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Jul 16 2015

Smart Storage That Works: Why Finishing The Basement Makes Sense

“I suppose every family has a lot of stuff,” Dawn said. “But I feel like we are above average in that regard.” An antiques book dealer, Dawn has built a considerable collection of volumes that are ‘just too good to let go of’. Her partner, Peter, has never met a piece of fine furniture he didn’t like. As a result, their Boston home was full to overflowing.

“We needed a sensible way to store things,” Dawn said. “But why put all of this time and energy into building a collection if you’re just going to hide it in boxes in the basement? What we needed was a space where we could enjoy and appreciate our things.”

“I hate spiders,” Peter said. “Which is why I was so averse to using the basement space for anything, really. Who wants spiders dropping down into their hair?” He shuddered. “But when we talked to the Boston basement finishing company that was recommended to us, we learned that there are several different ceiling options available. Once all those dusty floor joists were covered up and turned into an attractive ceiling, my fear of spiders vanished.”

The couple had their basement transformed into an attractive study, with lots of book cases and built in storage space. “We did the numbers, and creating this same space as an addition would have been much more expensive,” Dawn said. “Plus we would have lost a good chunk of our yard, and I wasn’t willing to make that sacrifice if I didn’t have to.”

“We have lots of books and antiques. But we know other couples who have things like sports equipment or their grandchildren’s toys: things they want to keep and have access to, but that don’t need to be right in the house all the time, cluttering things up,” Dawn said. “For those people, we strongly recommend they look into having their basement finished. We’re really glad we had it done, and we think you will be too.”

Jul 09 2015

Can I Really Have A Finished Basement?

“You hear all these amazing stories of people turning their basements into home offices or gyms or even apartments,” Stacey said. “So when I bought this house in Boston, I kind of had that idea in the back of my mind. But now that I’ve really spent some time in the basement, I’m not sure that my basement can be finished. It’s just in such rough shape.”

The concerns Stacey had about her Boston basement included some very common complaints. The floor was extremely unlevel; it was difficult to walk around without tripping. The walls were bare concrete block, with surface mounted electrical wires. The furnace was located in the center of the basement, making it difficult to image how the space could ever be used.

“My Mom was the one who told me not to give up on the idea,” Stacey said. “She said call in some Boston basement finishing contractors and see what could be done.” She shook her head. “I really wasn’t sure, because I didn’t have much of a budget. But you know how Moms are.”

After meeting with the basement finishing company, Stacey learned that some of the issues she thought were deal breakers could actually be addressed fairly easily. Leveling the floor and finishing the walls was pretty straightforward. Moving the furnace to a more reasonable location required a little more effort and some coordination with a HVAC contractor, but once it was out of the way, “We had a surprising amount of space to work with,” Stacey said.

Her mother knew exactly what to do with the newly renovated space. “Turning the basement into a guest room/getaway has been great,” Stacey said. “That way when Mom – or any of our out of town friends come in for a show or event – we have a place for them to stay.” She beamed. “It’s really awesome, actually. So if you think your basement can’t be done over, do yourself a favor and have a contractor check it out first. You may have more options than you know.”

Jun 24 2015

The Restful Retreat I Was Looking For Was Much Closer Than I Ever Imagined

“I work in a busy newsroom,” Matt explained. “It’s a very noisy, active environment – even when there’s no big story to cover, we still have to get a show on the air every single night. So there’s constant pressure to go, go, go.” Things don’t calm down much when the father of three returns to his Boston home at the end of the day. “Toddlers have one speed: fast. And they have one volume: extra loud.”

Both Matt and his wife Celina were looking for a way to add a little peace and quiet to their lives. “Everyone needs a space where they can just take a deep breath and decompress,” Matt explained. “Back in the day, my Dad had the den to retreat to. But we didn’t have that kind of room in our house.”

“We started looking into having our basement remodeled after I saw what my brother-in-law did with his home,” Celina said. “He went the typical man-cave route with a huge TV, Patriots decor and a dedicated beer fridge,” she laughed. “I thought we could take the same idea, but have it be a little classier and more reflective our lifestyle.”

