Ask Dave your basement remodeling questions

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Complete Basement Finishing Questions Archive

Below is the full archive of questions and answers. To see just the last thirty days click here.

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Question	From	Updated
We were originally thinking about spray painting our basement ceiling and are now thinking about drywalling it. The problem is the air ducts and plumbing takes up about half the space in the ceiling so it would be too much to build a soffit. We were thinking about just dropping the ceiling down so it would be even straight across. The ceiling height is 14 feet so that is not a concern. Our concern is trying to figure out how to basically build a new ceiling to add drywall to. We have one wall that is completely poured cement and the widest width is 20 feet. How do we secure new 2x4's that far apart from the walls and attach to the cement?	Jannine H.	04 Jan 10
We have been hesitant about a basement remodel due to our ceiling height. We currently have an unfinished basement with open rafters and the height from the floor to the rafters is 79" high, and goes to 70 1/2 “ where the ducts split the basement in half going with the I Beam. Due to limited funds, we have been unsure if it is wise to finish the basement with the issue of the ceiling height. We are looking to add a bathroom, bedroom, and family / Rec room in this space. I read in a local paper (Daily Herald) about a year ago of a contractor who specializes in digging basements, but we are hesitant due to the costs, and I lost the name of the contractor. Would you consider remodeling a basement with this ceiling height?	Tom T.	21 Dec 09
Dave -- thanks for the informative Web site. We're thinking of having the basement finished off in our 1920-1930s-era house. The contractor says he can't put in a sub-floor over the existing concrete floor because there is a "B-Dry" type system in it, whereby there is drainage piping around the perimeter leading to a sump pump. The piping is covered in concrete that slopes up toward the walls. He can't install a sub-floor because he says he would have to start at the "highest point" which would mean the floor would be too high in relation to a drop ceiling. In your opinion, would leaving the concrete floor exposed and painted be Ok for a living space? Are there other alternatives when a sub-floor isn't possible? The existing floor also slopes down toward a drain hole in the middle.	Ben C.	17 Dec 09
Hi Dave, We are planning to finish out a 2100 sq. foot space. A consultant came to bid the project utilizing the prefabricated foam cement board system. The biggest advantage to the system is that it is guaranteed to inhibit mold growth and that it goes up quickly. It also comes prefinished. The drawback esthetically is that every 8 ft there is a seam. Do you have any first hand experience or have had any feedback with this material? It is made by Owens Corning and is called the Everlast Wall System.	Maria S.	08 Dec 09
How can I tell if there is a bathroom rough-in my basement?	Terry M.	17 Nov 09
Dave, We are about to build a new house and we have a couple of lot options, some that are for a walk-out basement and some for look-out basement. In your opinion, what are some pros and cons of walk-out basements vs look-out basements? Thanks, John	John K.	11 Nov 09
First off, great book on the basement ideas! My question is regarding insulating my space. 85% of my basement is underground and is fairly comfortable. I plan on adding some additional floor ducts for heat and 1 or 2 cold air returns. Do you feel I would still need to insulate anyway? And I should I also install a vapor barrier. My basement is really dry, but should I be concerned with moisture condensation in the walls? I do live in PA so I do get the temp extremes. Can I get away with only insulating the outside walls that are above ground? I have 90% of my walls framed and I'm having a blast doing something I never thought I could do. Thanks for your book and Roger Germans book too! Scott	Scott G.	05 Feb 09
Dave - I am considering remodeling our basement utilizing removable wall panels with "architectural fabric." I have found some do it yourself kits that claim to be similar to the kits sold by large manufacturers such as owens corning / champion. I like the thought of being able to remove single panels vs sheet rock if there are ever any future problems with water/foundation/plumbing, etc. Can you provide your comments on the postives/negatives of these systems? My understanding is that they utilize a R12 foam insulation panel, covered with fabric that is tucked in between adjacent panels. Also, I believe the systems use metal studs with a "J" top stinger. Appreciate any thoughts.	Brian K.	31 Oct 09
