Basement Finishing, Questions and Answers

2005-02-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

When it's time to finish your basement in Castle Rock, Longmont, Boulder, or the Denver Colorado area, how do you select the right basement finishing company?

My One Call LLC is a Basement Finishing referral service. We are a Gold Star recipient with the Better Business Bureau 2002-2007, and have help thousands of home owners find a reliable Basement finishing company. Over the course of many years the following represents the most frequently asked questions about contractors. www.myonecall.com

How much will I pay to finish my basement?
You can use a rough figure of $33.00 to $36.00 a square foot for basic and complete basement finishing for basements 1000 square feet of larger. You will see some internet sites quoting lower rates, but after seeing hundreds of proposals in the last year $35.00 with carpet is about the average. For a higher quality finish with extra features (wet bar, built in cabinets, higher end fixtures) you will start around $40.00 a square foot and up.

For basements under 1,ooo square feet the average cost per square foot increases if you have a bathroom in the design. Recent examples I have seen include, a 800 square foot basement with bath room, recreation room, and two bedrooms with basic professional finish, $28,300.00 (from a lower priced company). If you count on $3300 for every 100 square feet finished you will have a good idea.

If your not adding a bathroom and just need an office or play space for the kids you can figure on about $23.00 to $26.00 a square foot. Recent projects I have seen include a 550 square foot finish of two rooms including carpet and recessed lighting for $15,700 (2007).

Some smaller firms don't mind if you do the painting or the trim. That can save you money if you are on a budget. Larger companies general will not bid a project that the home owner wants to participate in the construction. This is another reason why utilizing a referral service that matches your project to contractors that will meet your requirements can be a real time saver. See us at bandbbuilding.bigstep.com

How long will it take?
A 1000 square foot basement will take from about seven weeks to twelve weeks depending on the size of company you select. This does not include the time it will take to have your permit approved through your local building department.

How do I know I am getting a good company?
There are many resources on line to help you with that. Check the Better Business Bureau
and call references. Also check the insurance. Click here for one site that has good examples of what you should ask and do.

Should I get a Permit?

Yes. Many home owners do not understand that if you ever have damage to your home, and the cause started in the basement, it may not be covered by insurance if you did not have a permit on the basement finish. It also insures that the contractor has built your basement to the minimum building codes. A contractor that recommends you complete your basement with out a permit may be looking to cut corners, and problems will not appear for months or years (like the first big rain storm that floods your basement).

Is finishing my basement a good investment?
The average return on a finished basement is around 70% of what you spend. That of course includes all the do it your self basements as well as the high quality professional finished basements. It would stand to logic that the higher and better quality finish the better your return on investment. If this is a major concern you should check with an experienced real estate professional, as your neighborhood, current size of your home, and current selling conditions will have an impact on the answer.

Most home owners finish a basement to fill a need of new space for children, an office or just more space to entertain and host family and friends. Adding 1,000 square feet of professional finished basement at $35.00 a square foot, is a lot less money than purchasing a new home where that same additional square footage will cost $150.00. In this case it seems to make financial sense.

Where do I find a Contractor?
Many sources are available. The traditional sources are, friends or neighbors who have had a similar project completed. Yellow pages, Internet directories or web sites, and referral services.Our company is local referral service. We not only refer companies to you, we also screen the project to make sure we send a company that matches your project. Every other referral service we know simply takes your information, and sells it to up to five contractors. This can waste a lot of your time and the contractors time. Most of the better contractors that I know do not participate in the national or local referral service lead plans as they don't need to, as a good contracting company is busy, and works from better sources of new customers, like referrals and My One Call. Click here to visit us Which ever source, or combination of sources you use, please make sure to do a complete reference, license, work quality, and insurance check on your own of the contractor you select. Also make sure that the contractor does similar work. Just because they built your neighbors deck does not qualify them to do a basement finish.

And then what Happens?
You will need about one hour per appointment with each contractor. In the first appointment each will discuss your project, make suggestions, measure your basement, and introduce their
company to you.

Most companies will have some sort of estimate back with in a week, and will most likely want to meet with you again to explain the estimate. Some times you may decide to go with a professional design, and that can take another appointment.

During this selection period make sure you budget your own time to call references and go see work of the contractors you are considering. I am always amazed how often home owners sign a contract with out talking to a company's references at all! Please make the time and put in the energy to check your contractor's references, licensing, and insurance.

How many estimates should I get?
As many as you need to feel you can make a good choice. Do remember that even though these initial appointments and some full estimates are free, you are asking a contractor to spend between four and eight hours at no charge to compete for your business. The rule of thumb seems to be three estimates is a good number. You can always get more later.

If your ready to discuss your basement finishing project please call us or contact us through our web site. Our services are free to home owners. Click Here

Individual contractor sites:
Front Range Home Enhancements Inc Click Here
Finished Right Basements Click here
Basements By Majestic Click Here
3 R Services Click Here

Mike Bayes
President and Founder
My One Call LLC
303 543 3906

My One Call is a Denver Boulder Better Business Bureau Gold Star winner, 2002-2007

http://www.myonecall.com

Colorado Basements

Basement Finishing, Questions and Answers