# It's finally done!



## Badfish740 (Feb 18, 2013)

After three long years my basement has finally gone from this:







To this:






To this!


























It took a lot of blood sweat and tears but it was all worth the wait.  I did all of the demo myself, moved the ductwork into soffits along the walls, framing, insulation, wiring, drywall, paint, and trim.  I contracted out the carpet and the spackle work since there's no way I could have made those look right   The Vizio 60" LED was my gift to myself since I figure I saved about $7000 by doing it myself.  As you can see it's pretty well lived in already-the whole family enjoys it, which of course was the idea.  The Englander furnace resides in my shop on the opposite side of the basement which keeps it nice and toasty.


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## Adios Pantalones (Feb 19, 2013)

Wow- beautiful job!


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## Badfish740 (Feb 19, 2013)

Adios Pantalones said:


> Wow- beautiful job!


 
Thank you.  Part of the reason it took so long was all of the built-ins, but I think in the end it was really worth it.  I didn't want to finish the space and then have to fill it up with shelving, etc...in order to have storage.  It also ended up costing a lot less because I was pretty resourceful with finding materials.  Believe it or not much of the shelving was built from wood from the "reject" piles at Lowes-the ones they put on a cart and sell for pennies on the dollar.  A lot of half decent stuff ends up in those piles for dirt cheap.  Many times you'll find a piece of say, 1x3x10 pine that is only really beat up/warped for half it's length and the other half is usable.  In that case I just used what I could and burned the rest or used it for furring or some other application that didn't need to look nice.  My FIL, who is a contractor, rescued a lot of the sheetrock from the dumpster believe it or not.  I got a little fancy with the beadboard in some places which wasn't cheap at $23 a sheet or so, but I felt justified since I saved a lot of money elsewhere.  Underneath the TV is the concrete countertop I detailed building in the DIY forum a couple of weeks ago.  I'm really happy with the way it came out.


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## Eatonpcat (Feb 19, 2013)

Badfish  = Bada$$ basement...Nice job!


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## tbuff (Feb 19, 2013)

That looks awesome! How hard was the concrete countertop to build? and do you think there was a savings over granite or other solid surface?


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## Badfish740 (Feb 19, 2013)

tbuff said:


> That looks awesome! How hard was the concrete countertop to build? and do you think there was a savings over granite or other solid surface?


 
Thanks!  I actually detailed it in a thread in the DIY forum:

https://www.hearth.com/talk/threads/anybody-ever-try-concrete-countertops-im-about-to.102457/

It was really not that hard and I am seriously considering doing my own countertops for a kitchen renovation one day.  I did learn a few things in the process which I would do differently next time (it's all in the thread, complete with pictures), but that was why I took it on as a project for the basement.  I spent about $100 on the project which included:

Sheet of melamine for the form - $35.00
Tube of silicone caulk - $6.00
Wire mesh - $5.00
4 bags of Quikrete Countertop Mix - $52.00
4 hour mixer rental - $40
Concrete patch (to fill pinholes) - $10.00
Sealer - $17.00
----------------------------------------------------------
$165

Around here, a basic finished granite slab runs about $35 a square foot, so at about 10 square feet I'd be looking at a minimum of $350, but that's not taking into account the thickness either.  I did mine 3" thick because I liked the look-at $35 a square foot you're only going to get granite that's 1.5" thick.  3" would cost substantially more.


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## tbuff (Feb 19, 2013)

Came out great, I'll check on the DIY forum..


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## Badfish740 (Feb 19, 2013)

I should add that if you ask my wife it's not "totally" done...    I still have to build cabinet doors for the openings at the base of the large built in bookshelf in the fourth image from the top.  I've just been putting it off because it's going to be a lot of work, but it will be a nice touch.


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## nate379 (Feb 19, 2013)

You don't have any worries about carpet in a basement?

I've see a few Holmes on Homes where they ripped out basement carpet and 9.9 times out of 10 it was a nasty mold factory.


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## Badfish740 (Feb 19, 2013)

nate379 said:


> You don't have any worries about carpet in a basement? I've yet to see a basement that didn't get at least humid, never mind damp.


 
It's all about waterproofing. I lucked out because the previous owner had installed full foundation drains before we moved in with two sump pumps. They're both connected to the full drain system so they're redundant if one should fail. When the drains/sumps were installed the floor and walls were treated with Drylock and concrete sealer, respectively. The combination of adequate drainage, ventilation, and sealants ensures that moisture doesn't become an issue. If you're missing one of these three things you will have problems eventually.

I do have a dehumidifier down there which is set to about 35% humidity-it only tends to run during the dog days of Summer.  In the wintertime I actually run a humidifier because with the wood furnace down there the air can get uncomfortably dry.  Of course, the worst can always happen, so I have a rider on my homeowners which would cover damage due to sump pump failure or water/moisture/mold intrusion of any kind. Actual flooding isn't an issue because we live up on a hill, thankfully.


