Tips on Turning a Basement Into an Apartment

Storage

• The first thing to consider is storage. Converting your basement into a useful living space will inevitably decrease the amount of storage you have, particularly for bulky items. Consider turning your clutter into cash at a yard sale or donating items to a local thrift store. Then, find a place to store everything you are keeping during renovations, such as a portable storage cube or shed.

Surface Prep

• It's always easier to work with a blank slate, so make every effort to seal concrete, correct water damage, remove mold, install new ceilings and repair floors before you start new construction. Covering up these problems can lead to structural and property damage further down the line. If you do not possess the specialist knowledge to access the situation properly, a skilled contractor or inspector can make recommendations regarding these issues.

Separate Entrance

• Separate entry is a desirable feature to renters looking for shared living, but to your local regulation board it might be more than a luxury. The number of residents, square footage and proximity to hazards such as furnaces and kitchens determine the applicable safety codes regarding detector placement and routes of egress. Save time and money by incorporating existing doorways and windows into your addition proposals.

Paint

• Basements tend to be dark and cool, so traditional white walls can make your new apartment feel sterile and chilly. Opt for warm, bright colors such as buttercup, ocre rouge or salmon. But if the idea of painting a wall red makes you see red, you can achieve the same effect by adding warm-toned pillows, rugs, curtains and other accessories.

Lighting

• Dim lights might hide those cob webs in the corner, but they will also make your new basement apartment seem dreary. While track lighting may seem like the way to go, bright spot lights can exacerbate the problem by creating shadowed areas. Instead use a series of sunlight lamps and lighted wall panels. The lamps provide full spectrum light which is soothing physically and emotionally. While the wall panels emit a soft glow lighting corners and bringing up the amount of ambient light.

Furniture

• Salvage old furniture from different parts of the house to decorate your basement apartment for free. Moving neighbors, thrift stores, yard sales and storage unit auctions are some other great places to score inexpensive items. If the items you find don't quite fit in with your basement apartment or they show wear and tear, refinish them. Sand down to the bare wood, apply a fresh coat of paint and seal with varnish.