How to Choose A Good Basement Remodeling Contractor
So here are some things to keep in mind if you’re considering remodeling your basement space.
Everything counts
When a basement contractor comes to your house, one of the first things you should notice is if he or she is dressed in a professional way. This may not sound like a big deal, but this says they care enough about their business that they put effort into the little things. Chances are, if they put effort into the little things, they will also take care of big things. There’s a right way of doing things, like remodeling your basement for example.
If you’re hunting for basement finishing price estimates you may want to write down your thoughts on each basement remodeler that comes to your door. After a few, it may be hard to remember which company said what or did what. If you write it down then you have a record to jog your memory of each company.
Full court press?
Sales people can be tough and most people don’t want to interact with a pushy salesperson. Beware of sales people who are pushy, talk fast and don’t listen to what you’re saying. These aforementioned characteristics say that they don’t really care what you want; their job is to sell you their product. Take note of contractors who aren’t pushy and want to help you with your problem – finishing your basement. They are usually better quality contractors because they take the time to do what you want. This means the odds are good that they will take the time to remodel your basement the right way, instead of taking shortcuts and doing a shotty job.
Tell them what you want
Be sure to tell your contractor or sales person what you’re expecting to do in your basement. Do you want a home gym, office, movie room or living area? If you don’t tell them what your expectations are or what you want to use the space for, they can’t make it happen. Remodelers aren’t mind readers, so be sure you communicate to your basement finisher what you’re imagining.
Ask questions
Be sure to ask lots of questions, from things you don’t understand to how pricing works to how long installation will take. This is not the time to be shy and it’s quite likely they’ve heard your question before. By asking more questions you can better gauge what kind of company; contractor; and product you’re dealing with, which will help you make the best decision when remodeling your basement.
Don’t be afraid to also ask questions during installation. The basement finishers should be able to answer your questions while they install your new basement, but be sure to give the installers the time and space necessary to do a great job on your home.
Beware of drywall and mold
Here’s a little lesson on mold; it needs moisture and organic material to grow. Unfortunately, drywall is made of paper and other organic materials. The take-home message here is that mold can actually grow on drywall if the basement is humid enough. You want to be cautious of your basement’s humidity because you want to prevent mold from lurking and entering your home and affecting the air you are breathing.
A good alternative to using drywall is to remodel your basement with inorganic, waterproof basement finishing materials. This way, even if your basement does get wet, mold and mildew can’t grow because the materials aren’t organic!
You won’t have to clean up sopping wet drywall and insulation if your basement should get wet or flood. Purchasing these materials is well worth the investment because the materials shouldn’t get damaged with water and clean-up will be much less painful than with regular drywall.
Use these ideas to help avoid pitfalls when remodeling your basement.
To get a finished basement in Kansas City, contact Total Basement Finishing of Johnson County.
John Smith writes about home improvement topics like basement waterproofing, crawl space repair, home energy audits and energy efficiency.