we live in an old house and am putting in a new basement. trying to decide between radiant heat and radiator heat. i know the benefits of radiant heat. my wife wants a polished cement floor so am wondering if radiators would suffice. background: we live in MN, already have radiator heat and the basement would get moderate use (office, gym, tv room). thanks.	Jim S.	14 Oct 09
Which is better to dig the basement deeper or raise the house?	Amy S.	02 Oct 09
Looking for ideas on installing pet doors, so pets can access the unfinished area of the basement.	Susan S.	27 Sep 09
I have a home built in 1916, I have three rather large steam radiators below the floor (hanging from the basement ceiling) that heat my first floor. I can't remove them, but i need to enclose them. Problem: they are approximately 4 feet long, 2 feet wide and hang down almost 24 inches! Please help. to simply enclose them would look like my basement ceiling in falling down in three places JoeD	Joseph D.	17 Sep 09
What is required to prep a cement basement floor for the various types of flooring like tiling, wood, laminate, and carpet. I assume each may need a different proceedure to do the job correctly.	Bert R.	21 Aug 09
We are in the process of finishing our basement and looking for an idea on how to cover our crawl space. The opening is about 49" wide and just under 4 ft. tall. We need to be able to easily access it, but yet want to hide it as best we can for guests. Besides ordering custom doors, what would be a practical and attractive way to enclose or cover this opening?	Lisa T.	17 Aug 09
I am beginning to frame my basement walls and I've run into an issue with one of the windows. I have an air return that is located about 12" away from the window, and ends up covering about half of it. I really don't want to cover-up the window, and am hoping you have a suggestion of how I can frame around the air-duct, while also not covering the window. Please let me know if you can help. Thanks, Kelly	Kelly B.	13 Aug 09
I am remodeling a bathroom in the basement. The previous owners poured a curb over the concrete floor for a shower. As I was removing some studs the whole curb came up. It looks like the concrete did not adhere to the existing floor as the concrete floor was not painted under the curb as it was in the shower. I would like to install tile on the floor of the shower when I get the curb taken care of. What is the best way to pour a curb over the floor? The house was built in 1953.	David C.	09 Aug 09
I have a very limited amount of space in my basement but I think I can make a small bedroom out of it. My question is regarding its legality for a bedroom and the code. My windows are glass block with a small area that can open for ventilation but not for exit or entry. The area will have an outside exit but that leads to the garage for outside exit and entry. Of course there is entry to the upper level of the house as well. Should that be sufficient to qualify as a legal bedroom?	Toya W.	05 Aug 09
Hi Dave. What a great, informative site!! Thank you for all the info available. I have a question regarding lack of windows. My daughter will be purchasing a house and converting the basement to an apartment for her younger brother. It is a walkout with a door in between stonewalls. There is a finished family room now and she would like to convert the balance to bedrooms and possibly a bathroom. There are no windows as the house sits at grade. My husband who is licensed in HVAC will be installing an ERV system. Will this be adequate to bring in outside air? Healthy air is a major concern as her brother has a young child. Are there ides for making the rooms look like they have windows when they don't? Thanks for any suggestions. Sharon	Sharon D.	31 Jul 09
Hi Dave, We are trying to think of a creative way to cover up a sump pump in our basement. We have thought of some type of bench, but were wondering if you had suggestions and perhaps pictures of what others have done with this problem. Thank you, Kathy M.	K M.	14 Oct 08
