Basements are often the much-maligned eyesores of a house. We throw our accumulated stacks of National Geographic magazines, old baby clothes and fondue sets we snagged as wedding gifts into the inky depths of our basements where they sit for years, taunting us every time we descend to do laundry.

But as many homeowners have come to discover, basements can be more than just dumping grounds for cast-offs and canned goods - they can be goldmines of additional space. The area below our homes usually spans the same square footage as an entire floor of the house, making it a huge, untapped space just waiting to be turned into a family room, game room or exercise room.  

One local couple looked to their basement in order to meet the needs of their growing family. With two active children and a host of hobbies and interests, the family's Victorian-style home was feeling a bit cramped. The family loved their house and didn't want to move, but did not want to commit the time or money to a major remodel. Luckily they didn't need to.

The family were fortunate enough to have a 1,200 square foot unfinished basement, which could easily provide the space needed for a new family room, home theatre area, craft room and storage area. 

To implement the metamorphosis, they called upon the expertise of MBA members, Pacific N.W. Basements, LLC, who features a unique Basement Finishing System division, under the franchise of Owens Corning. The family was relieved that this basement system could be installed in just a few weeks, and without the mess of drywall.

Unlike more traditional finishing methods, where drywall is permanently affixed to the existing framework, Owens Corning fit the space with specially-engineered fiberglass panels and PVC structural framing that remained removable even after their installation was complete. The wall and ceiling panels could be popped out, providing easy wiring and plumbing access.  

In addition to the accessibility aspect, the homeowners chose this method of remodeling because the panels are sound-proof, moisture-resistant (so important in our rainy climate), puncture, damage and kid-resistant, and come pre-finished, which eliminated the need to paint.  

This project presented no outstanding challenges, however a challenge came to the homeowner not long after the system was installed. Shortly after the remodel was completed, the family's water line overflowed. The homeowners were able to quickly remove the ceiling to see if there were any leaks that could lead to a mold problem, and were relieved to find that no problems had arisen.  

With the installation complete and the water line crisis behind them, the family got to stay in their beloved home, increased the value of their house and even lowered their energy bills by effectively insulating the dampest, coldest space in their home-- all without the cost or hassle of putting on an addition. 

Thanks to Pacific N.W. Basements, LLC dba Owen's Corning Basement Finishing System of Washington in partnership with Westhill, Inc., for contributing their information and ideas on behalf of the Master Builders Association. For more information on the MBA, go to www.masterbuildersinfo.com.

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In a similar twist of room addition fate, homeowner Jean Manning wrote to Around the House about creating closet space for the finished bedroom above the family garage.

"Six years ago, we finished out the space above our garage, adding a bedroom and 3/4 bath. We managed to get a lot of light into the room by adding 4 dormers. Unfortunately, the closet space is not really adequate and I am at a loss for finding storage potential with the peaked ceiling. Please advise."
 
-Jean R. Manning

Advice from Master Builder member AAA Kartak Glass & Closet, Inc.:

Peaked ceilings, with sloping walls present a difficult but usually not unsolvable closet design problem.  It requires some customization, but a closet can still be built against these walls with shelves and suspended rods for hanging clothes.  You cannot always get enough space for longs, but normal short hang and shelves are often doable, as long as you have the floor space that requires. Floor space is your key limitation. 
 
Are you willing to give up some light? If one of the dormers is big enough, the dormer itself can become an extra closet, either on one or both of the sides or at the dormer's end.
 
Good luck with that!
 
Kevin Kartak
President
AAA KARTAK Glass & Closet, Inc
FASTER & BETTER SINCE 1956

Contribute your basement or other sub-level living improvement stories to Similar Projects, a great way for KPLU listeners to get involved with Around the House's monthly feature. Click here for more details.