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## tbuff (Feb 19, 2013)

Waterproofing, vapor barrier install and dehumidifier and you'll be good.


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## WellSeasoned (Feb 19, 2013)

That looks bad a$$ badfish. Nice work! Great pics!


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## Badfish740 (Feb 19, 2013)

tbuff said:


> Waterproofing, vapor barrier install and dehumidifier and you'll be good.


 
Waterproofing is good, but the drainage is super critical. If you seal the walls and floor but don't address the drainage on the outside the water will eventually build enough pressure to crack the walls and/or the floor and infiltrate anyway. Removing the water and not allowing it to build up pressure on the walls in the first place is the most important part. The sealer is more of a insurance policy than anything else at that point. Of course some areas don't really have issues with water at all. My parents' house is built on what was once a gravel/sand mining operation. The soil is so well drained that they have never had water/moisture in their basement in 27 years.  The trade off was that my dad had a hell of a time growing grass and had to supplement the soil like crazy for years before it looked good.


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## ScotO (Feb 19, 2013)

Looks fantastic, Badfish.  I saw your post a couple weeks back when you did the counter top and now to see the rest of the job, well it looks awesome!  I love the nook that the TV sits in......everything looks totally professional.  You do first-class work, my friend!

BTW, we just bought a 70" Sharp Aquos Smart TV the Saturday before the Super Bowl as a gift to ourselves for our new hearth room also.......while the room isn't quite done yet, that TV is amazing!!


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## f3cbboy (Feb 19, 2013)

worth the wait!!


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## Pallet Pete (Feb 19, 2013)

HOLY CRAP ! Nice job badfish it looks really good. So where is the stove lol ?

Pete


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## fishingpol (Feb 19, 2013)

Nice work. I particularly like the beadboard on the ceiling and tv alcove. Kind of a summer/nautical/front porch look to it. Kudos.


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## Badfish740 (Feb 19, 2013)

Pallet Pete said:


> HOLY CRAP ! Nice job badfish it looks really good. So where is the stove lol ?


 
Thanks guys-really appreciate all of the kind words-I've seen a lot of members who have posted some nice work here so I figured I'd see what people thought of this.  The stove resides on the unfinished side of the basement:






The finished side is the "family cave."  The stove/shop side is the "man cave."  I actually just got a mini fridge free from a friend so I can stock cold beers under my work bench for when I'm kicking back by the fire.



fishingpol said:


> Nice work. I particularly like the beadboard on the ceiling and tv alcove. Kindo of a summer/nautical/front porch look to it. Kudos.


 
Thanks!  That's kind of what I was going for-I've always liked the look of beadboard.  The beadboard plywood is indistinguishable from the real thing once it's painted and as long as you use a good backing material and it doesn't appear wavy.  The ceiling was born of necessity-above that is plumbing for the kitchen so I couldn't drywall over it as I did with the rest of the basement.  I wrestled with it for a while and finally arrived at making a "drop ceiling" of sorts out of beadboard panels.  I was also striving for a "professional look" and it sounds like I nailed it!


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## StihlHead (Feb 19, 2013)

When's the PARTY


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## save$ (Feb 19, 2013)

You did a fantastic job.   I had Capet on mine for years and years.   Then in the summer, it started to hold odors that went away when the stove was running.  I took out the carpet and put down a moisture proof vinyl, then put down area carpets.   No odor! If the carpet get bad, roll it up and replace!    
Really like the bead board.   The shelves are very nice.   TV adds a lot.   Hope you have time to enjoy it. Thanks for sharing.  
Question, did you have to cut the cement to enlarge that window?'


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## midwestcoast (Feb 19, 2013)

Really nice work. IT's gotta feel great to get that done & have it come out amazing!


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## charly (Feb 20, 2013)

You should be proud of that!   Came out great!


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## Badfish740 (Feb 20, 2013)

save$ said:


> You did a fantastic job. I had Capet on mine for years and years. Then in the summer, it started to hold odors that went away when the stove was running. I took out the carpet and put down a moisture proof vinyl, then put down area carpets. No odor! If the carpet get bad, roll it up and replace!


 
We'll see-it's actually been in place for almost two years now believe it or not.  I had managed to make a lot of headway in the first two years so I had the carpet installed, but then work got busy and the last year was a long slow process of doing a little bit of trim/painting at a time.  The built in shelves flanking the TV were the last piece of the puzzle, not counting the cabinet doors for the base of the other built in shelves that my wife won't let me forget about 



save$ said:


> Really like the bead board. The shelves are very nice. TV adds a lot.