Dave, my house was build in 1954. In the basement around the house, there is a ditch built around the basement wall. I think the purpose for the ditch is to lead the water to a drain if the basement is flooded. I've just bought the house and have not experienced any flood situations. I do have a sump pump in the basement though. I am thinking to put up drywall in my basement, but the ditch seems in the way. The ditch is about 4 inches wide. Should I get rid of the ditch or should I build the drywall on top of the ditch? or, do you have a better suggestion?	Shu-Fen T.	23 Jun 09
Dave I have a small basement 22' x 23' x 7' high rafters with radiator heat in the house thus pipes. Any floor plans on smaller projects, we want a room that's going to be a rec room but still house the laundry room. Thanks for any input.	David M.	01 Jan 09
Hi Dave: My home was built in 2003 and as an incentive/model for the rest of the sub division the builder used steel floor joists. So in my unfinished basement I look up and see steel. Pretty cool as my floors do not squeak but now that I want to finish my basement, will these joists pose a problem when I go to frame or do my ceiling? We do not want to do a drop ceiling so they will be drywall. Thanks.	Michael C.	21 Jan 09
I would like to have a basement bathroom but our sewer line is above floor level. Is it a pain to install when this is the case? Also is it real costly? Do you recommend it?	Beth U.	04 Feb 09
David, I've been framing my basement for a couple weekends and have reached the part of framing the soffit around my beams and ductwork. Being a newer construction they run side by side. My question is the span I need to cover along the underside is practically 70". Are there any secrets or tips to make this area more stable? I am using full 2 x 4's running down that are 13 5/8"long instead of 2 x 2's. Any opinions on strengthening the span between these? The overall length of this soffit run is approx. 22 feet. Thanks, Scott	Scott G.	09 Feb 09
Hi Dave, What is the proper insulation type and technique for insulating exterior concrete walls in a basement? It seems that the latest recommendations are to install rigid foam against the concrete wall, then either sheet rocking directly over the rigid foam (if space is an issue), or building a stud wall against the rigid foam (and adding additional fiberglass insulation in the stud wall if needed). In both cases, it is not recommended to install a vapor barrier as the rigid foam acts as the vapor barrier but does not retain moisture. I noticed in some of your postings you advise to install insulation with a Kraft paper vapor barrier. I'm a bit confused. Could you please clarify. Thanks Bob G	BOB G.	13 Feb 09
I have poured concrete walls (1993) and no moisture issues in the basement. Have heard I need to paint walls with Dri LoK prior to finishing the basement. Is this necessary?	Helen D.	07 Apr 09
Hi, Dave. We're carpeting our waterproofed basement, but we expect that the floor will "sweat" or become damp at some point in time. That said, is it better to use a standard carpet pad that breathes so that any moisture can evaporate or is it better to use a pad with a vapor barrier? My concern with the vapor barrier is that it will trap moisture underneath and grow mold. I know they have a moisture barrier pad that resists mold growth, but my basement floor does NOT resist mold growth. Thank you in advance for your advice!	Autumn M.	28 Apr 09
My question relates to reasonable costs and how I can negotiate with contractors to get reasonable quotes. I have a 1300 sq ft basement which has a third refinished (bedroom and Family Room). I want to put in a bathroom (pipes roughed in), dry bar, enclose the area where my two furnaces sit, and basically just carpet and put drywall up in the rest so I can set up a pool, poker, foosball, and air hockey tables. The quote I received is $25,000 plus cost of the dry bar is to be determined. This is about $28 a square foot and seems high to me. Wanted your thoughts	Sonia W.	20 May 09
We currently have an unfinished walkout (30x60ft) basement with insulation tacked to all 4 concrete poured walls. Years ago, I added insulation in the floor joists between the basement ceiling and the main floor of the house to reduce noise (which doesn't work very well) and help the insulation of the house in general. I have had several contractors say they would just leave the tacked up insulation and frame out the exterior walls inside of the insulation to clear the insulation and drain pipes and water lines up above to avoid framing around them and keep straight walls. We will be losing anywhere from 4-6" to 2.5 ft if we have stud walls built in that far away from the concrete