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mb3303
Citizen
Username: Mb3303
Post Number: 148
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 8:29 pm: | 
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Hi. Might sell my house next year and have an unfinished basement. It doesn't get water per se, but has a splotchy floor from occasional dampness, which is largely eliminated by a dehumidifier. Anyway, I would like to spruce it up a little so a prospective buyer might see potential in turning it into a rec room or something. Can anyone offer some cheap suggestions for accomplishing this? I was thinking some bright paint, patching some of the holes in the sheetrock and stuff, but am open to any ideas, especially ways to improve the look of the floor (ie, I can't put area rugs down because they'd probably get ruined, but would like to make them look a little nicer.
Anyway, thanks. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 2512
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 9:42 pm: |
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We did something like this. Drylocked all exterior walls white. Emptied the hall/steps going down, painted walls white, steps gray (having removing disgusting indoor/outdoor carpet. Hung sheer curtains on tension rods in basement windows. Washed floor really, really well (dry floor) and applied self-stick tile throughout. made a hell of a difference. If your floor is dampish, may be drylock type paint for it will help, prior to tile. I can't overemphase the difference white walls with much of the texture filled in by the paint made. Equally, the self stick tile. Biggest challenge was emptying the place, and washing everything really well with the aid of a wet/dry shop vac.
This was sweat equity and a lot paint!! Plug in those glade thingies that give the basement a better odor, too. That and the dehumid will make a big difference. Replace ceiling fixtures if you can; we haven't yet but put clip on shades over the bulbs. The white and the tidiness and the floor tile were huge differences. |
jersey Boy
Citizen
Username: Jersey_boy
Post Number: 352
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 10:02 pm: |
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I did this myself ON-THE-CHEAP at our last house. Definitely paint with a special water sealant paint. But what shocked me about keeping it dry was looking outside at down spouts. I had two wet spots and I walked around the house with a friend who does construction. He said, "no basement is water proof, you just have to lead the water away." We found an old ceramic drainage system that was dead. I filled it with cement, and put a Home Depot extender to run it away from the house and downhill.
Then, on the uphill side we dug out a drain and put down that stuff they use for man-made ponds. Put corrogated pipe to run it to the garage side of the property.
Inside, we painted it brown like wood (not gray -- too basementy.) And put down cheap oriental style rugs. When people asked, "is the basement dry?" I said, "I wouldn't put down these oriental rugs if it wasn't."
Do one checked if the rugs were authentic, but the basement was dry by then. And not really too much spent.
J.B. |
Wendyn
Supporter
Username: Wendyn
Post Number: 2828
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 8:08 am: |
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We recently had our floor painted a hunter green color and it looks amazing. Cinderblock walls are white.
We had no wet spots though. |
Handygirl
Citizen
Username: Handygirl
Post Number: 621
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 9:39 am: |
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I would recommend using a beige drylock on the walls rather than white. It's warmer while still being bright. Also, definitely drylock the floor and maybe use carpet squares. They are easy to install, inexpensive, and if you need to replace a section, it's easy. Definitely put some sheers (floor to ceiling) in front of the windows with inexpensive tension rods. That should do it. If you need to screen off utilities, purchase or make a screen and paint a bright color to give some charactor to the space.
Good luck. |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 2515
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 10:56 am: |
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I like gray...but I hear you!
The self-stick tile we used is a faux stone pattern, and I got what was on sale at HD! Had the gray left over, and it just happened to match. I know that white is generally said to look stark, but it really doesn't. Hung some framed "art" posters and what not that wasn't in current circulation upstairs. We had a bunch of blue/white patterned bedding, pillows, sheers that we reccyled to the basement to make a couch like thing. An area rug from HD in front of it, an old tv recycled to be a video player. In any case, changing the walls/floor made monstrous difference -- and we didn't even deal with the rafters/pipe stuff -- though we may at a later date. Been thinking about a screen, Handygirl, for in front of the water heater etc. Right now, I pulled a long, open book shelf across to divide.
I guess our collective message is that you can make a real, big difference just through paint, attention to floor and getting rid of clutter/mess. |
Handygirl
Citizen
Username: Handygirl
Post Number: 627
Registered: 2-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 11:02 am: |
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Cynicalgirl - It is easy to make a screen using doors purchased from home depot. There are tons of styles (panels, plain, etc.) you just paint, stain or decoupage them and attach the three or four doors using basic hinges.
You are right, you can make a big difference with little money. |
Sau
Citizen
Username: Sau
Post Number: 41
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 1:32 pm: |
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You said "Wet Spot." Heh heh. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11004
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 5:48 pm: |
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First, take Jersey Boy's advise on keeping water away from the foundation. Then paint the walls in a bright color.
Most basement floors aren't as smooth as the Cynic's is, so tile is hard. We used some inexpensive commercial carpet in an exercise area and painted the rest of the floor. |
Zach Williams
Citizen
Username: Babyzach
Post Number: 28
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 9:52 pm: |
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I would fix the water problem vs trying to cover it up. A freshly painted basement screams "cover up" and begs further questions.
French drains/sump pumps will eliminate the problem. |
Former Cowgirl
Citizen
Username: Formercowgirl
Post Number: 28
Registered: 3-2006
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 1:41 pm: |
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I agree with Zach. Not only is it unethical to pretend like your basement doesn't get water when it really does; a lot of experienced realtors, and especially home inspectors, will see right through a coat of paint or new rugs. The newly painted basement walls was one of the first things our home inspector pointed out when going over our new home this year...now he couldn't really detect much water damage elsewhere, but thought it important to mention the new "look."
You'll probably spend less in getting the problem fixed so there won't be a problem when it's time for inspection AND maybe investing in a home cleaning service to come and clean up down there so it looks large and clean for prospective buyers. Another thing to consider is making sure all the wiring is where it should be in the basement and not strung around haphazardly. This is a major code violation and something that might scare potential buyers off even during an inspection.
A final note: A basement I wasn't scared to go down into by myself was always one that I thought had potential. Make sure it's brightly lit and doesn't seem like rats are about to jump out at any moment. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11067
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 2:02 pm: |
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Before we painted I don't think our basement had seen a paint brush in maybe 50 years. LOL
Any water problems we had had were long since corrected by grading and running the downspouts away from the house.
As far as lighting was concerned I think one of the previous owners must have been doing illegal surgery in the basement since it was lit up like the Queen Mary on her maiden voyage.  |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1522
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 7:25 pm: |
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My floors are not perfectly even. Is there a recommendation on how to smooth the floors before doing the self-stick tile route, a la Cynicalgirl?
I am in a situation similar to that of mb3303. We don't get water anymore, though, but there is some (not a lot, but some) residual water damage.
And the walls definitely need paint and brightening!
There is nothing to hide, but I would like to make the basement more attractive (and not a deal-breaker) to a prospective buyer. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11076
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 7:36 pm: |
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Ess there is a self-leveling floor product. The only problem is that it is expensive, about 30 bucks for a 20 pound bag. It goes on soupy and then hardens into a flat surface. |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1524
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 7:50 pm: |
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Bob K - thanks. How much floor does that 20 pound bag cover? |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11077
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 4:13 am: |
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Depends on how uneven the floor is and how thick the leveler has to be. You can read the bag in the tile department at the Despot. |
ASR
Citizen
Username: Asr
Post Number: 20
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 9:20 pm: |
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To: Zach Williams
I think you were the guy I bought my house from you and you freshly painted the basement and promised me there was no water damage. Found it interesting you gave that advice. |
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