Basements can be sexy too.

Who does not want a spa or wine room? The possibility are endless, whether the children have left home or just beginning to walk the space can be a sense of who you are. It may be a playroom during the day, but at night, it could be the place for a game of cards or a cozy place to write a novel.

Basements start at the top of the stairs.

For generations the basement is underutilized and with older homes, the headroom may be a consideration. Our fathers-fathers, who first built these homes, now dwarfed by the heights their children have grown.

The tiny windows and huge gravity feed furnaces have been updated to some degree.

The furnace replacement industry has made it common practice to adapt the heat and return air plenums to the new furnace rather than install new ducting. This has in some cases left these oversized ducts.  If the idea is to renovate a poorly insulated and built space, a good place to begin is with the heating system, windows and insulation. New systems allow for better layout and can be a long-term source for saving money when done correctly.

Upgrading light fixtures and meeting today’s safety and electrical codes may mean adding additional circuits or increasing the electrical panel size. Smoke and CO detectors are necessary in any upgrade. This is as important as secure handrails and adequate egress.