walls and we plan to put in recessed lights and run alot of cables in the ceiling for home theatre, etc. I guess we could have alot of shelves or storage space built into the side walls, but I'm not sure we need that. What do you think the best course of action should be with framing the walls in the basement and what to do with the insulation on the exterior walls and basement ceiling? Also, is there another way to keep the home theater or workout room music from traveling upstairs? Also, in general, what do you recommend to use for heating and cooling the basement? (We currently have heat pump/central air and baseboard electric heat in the rest of the house)	William M.	21 Dec 08
We have a walk out basement with 14' high ceilings. the area to be finished is about 800sq feet. My concern is how to finish the ceiling. I would prefer doing drywall but because of some pipes and air ducts dropping below the framing my husband said we should do a drop ceiling. Because we are going for an industrial/sports theme I also thought about possibly painting the ceiling. what are your suggestions?	Jannine H.	03 Dec 08
Hi Dave, Do you use or recommend mildew/mold resistant drywall in your basements, or are they not worth the extra cost? Thanks for your help in advance.	S A.	08 Nov 08
Hi Dave, I really like your basement explorer CD. I was wondering if you can please tell us what are the name of the colors on the wall and the carpet on #3 basement. (White couch)	Annamaria F.	27 Sep 08
I need advise on finishing walls in basement, they have studs but also a concrete ledge.I would like to panel the walls, how would I do that with the concrete ledge.	John M.	14 Sep 08
I want to finish the basement in my split level home. The exterior foundation is 37.5 inches high, with a ledge of 4 inches wide. The room height is 98 inches (floor to ceiling). I cannot find information on framing the walls for this type of foundation.	Sarah K.	17 Oct 08
Before we start work on finishing our basement, we would like the bathroom rough-in moved from its present location to a prefered spot in the basement. Is this possible, are we likely to encounter any problems eg with the building structure if we do this since the poured concrete will have to be jack hammered etc. Can you also help us know how much this change is likely to cost us? Thanks	Mateko L.	15 Oct 08
Dave, Our whole basement is under the ground with the basic windows, 1) I know that for a basement space to be 'livable' it has to have an entry and exit. We have an entry to the basement from the inside of the home and also from the garage. Will this be sufficient to make the space habitable? Do we need egress windows? 2) Just because we have an entry door and exit door does the property taxes change? 3) If the property taxes change, how is that calculated for the basement? We live in Wisconsin. -Anusha.	Anusha S.	09 Oct 08
Hi Dave, I have a townhouse with a finished basement. I would like to convert it into a nice Office/computer lab area. As well as home theater. I already have a projector screen up. But my Office space is limited. Basement size is 18Ft X 12 Ft. Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Thanks	Paul V.	18 Sep 08
Hi Dave. Our basement walls are poured concrete. We don't actually have water seeping in but there are a few spots that get a bit "darker" at times and feel damp. We've seen the basement paints in the store and are wondering if we should use this paint before finishing our basement. Thanks, Randy	Randy D.	14 Sep 08
Do you recommend using a subfloor over a concrete floor? If so, what kind? I saw some engineered subfloor products that look promising. I would like to use a variety of flooring materials, including tile, wood, carpet, and rubber tiles.	Scott M.	14 Sep 08
Does a vapor barrier need to be installed on an exterior basement wall that is insulated? I have been reading conflicting ideas about the use of a vapor barrier in that circumstance. Thanks for your reply.	Scott P.	14 Sep 08
I have a sump well in one corner that I would like to put a gas fireplace. Would it be possible to build an access cabinet over the sump pump and then place the fireplace above it? Do you have any other ideas for the sump well?	John V.	14 Sep 08
