BASEMENTS
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The basement floor is typically made of solid, sealed concrete that is designed for long-lasting durability. However,...
The area of Colorado where I live tends to be in a perpetual state of drought, and flooding isn’t typically something...
Upstate New York is no stranger to humid summer weather. As of late, our summers are hotter and more humid than in ye...
Finished basements can serve all sorts of purposes, whether you’re in need of an extra den or a playroom or you want ...
Figuring out a basement ceiling design can be trickier than doing a ceiling in any other room in a home. While it can...
One of the most important steps to finishing a basement is installing basement wall insulation and basement ceiling i...
Tired of spending money at your local bar? Consider a home bar instead. Bars come in many different styles and format...
Few things can turn a basement into a finished living space like flooring. And since the average size of a basement r...
Q: I have a basement in my home that is in need of a new sump pump. Who installs sump pumps? Should I call a plumber ...
Cracking, crumbling, and tumbling foundations are nothing short of terrifying. When homeowners first see the signs of...
Q: I recently noticed a crack in my basement wall, and I’m concerned it’s a foundation issue. Is there a difference b...
Shining some light on below-grade spaces can do a lot for your home. Proper lighting increases the usability of your ...
Q: I’m trying to decide if the cost of finishing my basement is really worth it. I know it will add some additional l...
Q: I have a sump pump in my basement that was there when I moved in. It’s pretty gritty looking, and it makes some od...
Keeping a basement dry is vital to the condition of a home and the health of the people inside. Wet basements can res...
Few pub games are as popular as darts, which has been around in some form or another since medieval times. A man cave...
How often should a sump pump run? What do you need to do to maintain a sump pump? If you’ve been asking these questio...
People have been playing billiards in their homes and at local pool halls for hundreds of years. This classic game of...
A finished basement adds significant square footage to a home, providing an additional living space that can be used ...
Typical Range: $30 and $75 per square foot National Average: $21,541With the high cost of new construction, some h...
These show-stopping wine cellars will inspire you to include wine storage in your next basement renovation.
Basement windows can add a touch of natural light and a breath of fresh air to a space that can otherwise be dark, st...
A flooded basement is one of the most dreaded home maintenance problems. Seeing standing water in the basement, wheth...
Whether the home takes on just a few inches of water or the entire basement is full, floods aren’t fun to deal with a...
It’s dark down there. It feels damp down there. There’s a unique odor—moldy, musty, fusty, fetid, putrid—that smells ...
Books can be used in several ways in the home, sometimes as decor on a bookshelf or as reference materials in a libra...
Highlights It typically costs between $2,800 and $34,500 to finish a basement, with homeowners across the country pa...
Crawl spaces are dark and dusty, and air quality isn’t always at its finest. If the humidity level climbs (which it o...
Highlights The typical cost range for basement waterproofing is between $2,300 and $7,575, with a national average c...
Traditional tank-style water heaters typically store between 40 and 60 gallons of water, heating and reheating them a...
Big or small, a designated game room is the perfect way to encourage family time, relaxation, and fun in your home. Here are some game room ideas to help you get ...
“A place for everything and everything in its place” sounds good in theory, but putting away all the stuff that can e...
A battery charger for your vehicle can recharge a dead or dying car battery so your vehicle can start and get you on ...
Technology has made considerable advancements in so many areas, and heating is no exception. While you may be familia...
Basements are subject to flooding because they’re below grade. If water trickles in, it has no place to go. Many base...
While not all homes have basements—they are more common in cold-winter northern and Midwestern states where house fou...
You needn’t be a mother-in-law—or have one—to reap the benefits of these gorgeous self-contained suites.
A good sump pump is invaluable in times of flooding or to prevent mildew. Sump pumps reside in a pit below the baseme...
A fully wireless surround-sound system can replace the directional sound of a television or stereo with multiple inte...
Stay entertained while staying at home. Get ideas and inspiration from these real basement bars, so you can build one for your own home.
Q: Lately, I notice a musty smell whenever I go into my basement. What’s causing the odor and most how do I get rid o...
Building materials and water don’t mix. Insulation, wood studs, plywood sheathing, and subflooring can all degrade, rot, or develop mold when they’re repeatedly s...
Give your unfinished basement a new lease on life. With the help of designers, these homeowners turned their drab basements into stylish entertainment and relaxat...
