WWSAD? Using space in an unfinished basement

[riverwed070707]

We've been exploring options for giving ourselves more usable space in our teeny home. We have a 600 sq ft basement that is currently used for laundry and storage. The house is old (built in 1900) and has low ceilings making it unsuitable to finish up to code. However, DH and I are short and the ceilings aren't really an obsticle for us so we're interested in ways to spruce it up and makeit feel more inviting without putting in the cost to "finish" it knowing we'd have to tear it out later.

We are pretty seriously considering moving our bedrooms down there (yes, we'd put in an egress) but I don't want to have that yucky, basement feel everytime I go down there.

Some notes:
*The floor is already tiled (well mostly -- we'd have to do some grouting but we're talking a 1/2 day project to finish it) and looks nice so that's not really a concern

*The ceiling is exposed floorboards, pipes and wires. I was thinking about painting it. We also considered throwing up some drywall and recessed lighting, but again, expense that would need to be torn out later, plus we have some serious height concerns given that some areas have less than 6' clearance. Whatever we do here will have to be thin and I'm really afraid putting anything up will make it feel clausterphobicly small

*The walls are cement. What on earth do I do with these? They aren't like new construction cement, they are like someone hand pour and "smoothed" them. They are bumpy and uneven. Currently they are painted and they don't look awful but I don't love them. They need to be warmed up.

*We tossed around the idea of putting in a small bathroom. Could we get a permit for this even if the ceilings don't meet the height requirement?

OK give me your best design tips. What would you do to make the space inhabitable? Even if you wouldn't put bedrooms down there, how would you overcome the surface/height challenges?

TIA!

[bjl584]

The height issue is a tough one. A friend of mine wanted to finish his basement but had the same issue of too low clearance. He tried to get someone to dig the floor down but no one would touch it. It would be too much work they said.

Other than that, the cement walls can be easily covered with drywall or wallboard. You will just need to run furring strips on the wall and anchor them with concrete anchors. Just make sure you have enough clearnace for electrical wires. A 2x4 turned flat should do the trick.

You will also need to put the furnace and the hot water tank in it's own closed off room if it isn't already. Just for safety concerns.

And you will need a dehumidifier.

I probably wouldn't bother getting a permit. No one will know what you are doing to turn you in for anything, and you may not even need one unless you get a contractor to do the work. A simple remodel of a basement may not even require permitting. If you are uneasy about it just call the county courthouse.

[riverwed070707]

I agree, I wouldn't get a permit for the kind of work we're looking to do. The only one I would think it woudl be beneficial for would be the bathroom simply because we'd be able to add that second bath as a feature when we sell.

We do have a dehumidifier down there already. I didn't think about moving the furnace...not sure that is an option. It is quite literally *in* the space we'd be sleeping. Bad idea? I'm not sure there's anywhere else to put it, plus, is there a big difference between having it on the other side of 600 sq ft?

[disneysteve]

I think painting the ceiling white or a light color is a good idea. It avoids encroaching on what clearance you do have and the light color will make the space appear bigger than a dark shadowed ceiling.

For the walls, you could paint them or panel them as Brian suggested. You could also hang a nice mirror which also gives some illusion of space and hang some photos or artwork around to help cover some of the walls.

The other thing to make it not feel like a basement is the lighting. If you've got typical basement fluorescent utility lights, it makes it look very cold and dreary. Get some nice table lamps. You probably don't have clearance for any type of track lighting.

Just go with light and bright colors to keep things warm and inviting.

[disneysteve]

I didn't think about moving the furnace...not sure that is an option. It is quite literally *in* the space we'd be sleeping. Bad idea? I'm not sure there's anywhere else to put it, plus, is there a big difference between having it on the other side of 600 sq ft?

Is it electric or natural gas? If gas, make sure there is a carbon monoxide detector in the room.

[riverwed070707]

Is it electric or natural gas? If gas, make sure there is a carbon monoxide detector in the room.

Gas and we do have one right beside it. Actually, it sits on it

Good thougth about lighting! I think that's a huge part of what makes it basement-y. We have CFLs down there but they hang down and are uncovered. We'll look at maybe recessing some lights into the ceiling space and adding lots of lamps/floor lights.

[GrimJack]

A friend of mine owned a pretty small 1-bedroom house with no basement. You may not know this but most houses are not actually attached to the foundation but just rest on them (this is why the first step in quake-proofing a house is to strap it to the foundation). I bring this up because she had her house lifted and the foundation was dug out and concrete poured, giving her a daylight basement. In your case, you could have the house lifted and .... Ellipsis to be filled with your imagination. You could add foundation and cut a door into a wall to giver yourself either a bedroom or a place to put your furnace; you could add some height to the foundation. I would definitely insulate the concrete, make sure that anything kept in the basement be 2 inches off the floor in case of flooding - yadda, yadda, yadda.

[riverwed070707]

I've heard of lifting before becuase we live near the river and a lot of riverfront homes do this when they get tired of cleaning up the flood mess every year...any idea what kind of ballpark cost we're talking about? I don't have 10's to spend on this reno. I feel like it probably wouldn't be worth it unless we loved the house and wanted to stay for the long haul and that is def not the case.

[creditcardfree]

I might actually go with a light taupe/tan color for walls, since it might make it feel warmer and cozy. I would paint the current ceiling (floor boards and pipes) a white or very light color.

Steve's mirror and lamp suggestions are great!!

Could you hang a weighted curtain (so it's not blowing around as you walk past) around the furnace/water heater area?

[snafu]

New plumbing and lighting [developing/making changes] that doesn't meet code has potential to cause insurance problems should there be a claim in the future. It's important to verify what can be done without needing a permit. It's cheap and efficient to buy light fixtures and lamps from the Habitat for Humanity Re Store if available in your community.

It's easy to cover up uneven cement walls with fabric, even sheets with spray-on craft glue. In a basement bedroom, hanging a quilt in place of a headboard can add decor/theme and warmth. Inexpensive, fuzzy acrylic throws feel nice underfoot and add warmth to a tile floor.

The IKEA catalog has good ideas for layouts in small space. If you have a Community College nearby that offers Designer courses, I suggest taking a few pictures and dimensions of your space and ask the instructor to use your space as a lesson in planning and decor. The instructor gets a fresh idea, the class gets a challenge and you get to pick the idea you like.