Author Topic: Finish a Basement  (Read 29788 times)

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Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #75 on: April 13, 2010, 02:22:39 PM »
Fisrt contractor came by yesterday to bid the thing.  Expecting his figures and auto-cad drawing and whatever else usually comes along with this crap sometime this week.  Any guesses what it comes in at?  About 1,500 sq ft made up of family room, bedroom, bathroom.  :users:

Offline ew2x4

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #76 on: April 13, 2010, 02:34:45 PM »
No wet bar?

Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #77 on: April 13, 2010, 02:37:30 PM »

Offline ew2x4

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #78 on: April 13, 2010, 02:40:11 PM »
Depends on quality of materials. Basic stuff, $10,000? Higher end 15? 20? Hard to say. I remodeled my bathroom and laundry room for about $4,000, but I did it all myself. Labor sometimes doubles the cost.

yoga-like_abana

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #79 on: April 13, 2010, 02:42:31 PM »
Whatever cost he tells you just tell him you have someone else who will do it for X amount less. Will work like  a charm. Also make sure you have a contract that says the basement will be done by X date and if not put contingencies in there.

Offline CHONGS

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #80 on: April 13, 2010, 02:44:58 PM »
whatever you do, make sure he inspects your foundation and test the joists for stress.  Cracked joists will ruin your project faster than anything else.

Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #81 on: April 13, 2010, 02:50:17 PM »
KOUGZ!  There's a big steel pillar in the middle that is going to be all pimped out  :gocho:

Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #82 on: April 13, 2010, 02:57:39 PM »
whatever you do, make sure he inspects your foundation and test the joists for stress.  Cracked joists will ruin your project faster than anything else.

Our foundations and joists (whatever those are) are all only 5 years old.  Should be good to go.

Offline Saulbadguy

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #83 on: April 13, 2010, 03:01:43 PM »
whatever you do, make sure he inspects your foundation and test the joists for stress.  Cracked joists will ruin your project faster than anything else.

Our foundations and joists (whatever those are) are all only 5 years old.  Should be good to go.
That is what you think. HAHAHAHAHAHA.
Where did you get that overnight bag?

Offline bradleigh

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #84 on: April 13, 2010, 03:05:17 PM »
Dropdown is a good choice.  Makes it easier to run the surround sound system you plan on putting down there with the 52" right?

I dunno. The gyp ceiling looks a lot better.  Just plan your wiring out ahead of time.
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Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #85 on: April 13, 2010, 03:09:55 PM »
Dropdown is a good choice.  Makes it easier to run the surround sound system you plan on putting down there with the 52" right?

I dunno. The gyp ceiling looks a lot better.  Just plan your wiring out ahead of time.

I'm having network cable and coax run to both rooms.  Shouldn't be an issue.  I'm strongly anti-surround sound.

Offline ew2x4

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #86 on: April 13, 2010, 03:12:45 PM »
soundbar

Offline sys

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #87 on: April 13, 2010, 03:16:13 PM »
when he gives you the estimate, look the guy right in the eyes, without looking at the estimate first, and tell him you'll double his offer if he'll put in a 15' vaulted ceiling.  if he turns it down, call him a pussy.
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Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #88 on: April 13, 2010, 03:19:26 PM »
when he gives you the estimate, look the guy right in the eyes, without looking at the estimate first, and tell him you'll double his offer if he'll put in a 15' vaulted ceiling.  if he turns it down, call him a pussy.

lol

Offline Pete

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #89 on: April 13, 2010, 03:29:49 PM »
SD, you owe it to yourself to create a secret room.  preferably one with a fireman's pole and a rope ladder that leads to a bedroom closet on the floor above.  Access to the secret room from the basement should be gained via a giant grandfather clock (or book case if you'd prefer).

Offline 1/64th

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #90 on: April 13, 2010, 03:37:40 PM »
SD, you owe it to yourself to create a secret room.  preferably one with a fireman's pole and a rope ladder that leads to a bedroom closet on the floor above.  Access to the secret room from the basement should be gained via a giant grandfather clock (or book case if you'd prefer).

My last house was built in 1912 and had a secret room in the basement that locked from the outside.  I'm pretty sure that's where they put their crazy step-son or something.  I always got the willies when I went in that room, like something really bad had happened in there. 