If you don’t have room for it, stick it in the basement, right? Well, maybe not. Basements are prone to dampness, mold, and temperature swings, which can adversel...
With the cost of living space going up, many homeowners are looking down to expand their home’s square footage with a...
Because they’re built below grade, basements tend to take on water. You may notice moist basement walls from time to ...
Perhaps unsurprisingly, basements are more likely to take on water than any other part of your home because they’re b...
Dehumidifiers for basement ventilation reduce the likelihood of mold and mildew growth leading to cleaner, safer air ...
Basements were once used solely as utility rooms that housed furnaces, laundry areas, and overflow storage for seasonal items, tools, and sometimes even root vege...
Basement flooding easily ranks among the top ten homeowner nightmares. Though recovering from a flood certainly isn't...
Q: We moved into a new house and I just noticed some cracks in the basement floor. They don’t look new, but I can’t b...
Priced out of the current housing boom? Remodeling might be the way to go instead of buying a new house, and these projects offer the best value for the money.
This article has been brought to you by Amvic Building System, who provided BobVila. com with a complimentary product...
This article has been brought to you by DRYLOK. Its facts and opinions are those of BobVila. com. As homeowners, we a...
Knowing how to get rid of a black mold is a skill set every DIYer and homeowner should have in their know-how arsenal...
Say goodbye to the basement bedroom blues! You don’t have to settle for a dark and gloomy subterranean chamber. Through creative lighting techniques and the use o...
Q. Help! I went to the basement to do some laundry but found water on the floor instead! How do I rescue my flooded b...
Unless the plan is to install a swimming pool in the basement, you probably cringe at the idea of water trickling ben...
If you have an unfinished basement, you probably don’t want to spend a ton of time down there. The air is musty, the floors are damp, and it feels just a tiny bit...
Though you don't live in the tropics, the most humid days might make you feel like you do. That dampness is not only ...
Whether you're packing away seasonal gear, or stockpiling a few extra home essentials, the basement is a natural storage spot. Because the basement is dark, cool,...
Transforming a dark, dank basement into welcoming living space isn't a small job. But once complete, a finished basem...
If you have a crawl space in your home that’s not adequately sealed and insulated, you’re probably wasting money on i...
With melting snow and spring rains just around the corner, now is the most important time of year for sump pump maint...
Try these basement ideas to make use of the extra space in your home.
For children and perhaps even many adults, the crawl space is shrouded in mystery. Rarely do we think of the dark, di...
Basement windows are great for letting natural light into subterranean space, but what if they also let in water? The...
If you're aiming to reduce the risk of accidents in your home, one good place to start is your basement stairs. Here ...
What a huge job it is to clean up a flooded basement! But the job can be a lot less of a headache if you keep some ke...
Q: I’d like some advice on how to level a concrete floor. We plan to finish the basement in my house, and there are g...
In an ideal world, there’d be no basement flooding. But in reality, despite our best efforts to address the underlyin...
Is it time to give your basement a new look? Because many underground living spaces suffer from the same problems, such as low ceilings and small windows, you'll ...
A clean, dry basement—there, doesn’t that sound nice? Yet the fact is, many of us live with basements that are damp, ...
Here's how to get a warm, dry basement floor over a concrete slab when converting your basement into living space. L...
Surprise! It's all right to install virtually any type of flooring in your basement. Although hardwood should be avoi...
Basements are notorious for being damp, just by virtue of being underground. If you have a damp basement, your first ...
Do you feel like your home is shrinking? Are the kids growing up and accumulating more stuff? Is your teenager demand...
When undertaking a renovation project, an examination of the out-of-sight, out-of-mind spaces may be useful. If you'r...
If you’re looking for extra space to expand your home and haven’t considered the basement, you’re missing out on the ...
America’s home improvement frontier is going underground with basement remodeling. Basement design has gone way beyon...
Finishing the basement is a smart way to add space to your home. Using a complete basement system package may be the ...
When building a new home, plan the foundation to include an exterior staircase and entry basement doors. The foundati...
Poured concrete foundations, coupled with Styrofoam insulation forms and improvements in perimeter drainage and water...
There are certain signs of spring we all welcome: cheery daffodils, increased daylight, and the chirping of birds returning from their winter vacations. Along wit...
After 13 years in our house, the basement was finally dry—or as close to dry as it was ever going to get. The walls w...