 
The TV was really always intended to be the centerpiece.  If you're looking for a lot of TV for not a lot of money I highly recommend the Vizio 60".  It's the only 60" LED on the market for less than $900.  I bought it on a pre-Super Bowl sale so it may come down even more now that it's been out for a while.  



save$ said:


> Hope you have time to enjoy it. Thanks for sharing.  Question, did you have to cut the cement to enlarge that window?'


 
I did have to enlarge the window opening.  The window actually was installed in a home by my FIL's construction company and the owner decided they wanted something different (they do high end jobs so these folks have $$$ to burn) so out it came, and of course it couldn't be returned.  He gave it to me and it sat in my garage for a while until I realized that the width of the rough opening was the same as my basement windows.  I bought a masonry blade for my circular saw and just made the opening taller which was pretty easy.  The house was built in the late 1960s when "cinder block" actually contained cinders and was a great deal softer than the concrete block of today.  Here's a look at the almost finished window from the outside:






I framed the rough opening with pressure treated lumber, used expanding foam inside and out to provide a good seal, and then faced the outside with 1x3 PVC woodgrain fascia board and used white silicone caulk to seal both edges.


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## Gasifier (Feb 22, 2013)

Nice badfish. That is all I can say. Well, not really. Really friggin nice man. That basement looks awesome. What a cool place to hang out! That went from a basement to a chillin pad. Sa-weet cave for an entire family! The cream da la cream of cribs! Like I said. Nice badfish. Nice.


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## Swedishchef (Feb 22, 2013)

Well done Badfish! I just finished my basement and I am jealous of yours! (time to shut off the monitor before my wife sees your basement).
 I love the built-ins!
Well done!

Andrew


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## Badfish740 (Feb 23, 2013)

Gasifier said:


> Nice badfish. That is all I can say. Well, not really. Really friggin nice man. That basement looks awesome. What a cool place to hang out! That went from a basement to a chillin pad. Sa-weet cave for an entire family! The cream da la cream of cribs! Like I said. Nice badfish. Nice.


 

Thanks-now if only I could replace my Englander with a gasifier I'd really be in business   The furnace does the job but I would looooooooove to have hydronic heat.  Unfortunately I don't think my plumbing skills are as good as my carpentry skills...



Swedishchef said:


> Well done Badfish! I just finished my basement and I am jealous of yours! (time to shut off the monitor before my wife sees your basement).


 
Hehe...yep, those "honey-do" projects...  She was patient with me through the whole process but really wants those cabinet doors, so I'll be updating this thread sometime soon!


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## Flatbedford (Feb 28, 2013)

Looks great. Like putting an addition on the house.


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## Beer Belly (Mar 2, 2013)

Nice work.....can't let my Wife see this, I've got enough to do already


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## gzecc (Mar 2, 2013)

Badfish740 said:


> After three long years my basement has finally gone from this:
> 
> It took a lot of blood sweat and tears but it was all worth the wait. I did all of the demo myself, moved the ductwork into soffits along the walls, framing, insulation, wiring, drywall, paint, and trim. I contracted out the carpet and the spackle work since there's no way I could have made those look right  The Vizio 60" LED was my gift to myself since I figure I saved about $7000 by doing it myself. As you can see it's pretty well lived in already-the whole family enjoys it, which of course was the idea. The Englander furnace resides in my shop on the opposite side of the basement which keeps it nice and toasty.


Nice, I was going to complement you on the sheetrock/spackle job, then I read the post.


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## Flatbedford (Mar 2, 2013)

Beer Belly said:


> Nice work.....can't let my Wife see this, I've got enough to do already


 
If she does see it, make sure that she sees the "three long years" part! That might take some heat off of you.


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## ScotO (Mar 2, 2013)

Flatbedford said:


> If she does see it, make sure that she sees the "three long years" part! That might take some heat off of you.


This made me smile FBF as when we started our reno on our house, I told my wife that it'd be a couple years........that was 8 friggin years ago and we still ain't done yet!!


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## Flatbedford (Mar 2, 2013)

We bought out house in August 2003 and there are still unfinished projects from the week we moved in. I think that's just part if the magic of homeownership. It is a lifetime project. Just be sure to keep a roof over your head, a woodstove, and a workable kitchen and bath at all times.


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## Highbeam (Mar 2, 2013)

Okay guys, let's play a game. Who can find the "red solo cup". That song is now stuck in my head.

Great job on the basement. I was scrolling down and I saw it took you three years. I saw the before and then the next picture and thought, wow, that took you three years? and then I kept scrolling. Basements are cool. Not common in the northwest though.


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## Flatbedford (Mar 2, 2013)

Highbeam said:


> Okay guys, let's play a game. Who can find the "red solo cup". .


 
I can


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## aussiedog3 (Mar 9, 2013)

Sweeeeeeeeeeet!


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