In my basement plan I am deciding if I want a bathroom or not. The reason this is a big decision is that even though the house new (less than 4 years old), nothing is plumbed, or "roughed in". I understand this would entail cutting up the basement floor. My question is, what would this plumbing add to the cost of the project approximately? Hundreds? Thousands? Also, is there a location I could try to put the bathroom, like next to or near any existing features, that would help cut down the cost? Do I have any other options for a basement bathroom that doesn't involve tearing up the floor?	Karl C.	14 Sep 08
Dave, As well as a basement project I want to do some design work in the rest of my house. I'm considering BH&G interior design or Punch Interior design sw. 2 things - What do you recommend? What version of BH&G are you bundling with you product? I'd like to be able to do cabinet design, kitchen design, etc. including adding furniture and art work to the walls. mark	Mark S.	14 Sep 08
how do you fire block?	Christy H.	14 Sep 08
With your software can I design my own plan?	Jose R.	14 Sep 08
I am getting ready to put in pre-hung doors in my basement and was wondering if the doors should be put in before or after the hardwood flooring?	Mike C.	14 Sep 08
Can i get the editable floorplans??? I didnt need the book or the pdf, I wanted to plug them in to my chief and walk through them... thank you for this.	Geoff H.	14 Sep 08
You use many crisp whites in your projects. Do you have a favorite white paint? I don't know if you would advise a color and brand but it is worth asking. Thank you. KM	Kathryn M.	14 Sep 08
I have a fairly new home built in 2000. I have no water issues currently. 1) Would you recommend insulation in a basement? The basement is below ground level where dirt stays roughly 55 degrees. There will be bisqueen(?) on the walls to prevent moisture from coming in. 2) Do you recommend wood studs or metal studs for a basement. I'm concerned about mold if water ever does come in. 3) Does your book w/plans also come with the software to create my own plans Thanks. Tim	Tim L.	14 Sep 08
I am finishing my basement, and I need to enclose a steel support beam in an interior wall. How do I frame it?	Mike B.	14 Sep 08
I was not planning on finishing my basment but had carpet laid so the kids could use it for a play area I asked the carpet installers to stop about 4" all away around just in case I changed my mind, well when they finished it was more like 10" from the wall, my question is will it hurt anything if I frame the walls out that far away from the existing wall.	Ed R.	14 Sep 08
We would like to move our living room into our basement. How do we drop the stairs to make them shorter to go downstairs. We would like to come in our house and have a choice to go downstairs to the living room or a few steps up to the kitchen.	Ila L.	14 Sep 08
I want to use 5" base painted white to really make my walls pop in the basement. Will the standard 2 1/2" colonial casing look good with 5" base? I was considering using a wider casing but my ceilings are only 7' and the top piece of casing on all the doors will need to be trimmed a little bit. My thinking is that if I use the 2 1/2" casing as opposed to the 3 1/2" casing, it won't appear to be as obvious that the top piece has been trimmed on the narrower casing. We would have to cut the wider casing almost in half at the top. (I did not want to cut the doors as I am using 6 panel prehung masonite doors painted white and I think they look bad when you have to trim them and the door handle gets lowered.	Sharon O.	14 Sep 08
i am currently trying to set my recessed lights in my basement is there a rule of thumb to use for spacing.(the majority will be 6 inch lights. thanx, jon	Jon B.	14 Sep 08
I have a dropped ceiling in the basement that is out dated and old. Are there any good ceiling tile options? We want to furnish the basement with a pool table, leather couches, TV and pub table. Want A really nice game room/ entertainment feel..What can I do on the ceiling?	Janine R.	14 Sep 08
I am building a basement apartment for my mother. She wants a full bath, bedroom, office, and a miniature kitchen. The stairs go down the middle of my basement with the heater, etc. under the stairs. How would you "map it out"? Thanks.	Adam E.	14 Sep 08
In your book you cover storage ideas. I believe that it is on page 26 that you show shelves that actually is a door hiding storage space. Is this your design or can I purchase this? And if so do you know where?	Shari R.	14 Sep 08
My basement ceiling is exposed and I would like to finish the ceiling. The joists are at 6'6" and I am 6'3". The walls are concrete block and the floor is concrete. Would it be feasible to break up the concrete floor and lower the floor level. If so how low can I go. The basement also gets water in it and I am looking into installing an interior drainage/sump pump system.	Kevin C.	14 Sep 08
