A Finished Basement Adds Value!

With the housing market proving to remain difficult. Many homeowners are trying to find more ways to bring more bang to their buck. A finished basement is definitely one of the ways this can be accomplished! Read on to find a few reasons why!

If you have an unfinished basement, you might consider having it finished to add more useable space to your home. A finished basement can become a den, playroom, "man cave," or extra storage space. You can also use basement finishing as a means of adding value to your home. A basement finished as an apartment can bring in extra income. Depending upon the amenities and number of bedrooms, a walkout basement apartment in an urban area could bring $1000 or more in rent per month.

A home buyer looking for additional space might welcome a finished basement, especially is the space is not chopped up into smaller rooms. An open, finished basement allows a home buyer to put his or her personal touch on the space. The finished space can add to the overall value of the home, but generally not as much value as extra above ground space.

If you are trying to sell your house and have an unfinished basement, you might think twice about basement finishing. Some homebuyers prefer unfinished basements. This enables the new homeowner to renovate the basement to fit the family's needs without having to tear out the basement.

There are other issues that may affect how a home buyer responds to a finished basement. For example in some basements, the ceilings are lower than those on the main level of the home. If the ceilings are too low, tall persons might have difficulty walking without running into hanging light fixtures or low door frames. Hiding hot water heaters, furnaces and ductwork can also reduce the useable space in a basement. For the potential homebuyer who might use the basement as a workshop, the preference might be to leave the structure as is.

Whether you choose basement finishing or decide to leave a basement unfinished, you will want to keep your basement leak proof.Should you decide to sell your house; the homebuyer’s inspection will reveal defects such as dampness and cracks. Check the walls for dampness or cracks before they become costly repair problems. If you observe defects in the basement walls, contact a basement repair specialist to waterproof or repair cracks in the foundation.