eChipmunks

How hard is it to re-do a basement?

Im thinking of re-doing my parents basement, i just wanna know how a big a project i have in front of me. Obviously it'll need new carpeting, and paint but what are some unforeseen duties that may pop up? Also, i get real freaked out about bugs and stuff, so if i hired a pest control service to come in and do a little checking and spraying, would that be of any good to me or just a waste of money?

Public Comments

1. easy if you know what your doing, if you plan on making the basement a living space, then the pest service would be a wise investment, get a do it yourself book from home depot and that should give you ideas of what your in for.... it could take a couple days or it could be a month long project, it just depends on involved and elaborate you plan to make the basement
2. I work as a remodeler and there are always different things that pop up after I start a project. If you are planning to just paint and re carpet, it sounds fairly basic. Concrete floor can have some issues with stretch-in type carpet. If there are not many bugs running around in there, I would not worry about an exterminator.
3. You have a monumental job ahead of you... If there are loose cinderblocks, you may have to mortar and seal... There is a paint called Sealant... I forgot the name... but it waterproofs basement walls. Be sure to fill in any holes in the cinderblocks before using this or it won't work. also, check for cracks in the flooring... and seal them up good... You can get concrete sealant at Home Depot or Lowes... The workers there (especially at Lowes) will give you exact instructions on how to do just about everything... Check for mold and mildew under the walls and if possible, clean them with Mold And Mildew Stain Remover. or bleach. Make sure the rooms are WELL VENTILATED when using either of these!!! You will probably see spiders or daddy longlegs... etc... but YOU are much bigger than them, so just hit them with your shoe! lol... or a fly swat or something.... no need to be afraid of them!!! Or use a bug spray... no need to waste your money on exterminators... I wish you the best on this huge project... It may take just a few days, or a couple to a few weeks... depending on what you have planned and as long as "things don't crop up".