What Is a Basement Worth?

Overall Cost

• The medium cost of remodeling a basement in the United States is about $50,000, according to Fixr.com, an online home improvement information site. A basement that costs about $54,000 to create and includes features such as a main living area, bathroom and laundry room can have a resale value of about $48,000 -- nearly an 80 percent return on your investment. Plan to invest an average of about 18 percent of the value of your home on your basement remodel.

Square Footage

• The square footage of a basement is one determining factor in how much a basement is worth. For instance, some basements are relatively small and are not used regularly in a home, while other basements are much larger and are an important area for completing hobbies or simply serving as a living room. Most people use the top level of their homes more than the basement, so some basements actually decrease the value of a home if not enough of a home’s square footage is above ground.

Finish

• A basement carries more value in a finished state. The cost of finishing a basement is around $40 to $75 a square foot, reports the Denver Business Journal. Being willing to pay this cost is the simplest way to add living space to any home and can add just as much value to a home as a new kitchen does if done correctly. For a finished basement to be effective, it must resemble the rest of the upstairs living space and feel comfortable and homey, not dark and musty.

Other Factors

• A basement features varying levels of worth depending on the state in which it is remodeled. For instance, the typically medium cost of a basement remodel in Idaho is about $32,000 -- 36 percent less than the national average of $50,000, according to Fixr.com. Similar prices are true for other Midwest and Deep South states such as South Dakota and Arkansas. Meanwhile, the typical medium cost of a basement remodel is highest in the states of Hawaii and New Jersey, being 26 percent and 25 percent higher, respectively, than the national average. The medium basement remodel cost is about $63,000 in these states.