BTW, my guess is $22,544.55. 

Offline CNS

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #91 on: April 13, 2010, 04:22:00 PM »
I am guessing $20-$25k also, but depends on the finishes and their quality(good carpet v cheap, hard wood trim v paintable, etc).

A note on the pole:  I have one in my basement.  It originally split the entire space in two.  I wanted to regain the area it occupied, so I moved it.

Every steel beam has a marking on it's web that will state what size beam it is.  The marking will look something like W8x13(that is what mine is).  You can use this to find how far such a beam can span given an assumed weight load.  Use a Load & Resistance Factor Design book for this(May be able to google the appropriate charts, if not, I have the book and can fill you in on what the chart says, given you know your beam size).

I moved mine over after building a second beam in my new closet wall.  That way the steel pole remains, the beam span is not exceeded, and I now have a much more wide open room.

Also, to reinforce what others have said; rough framing is so easy a drunk monkey could do it given he had a skill saw, nail gun, and ram set.  I would give it a whirl.  They call it "rough" carpentry for a reason...it doesn't have to be exactly perfect.

If you hire out the drywall mud/tape, hire out hanging it too.  Some small things that can be done while hanging the drywall will make the mud job much faster(cheaper) and will hide joints better all said and done.

As for the ceiling, in the area you are not going to use as a bedroom, maybe consider painting the exposed joist a dark color.  Look around a lot of new restaurants and bars have this.  It kind of hides the ceiling from your eyes.  Much cheaper than any other finish option, and if you run wire, duct, conduit, or anything else in the future, you simply paint it and it blends in.
« Last Edit: April 13, 2010, 04:34:46 PM by CNS Casey »

Offline raquetcat

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #92 on: April 13, 2010, 06:14:16 PM »
SD,

Please do all the work of getting bids, checking contractors backgrounds, making mistakes, and paying too much for everything then let me know who to use and I'll get my basement finished and it will be all super badass and stuff

Also do you know of any good mexican restaurants on the west side not named Roja??

TIA
I'm purple down

Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #93 on: April 13, 2010, 06:33:54 PM »
SD,

Please do all the work of getting bids, checking contractors backgrounds, making mistakes, and paying too much for everything then let me know who to use and I'll get my basement finished and it will be all super badass and stuff

Also do you know of any good mexican restaurants on the west side not named Roja??

TIA

Hectors is good :dunno:

Offline TBL

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #94 on: April 13, 2010, 09:24:27 PM »


SD's new secret room. $200.00 tops.

Offline ew2x4

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #95 on: April 13, 2010, 09:42:44 PM »
You have no idea what you're talking about. That is custom furniture!!!!

Offline O-town Kat

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #96 on: April 14, 2010, 09:42:33 PM »
I am going to start building out mine next month   :crossfingers:   :cheers:

10 ft. ceiling w/reinforced beam (lone pole should be wall-ed off).  Should add just under 1000 ft of rec room space, some decent storage, and a half bath.  Sorry Mrs. OTK but we might be putting a urinal in there.  Laminate flooring (maple bball court flavor) and will paint the joists, ducts, etc black to take advantage of the height.   I have  a wall that should be able to accommodate a 65-70" screen visible from 4/5 of the floor space.  There will be much EMAW decor.

Work will be done by friends who got carpentry, electrical, etc. game.  It will take some time. 

Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #97 on: April 15, 2010, 07:40:46 AM »
Experience talking to people in real life about this so far:

Me:  We are having our basement finished
Random rube from NE:  Yeah!  Man Cave!
Me:  No, like, a family room, office/bedroom, bathroom.  Just regular usable space.
RRFNE:  You doing a wet bar?
Me:  No, we have a kitchen

Offline Saulbadguy

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #98 on: April 15, 2010, 08:18:21 AM »
SURROUND SOUND!!!
Where did you get that overnight bag?

Offline steve dave

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Re: Finish a Basement
« Reply #99 on: April 15, 2010, 08:21:00 AM »
SURROUND SOUND!!!

Oh man, get that a lot too.

Saul:  You getting a surround sound
Me:  Shut up