One lesson I learned fast when I bought a house is that a homeowner’s number-one enemy is not the mortgage—it's the w...
There’s no such thing as a waterproof basement. The key is to minimize the water that gets in and get it back out ag...
Finishing your basement is a great way to add space and value to your home. If you have enough ceiling height and you...
I’ve been lucky with basements. Having purchased five houses in my life, not one has had serious basement moisture is...
A basement water problem can be as obvious as there being several inches of floodwater standing at the base of the st...
Late in 2010, my husband and I, and our two young children (2 and 9 months old), moved from our teensy New York City ...
Adding a bathroom to a finished basement adds value to the home, but installing toilets and sinks in a below-grade en...
Converting your basement is like finding new space, fully equipped with plumbing and heat. Before you begin your remo...
Todd LaBarge describes the ReddiForm block system used to create a one-step monolithic pour.
Bob and Howard discuss the concrete mesh used in the foundation that saved time and materials. Bob reviews the upcoming episode during which first floor walls ar...
Bob explores innovative construction technologies – Insul-Tarp and ReddiForm polystyrene blocks – as the structure is reinforced and the first-floor walls start t...
Bob meets carpenter Danny Ruffini to see how a metal stud wall is built in the basement.
A slab is poured in the basement and work is underway to add two new dormers to the roof.
Furniture maker Todd Allen builds a staircase from scratch, which will run from the basement to the kitchen, using a technique that is a couple of centuries old.
An old basement window is replaced, and experts explain the costs of the Owens Corning finishing system.
Basement drainage systems are installed to control moisture and humidity and to eliminate rot and mildew.
Bob discusses the best ways to discard debris and unwanted items before starting a renovation.
Bob meets with a local real estate broker and with homeowner Sarah Monzon, whose basement will be finished to create additional family space.
The house's two chimneys are repaired, allowing the installation of a gas fireplace insert, and basement family-room cabinets are completed.
Bob discusses the installation of a basement half-bathroom, including wiring, plumbing, and radiant heating.
Bob meets with homeowner Sarah Monzon to recap the project, from the initial preparation to the renovations to the finishing touches.
Bob takes us through the installation of an Owens Corning Basement Finishing System.
Bob checks progress in the basement and attic of the governor's mansion, then visits the guest cottage to see how the restoration is progressing.
Carpenter Bob Ryley and contractor Mike Wescott inspect the basement concrete slab, then go over other construction details in the basement.
Installer Juan Gonsalves shows Bob how to install steel stair stringers.
Bob talks with contractor Bob Ryley about shingle exposure, brick surrounds for basement windows, and the design of a brick walkway.
Contractor Larry Landers builds a trapdoor to enable access to the old bulkhead from outside. Sheet lead flashing and an ice-and-water barrier are used to waterpr...
Bob helps carpenter-contractor Bob Ryley build an insulated floor so as to extend living space into the basement.
Refinishing the basement continues with the installation of wood paneling.
The excavation crew digs out the dense clay material in the basement to clear the way for a cement slab floor.
Bob helps carpentry contractor Bob Ryley install a bulkhead from a kit and put trim (a soffit, fascia, and drip edge) on the front façade.
Bob and carpentry contractor Bob Ryley continue working on the bulkhead entrance into the basement.
Ron Gan and architect Bill Bauhs talk over the budget and convince Bob to renovate the basement.
Bob visits the Pella Window Factory in Pella, IO to see how they reproduce the special circle-head window in the basement to create a custom piece.
The circle-head window, and its accompanying window seat, are now finished in the family room basement.
The tour of the project house continues up into the attic and down into the basement. Bob and general contractor Ron Gan discuss the necessary repairs and desired...
Bob joins architect Mike Morgan and general contractor Ron Gan in the basement of the coach house to discuss options for making the basement space useful and/or m...
Bob takes a quick tour of the demolition work that's ongoing in the basement. He and general contractor Ron Gan discuss the advantages of renovation over rebuildi...
Bob helps general contractor Ron Gan and his crew take down a section of brick wall in order to make way for a garage door leading into the basement.
The concrete floor has been poured in the basement, and general contractor Ron Gan explains how a ledger board is attached to the masonry wall to support ceiling ...
Bob tours the completed living room and dining room of the coach house, then heads down into the basement to see the work that's been done on the heating system.
Bob joins demolition Jim Ferguson in the basement of the coach house to review progress.
