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It's frustrating as a "good guy" contractor to hear stories from family and customers about their terrible contractor experiences.  Just this past week I have heard from my mother-in-law and a customer about the contractor that asked for all the money before they were done with the job.  So now the contractor won't finish the job and they didn't build the job right.   This is why contractors have a bad reputation.   There are a lot of good contractors out there, so here are some questions to ask the contractors you are interviewing.  And then you can make an informed, educated decision.

20 Things To Ask Your Basement Contractor

1. How long have you been in business?

2. Is your company a full service or specialty firm?

3. Are you licensed?

4. Are you insured? For how much?

5. Do you have a showroom?

6. How many employees do you have?

7. Do you offer a warranty?

8. Can I call references?

9. Can I go visit some of your past or current jobs?

10. When will you start?

11. When will you finish?

12. Do you offer financing?

13 .Do you do all the work yourself or hire subcontractors? ?

14. Will you be pulling the permits?

15. Do you have any products specially designed for my basement?

16. What makes you an expert at what you do?

17. I don't want any surprises. Will I be getting a detailed drawing, scope of work and guaranteed price?

18. Where will I be making my selections?

19. Do you have a designer to help me with my selections?

20. Why is your price so different from the other quotes I got?  What did you include or leave out?

The answers to these questions will help build comfort in choosing a good contractor.    The contractor should be licensed and insured.  He should be pulling the permit and be able to give you references for past and current jobs.  Do your homework.  Be smart and ask the proper questions.  Shopping price isn't always the best decision.

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Whether your basement is finished or unfinished we all know what it is like to walk into the basement and have that moist air hit you in the face.   Well that moisture needs to be controlled so that the cool basement walls don't develop condensation on them and potentially lead to mold growth. 

Energy Star rated, SaniDry Basement Air System will eliminate damp, musty odors in your basement by drying and filtering the air.

The SaniDry is a powerful and effective dehumidifier that will handle jobs that are too much for standard dehumidifiers.

The SaniDry dries the air and automatically drains the water so, unlike conventional dehumidifiers, you never have to empty it.

The SaniDry takes three times the amount of water out of the air as a typical dehumidifier, yet uses the same energy.  This system has a powerful blower to draw musty air in and replace it with dry, clean air.

You will not have high humidity or musty orders in your basement if you use the SaniDry Basement Air System.


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Remodeling is a whole different experience than building a new home, because a homeowner has to live in the construction zone during the time of basement remodeling.  One of the most frustrating points in any remodeling project is contending with the mess, and drywall mess is a big part of that.  There's not all that much that can be done , but to grit your teeth and wonder, "What was I thinking?"  But, you push forward acknowledging the accomplishment of finishing the space.

If your a homeowner wanting your basement finished fast and you want to eliminate products such as drywall, then we have the wall system for you -- Everlast Easy-Care Wall.

This is the most durable of our three basement wall panel options.  The Everlast Easy-Care Wall is constructed of XPS foam with a cement board face and vinyl covering.  Such a design is free of drywall and the mess.  The Everlast Easy-Care Wall features SilverGlo insulation, a 50-year warranty, and it can be installed in about 2 weeks.  What does this mean to you?
 

FASTER - Installs faster than drywall.  Can be installed in about 2 weeks.

STRONGER - More durable than drywall.  Will not dent or chip.  Strong enough to hold a TV.

WARMER - Walls provide a true R-14 value.

DRYER - Product is specifically designed for the basement enviroment.

CLEANER - No dust and no sanding necessary when installing our full panel.

INORGANIC - The Everlast Easy-Care wall does not promote mold growth.

CUSTOMIZABLE - Can add custom items to fit your needs and wants.

WARRANTY - Resists water and humidity damage.

 FINANCING AVAILABLE - Six months same as cash (with approved credit)

Voila...a fast, clean basement within 2 weeks.                  

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I am flipping through a remodeling magazine and stopped on an article about DRIcore Subfloor panels.  It caught my attention because we are big fans of the product and highly recommend it in every basement.  Anyways, the end of the article included interesting background on how it was invented. 

The sales manager for Kruger Panels was helping a neighbor renovate his basement.  He wanted to keep the wood floor off the concrete, so he cut hockey pucks in half and laid them under the plywood.  This would create the air gap he was looking for (you need air flow to keep the basement from creating mold and mildew).  With some tweaks it is now the product we have come to love today.

I have a bag of pucks in the garage, wondering if I would have been as creative. 

Have you made anything interesting out of  sporting equipment?  Share your story with us.

 

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I have seen and heard it many times.  I just had a woman at the last builder show stop to ask me why her newly finished basement was musty.  Easy answer, not enough cold air returns.  Check out the video below to see how and why cold air returns are so important to achieving a warm comfortable finished basement.

Video taken by Finished Basements Plus.  Project located in White Lake, Michigan.

 

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Most of the finished basements we build have a drywall ceiling.  It looks great and gives the basement the feel of your main level.

 Homeowners are often concerned about drywalling the ceiling of their basement.  They feel the need to have access to the plumbing and heating hanging from the floor joist in the basement.  We look at this a little different. 

Our analogy is this:  In a two story home (when you are on the first floor), you have plumbing and heating above your head that leads to the upstairs bedrooms and baths.  It would never occur to you to put a drop ceiling in your kitchen or living room so you can access the second floor plumbing and heating, so why do it in your newly created lower level.  To alleviate any anxiety over this issue we do install access panels to clean outs, electrical panels and shut off valves for both gas and plumbing.

 

In the end you need to decide what works best for you; a drywall ceiling or a drop ceiling? 

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