Home Remodeling & Construction Blog

Remodeling the basement in your Virginia home can be exciting and rewarding in numerous ways. It is a natural choice when choosing a project, because of the relative ease of getting good results for the money.

It is always the smart plan to pick a reputable contractor for your home improvement jobs, if you are not handy yourself. Choosing the right one takes a little effort on your part. Checking credentials, contacting previous clients, etc, is all necessary to prevent a situation that leaves you with no money and an unfinished project. Read more…

Thinking the old house might need a little remodel? Upgrading your Virginia basement might just be the way to go. Your current basement might be a dark, dingy place, only used for storage and laundry, but it could be so much more. A nice game room or second family rooms are both beneficial features to a current resident, or for resaleability. Read more…

The Virginia basement has come a long way since the old days of dirt floor cellars and cobwebs. Many homes are now getting spruced up and decked out with functional finished Virginia basement setups that are equally fun.

While many of us maintain tradition with our homes in bedroom and living design, the Virginia basement has gone from blah to hoozah and has received a heck of a makeover in the last 100 years.

Need a reminder of how your Virginia basement could use a tweak? Head downstairs, then look up. Those exposed pipes, the ductwork, the wiring, cobwebs, shadows and exposed wood are all grim reminders of where we came from and the condition of our current home. Thankfully, the situation is never permanent and you as a homeowner always have the option to do better – even on a budget Read more…

When it comes to your Virginia basement, those moldy odors down there can come from a variety of sources. Really that smell often comes from the fact that it’s damp down there and that moisture gets trapped due to poor ventilation. You can eliminate that with some basement remodeling in northern Virginia homes to increase ventilation.

Of course sometimes you can simply cure the issue on your own depending on the actual cause and what you want to do with the basement of your Virginia home. If you just want to store some boxes and other goods down there, maybe do some laundry, you can just improve the ventilation a little to reduce the smell so it doesn’t permeate the things being stored in your basement.

On the other hand if you’re planning on turning the basement of your Virginia home into something more, like a complete lounge or finished area rec room then your’re gonna have to work a little harder.

Basement Remodeling and Other Measures For Moldy Basements

A lot of older homes have a Virginia basement that’s just a compact dirt floot. If this is what you’re looking at then your best bet would be seal it with a vapor barrier like a heavy duty plastic. The other option of course be some basement remodeling. Northern Virginia contractors can come in and lay down wire mesh then apply some concrete to finish the floor. This can help with the moisture issue for the most part but you’ll still need to look into ventilation.

Of course not all homes are made equal in Virginia. A basement with a concrete floor that’s pre-existing can be a little trickier. You’re probably going to need to do some waterproofing, and consider that you may very well have an internal plumbing issue.

Cracks in the foundation, leaky plumbing running underground and bad drainage can create moisture that comes in through the walls and floor of your home. One of the leading causes of moisture through the basement walls is poor gutter drainage, where the rainwater falls against the edge of the house and collects against the Virginia basement walls in the soil.

If It Looks Like A Duck

If your basement has a moldy odor then more than likely you’ve got mold growing somewhere. A small bit of mold can be removed with little work but depending on the size of the issue in your Virginia basement, you may need to hire a professional to come in and tackle the issue. Mold can be devastating, and can destroy insulation as well as wood framing.

Not to mention how damaging the spores can be to anyone in the home who has allergies. Many forms of mold can be toxic and cause serious health issues if they gather in large quantities so often times it’s best to leave the work to a professional. Not only will a contractor be able to remove the mold but it will leave things in the cleanest condition so that you’re ready for basement remodeling in your northern Virginia home.

I already mentioned the need for ventilation and regardless of whether your basement is finished or completely bare you should always provide adequate ventilation. If you live in an older home in Virginia, your basement is probably lacking in ventilation and may not even be up to code. Basement remodeling can get your Virginia home updated so that you don’t end up turning your basement into a Petri dish.