Does Your Basement Need Finishing?
When it comes to the value of your home, one thing is for sure: if you have an unfinished basement, there is always room for improvement. Your home is likely the greatest investment you’ll ever make. For most homeowners, maintaining the value and livability of their home is always in their best interest. Many homes have unfinished basements, which are often used for storage space and not much else. If you have an unfinished basement, it’s time to ask yourself, does your basement need finishing?
Why Should You Finish a Basement?
There are a number of reasons why finished basements are a better option for any home. Transforming an unfinished basement into a functional and comfortable living space is one of the greatest ways to increase the value of your home, add to the number of rooms in your house, and change the overall living space available to you and your family. Whether you need a place where the kids can spend time away from adults, or you’re looking to add spare bedrooms and a TV room for family and guests to come stay, a finished basement is a huge asset to your home, lifestyle and financial value.
The decision is really pretty simple when it comes to basement finishing. Deciding whether or not to finish your basement really comes down to determining the before and after use of the space. Start by identifying what the unfinished basement space is currently used for. Regardless of whether it’s empty, storing personal items or stacked to the brim with moving boxes that never got unpacked, an unfinished basement serves your family a purpose.
Once you identify the current purpose for your unfinished basement, it is recommended that you then identify the purpose you wish for your basement to serve. Guest rooms and man caves are just a few of the thousands of ways your basement can add to the comfort and livability of your home. Whether you hope to create a downstairs apartment, or just a place where everyone can escape from the craziness of day-to-day life, a finished basement opens a world of opportunities for your home and family.
Aside from deciding how your basement could better serve you, finishing your basement is an excellent way to eliminate clutter. If you’re one of the many homeowners whose basement is full of boxes and storage, considering a basement finishing is a great place to start weaning through those personal belongings. We all have a lot of stuff. Whether you’re newlyweds with newly combined personal items, or empty-nesters with decades of memories and things from every stage of your lives, basements are notorious for allowing homeowners to hoard their stuff.
Life is the only thing that could possibly be better than all of that stuff, and the memories you make in a living space that adds quality and usability to your life and living space are far greater than the stuff you collect and box up over time. One of the main factors your basement may need finishing is simply to eliminate some of that stuff.
The final reason your unfinished basement needs finishing is to increase the value and space that is accounted for in your home. Statistically, homes with finished basements are more likely to sell quicker, and appraise higher than homes with unfinished basements. A finished basement means that your 5 bedroom house may quickly turn into a 7 bedroom house. More bedrooms means a higher value and more money if you ever plan to sell. Even if you don’t plan to sell, it’s always a smart idea if you have the money to capitalize on your greatest investment and create a living space that is perfect for your family and lifestyle.