I'm in the process of framing my basement. I need to know what types of building Codes are involved in framing around the Boiler & Water heater. Are there any special doors needed & is there a certain amount of feet b/w the doors any the boiler? My Township is very strict & I don't know what codes are required for the installation of the doors in front of the furnace.	Dan P.	14 Sep 08
What type of replacemnt basement windows for a 1967 split-level -(currently only one in front about 39x48 but top is only 2" from ceiling)-without making front of exterior look out of style/proportion? Want more light and not have to look at ground when looking outside basement window. Have to admit works great to watch bugs crawling across yard tho.	Carole O.	14 Sep 08
What you think drywall would be best for the ceiling or a drop ceiling? How about the lighting? What type of light would you recommend for brightness? Thank you.	Vernett S.	14 Sep 08
Hi Dave, I am putting a bathroom in my basement and plan on using ceramic tile for the floors. I need to level the floor first for the bathroom, but I don't want to level the whole basement floor. Can I do my framing and then level just the bathroom floor with a thin layer of self leveling concrete. Or should I level a larger area and frame on top of that. Thanks	Jason C.	14 Sep 08
i just want to say that this guy is the most "stand up guy " i have dealt with, and i am a disabled vet (machine gunner from OIFII) so i have had to put faith in a lot of people, i had a misunderstanding and this guy called me up and helped me out......if you have any doubts about buying anything on the internet.... this guy does what he says.	Geoff H.	14 Sep 08
What is the best way to frame the walls in a basement? Anchor to concrete with 2x4 walls or glue 1x4 to concrete?	STEVE M.	14 Sep 08
What flooring do you recommend in a basement? We don't have a water problem since we had a system installed (holes drilled in bottom layer of cinderblocks and perforated pipe below the entire basement floor parameter pitched toward the sump pit), but I'm still concerned about dampness coming through the slab. Ceiling height is 8', so I'm hesitant to use a subfloor since I'd lose height.	Dave A.	14 Sep 08
What's the best way to modernize dark brown wood panels in the basement?	ERICA M.	14 Sep 08
Hi Dave - I'm tackling a prior semi-finished basement where they had a drop ceiling. It's an old house where they added central air a few years back. The duct work is running under the joists in many cases, which makes a sheet-rock ceiling difficult. Does it make sense to just re-do the drop ceiling (I know you can do recessed lighting with drop-ceilings, which we like) or to box in the duct work and do a sheet rock ceiling. Just curious.	Tim S.	14 Sep 08
Dave, I have a new home in Utah, where it is mostly dry. The basement is a walkout to a below ground patio with a rock retaining wall. Window wells around most of the basement. The contractor has attached blanket insulation on all the exterior walls. I have read a lot about insulation but not found much about framing over the blanket insulation. Do I just frame it up with 2x4s (pressure treated on the bottom plate) and snug it up to the blanket insulation? Do I then add more kraft type paperbacked fiberglass insulation in between the studs? Is the double water barrier a problem?	Dave F.	14 Sep 08
what is best in your basement vinyl or laminate flooring and when doing vinyl on bare concrete floors how do you warm them	Yolanda J.	14 Sep 08
In what order do you do a basement remodel. Floor, wall, ceiling? Thanks	Janet R.	14 Sep 08
I have a game room in my basement with one wall that is cement. How can I cover this wall with paneling or something else so it isn't just cement?	Todd U.	07 Feb 07
I have waterpipes that are attached to the joist. You mention to run 2x4's perpindicular to the joist, so sheetrock can be attached. What spacing should be used? Is there any other tricks for this?	Gene H.	07 Feb 07
How do I attach the top plate of my 2x4 wall to the iron beam of my basement? Drilling holes doesn't seem to be an option as it is 1/2" thick.	Dave G.	26 Jan 07
My basement has low ceiling with duct work running through the middle of room. Do not want to box in. Do you have any creative ideas for this problem?	Alma C.	26 Jan 07
What do I do with these posts in the middle of the basement?	Mike M.	22 Jan 07