Finding a Boston basement finishing contractor was the first step. “It was important to me to find a company that specialized in basement transformations,” Matt said. “Every contractor tells you they can do it, but when you start asking questions, they have to admit they’ve never actually finished a basement before. I wanted someone with lots of experience.”

“We wanted a comfortable space where we could just relax. Watch a TV show that didn’t feature animated singing penguins or even read a book,” Celina said.

“Or do absolutely nothing at all,” Matt said. Their basement finishing contractors also built in storage closets and cabinetry, helping the family use the space to truly get organized. “It’s really been one of the best decisions we’ve ever made,” he added. “We use this room every single day. It’s helped us tremendously to have a place to go when the stress levels get too high – without actually having to leave the house! Strongly recommended for any parents of active children.”

Jun 18 2015

Surprise Mom & Dad! I’m Moving Back Home! Hey, What Happened to My Room?

Members of the Millennial generation have been moving back home to live with their parents in record numbers. This is happening for a number of reasons: the job market is challenging, student loan payments have to be made, and housing costs, especially in the Boston area, are quite high. Turning to Mom and Dad may seem like the best option many young adults have – but Mom and Dad may have their own thoughts on the matter.

“When Jake moved out, we did some serious home renovations,” explained Chris, his father. “His bedroom and his sister Jeannine’s bedroom were both eliminated when we expanded the kitchen and added a sunroom. We still have the guest bedroom on the second floor, but that’s really small, and I don’t know if it will work as the housing Jake is looking for.”

“It was also important for us to recognize that Jake really isn’t a child anymore,” Jake’s mother, Amanda, added. “He needs his own space; a place to be while he figures things out and gets his feet under him. I didn’t want to slip back into that Mom and Dad take care of everything dynamic. That’s not what this is about.”

“Moving into the basement was my idea,” Jake said. “I told Mom and Dad that as long as I had heat and wi-fi, I was all set.”

Amanda laughed. “We needed to spruce things up a little for this solution to actually work.” The family looked into Boston basement finishing companies, and selected the one that had done a great job converting a friend’s basement into a home gym. “It made all the difference in the world to have walls put up, flooring installed, and the lighting done.”

“Our basement finishing contractors helped us design the layout,” Chris added. “Our plan included a bedroom and bath for Jake, as well as a mini kitchen area and a place for him to relax. They helped us incorporate those elements in a way that turned out to be more spacious and comfortable than I expected.”

“We have friends who are in the same situation with their children. Or in some instances, it’s a sibling or even parent that needs a place to go,” Amanda said. “If you’re having a hard time figuring out how that’s going to work for your family, think about finishing the basement. A lot of times, that’s not space you’re using, and if you have the right contractors working on the job, it can really become an attractive, comfortable space that works.”

Jun 10 2015

The Key To Work/Life Balance: Turning My Basement into A Home Office

“I’ve heard of people having a 9 to 5 job, but I have to say I’ve never actually met one of those people,” Tanya laughed. “Like everyone I know, I bring a lot of work home from the office with me. There’s just too much stuff to get done during the average day, and it can’t wait.” Tanya was using the kitchen table as her make-do desk, but this wasn’t a very successful option for her. “I have three kids. You can imagine how well this worked. Chocolate milk getting spilled all over my quarterly reports was the last straw!”

Tanya knew she needed a place in her Boston home that she could designate as a home office. “That’s where the work would get done and the kids would stay out,” she said. “But there was literally nowhere where this could happen. We had no space. I talked to a contractor, and he was all about putting up an addition. Hello – do I look like I’m made out of money?”

A cost-effective alternative to adding rooms to your home is having your basement finished in Boston. “When I talked to the basement finishing contractors, I was very up front. I said, this is my budget, this is what I need to have done, can you make it happen?” Tanya explained. “It turns out they exceeded my expectations in every way.” Once the walls were finished, and flooring and lighting were installed, Tanya had space for her home office. “I kept the furniture very simple,” she said. “Just a desk, chair, and filing cabinet.” She sighed a happy sigh. “While the kids are doing their thing, I can come down here and concentrate. I don’t have to worry about any papers getting lost or having half a day’s work spoiled by a “Oops Mom!”

KAKS Basement Finishing & Remodeling