of these generic-looking houses into a personal retreat reflecting your own unique identity; all you need are a little creativity, some paint, and a careful selection of the right furnishings.
First, decide what type of decorative style you want to project. Are you into shabby chic? The simple, elegant lines of Japanese d?cor? Rustic country designs? Maybe you're into the currently popular French or Tuscan d?cor; or the high tech look of modern industrial design. Whatever your choice, a good first step is to look through decorating and architectural design magazines to find a look you want to emulate.
Notice the colors used by the designers to create their signature look, as well...
Turn a Tract Home into Your Own Personal Retreat
Bedroom furniture > Turn a Tract Home into Your Own Personal Retreat
Montecito Real Estate from here to there?.
Montecito Real Estate from here to there?.
by: Gary Woods
So, where is Montecito Real Estate??? Well as with the rest of Santa Barbara Real Estate the area is south facing to the ocean. So starting on the East it begins in Toro Canyon about Foothill. Then it continues up Toro Canyon and goes West along East Valley Rd. up to Ortega Ridge where it goes Southwest down to Sheffield. From there it goes South on Sheffield and on out to sea.
On the West of Montecito is Hot Springs Rd. The border goes North on Hot Springs and then West on Alston Rd. From there it goes over the hill and meets up with Sycamore Canyon. Rd. On the South Montecito goes to the Ocean and then to the North it goes up above East Mountain Rd.
Okay, so now that you know where you are let?s talk about the different areas in Montecito. On the South you?ve got Miramar Beach Rd and Edgecliff with some incredible estates and small beach rentals. Farther West there?s Bonnymede...
Montecito Real Estate from here to there?.
Bedroom furniture > Montecito Real Estate from here to there?.
Visualizing Your Home Theater
Visualizing Your Home Theater
by: Parvati Markus
What do the words home theater mean to you? A big screen TV in your living room with surround sound speakers hidden behind the couch, or a custom designed room with every possible high-end audio/video equipment and dedicated theater seating? The choice comes down to your level of use . . . and your pocketbook.
Start with the room you plan to use as your home theater. If it?s your multi-purpose living room, think about mounting a flat-panel LCD HDTV on the wall and finding one of the many artistic solutions for hiding the screen when it?s not in use. Make sure the furniture that houses your audio/video components has a cable management system to hide power cords and sufficient ventilation. Rear wheels on the cabinet make accessing your connections much easier!
There is a large range of possible entertainment centers: a plasma console or wall system, an entertainment center with bookcase or...
Visualizing Your Home Theater
Bedroom furniture > Visualizing Your Home Theater
Baby Nursery Furniture A Booming Market!
Baby Nursery Furniture A Booming Market!
by: Teresa Schahczinski
Baby nursery furniture and baby crib sets are a growing category, representing $1.1 billion at retail last year, and expected to grow to $1.4 billion by 2009. Today?s baby furniture varies quite a bit in style, price and selection, and at over a billion dollars, there is room for a wide range of manufacturers in the nursery furniture field.
There are many top manufacturers in the nursery furniture category.
The baby furniture category includes nursery furniture for children from birth through 2 years, including painted baby furniture, nursery crib furniture, bassinets, a baby table for changing diapers, glider rockers, rocking chairs, dressers, chests, armoires and bookcases. Basically anything you would purchase at a baby store while furniture shopping.
Although most of the parents claimed that they mostly shopped at discount stores they admittedly would make more...
Baby Nursery Furniture A Booming Market!
Bedroom furniture > Baby Nursery Furniture A Booming Market!
6 Powerful ways to Promote your Site Offline
6 Powerful ways to Promote your Site Offline
by: Matt Colyer
Far to many web sites are not advertising offline and it's costing them large amounts of money. Don't make the same mistake as those web site owners and instead learn from their mistakes! Below you will find six powerful ways to promote your web Site Offline and gain more exposure.
Flyers - Get some flyers printed out with your web site's address and tell them a little bit about what your service(s)...
6 Powerful ways to Promote your Site Offline trucks Bedroom furniture Unlocking Your Dungeon: How to Finish a Basement Without Finishing off Your Checkbook
Bedroom furniture > 6 Powerful ways to Promote your Site Offline
The Innovative Autobin - The Automatic Opening Bin
The Innovative Autobin - The Automatic Opening Bin
by: Veronica Pacey
If you are looking for a new-to-market, innovative and useful product within your home, the Autobin is it! The Autobin is a revolutionary automatic opening bin. It has a built in infrared sensor on the lid, so when you place you hand near the lid of the bin, it opens, and shuts again after about 8 seconds, allowing you to drop your rubbish into the bin without the need to touch it at all. However,...
Bedroom furniture
Bedroom furniture > The Innovative Autobin - The Automatic Opening Bin
The Successful Dessert Party
The Successful Dessert Party
by: Kim Labarbera
What's wrong with this picture?
I used to serve delicious dinners with wonderful desserts (yes, I've checked around and they were wonderful) but, I knew that there was something missing. After working in the Food Service Industry, I learned that the little things complete the big picture.
It's not so hard
?For instance, the use of doilies placed on a dessert plate when serving a fine piece of cake....
Bedroom furniture glasses The Successful Dessert Party
Bedroom furniture > The Successful Dessert Party
Bedroom furniture
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