Turning 1000 sq ft Basement into second living space.

[topherstinky]

We have a 1000 sq ft basement that we are having repaired due to it leaking. After the repair I was wondering how much it would cost to have the basement finished and a small kitchen and bathroom added. I called around one guy quoted me on the phone $250,000 which seemed absolutely ridiculous. He said $50,000 to rough in a small bathroom, and $50,000 for a small kitchen. Then he told me that getting drywall ceilings instead of drop ceilings would drive up the price immensly. (guy seemed like a con artist.) pretty certain a new house could be built cheaper. We have roughly a $150,000 budget, And I was wondering if this is doable. We really aren't handy and know how to do only small projects. Thank you!

-Aaron

 

[Flyover]

First check your codes and local ordinances etc. My HOA charter for example has a bylaw that prohibits turning basements into a separate living space (to discourage renting). You can always lobby to change them if they are unfavorable, or ignore them if you want to take the risk, but it's good to know about them first.

Second, define "finished". My first house had a half-finished basement, and the finished half had bare joists in the ceiling, painted black. (We got a quote to paint a similar area -- about 200 sqft -- of our current basement ceiling, for about $1000.) It looked really nice, I thought, but some people can't stand the sight of anything that isn't painted drywall.

By the way, yes the quotes you received were absolutely ridiculous.

I'm curious, why do you want to do this project?

 

[topherstinky]

First check your codes and local ordinances etc. My HOA charter for example has a bylaw that prohibits turning basements into a separate living space (to discourage renting). You can always lobby to change them if they are unfavorable, or ignore them if you want to take the risk, but it's good to know about them first.

Second, define "finished". My first house had a half-finished basement, and the finished half had bare joists in the ceiling, painted black. (We got a quote to paint a similar area -- about 200 sqft -- of our current basement ceiling, for about $1000.) It looked really nice, I thought, but some people can't stand the sight of anything that isn't painted drywall.

By the way, yes the quotes you received were absolutely ridiculous.

I'm curious, why do you want to do this project?

Thank you for the reply! My mother in law is retiring and she was going to purchase a duplex, unfortunately most of those are located in the city and she wanted us to live with her but everyone still have privacy. So instead of a duplex we were using this as an option. And by finished I mean new drywall (what is down there got water damaged.) And new drywall ceilings.

 

[Flyover]

Earlier I said the quotes you got were ridiculous, but really I should have said they represent the upper (rather unreasonable) end of what I'd consider a range.

At the lower end, what's the minimum that needs to be done so your MIL can live comfortably in your basement? Does she need a complete kitchen and full bath, or can she get by with a microwave, a sink, a shower, and a toilet? Does she need fully padded and carpeted floors, or will a few area rugs be enough to keep things cozy under her feet? Does she faint at the sight of exposed studs and joists, or can these be made acceptable maybe with a layer of paint or even just a good vacuuming? Does she require a separate bedroom and living room, or can they be combined? Does she need an additional space for hobbies or an office? How big a closet does she need? What's the natural light situation? What about laundry facilities--can you share?

You might also need to look into radon mitigation, dehumidifiers, acoustic treatment, etc.

Get fancy enough, and separate enough, and $250K might even start to look reasonable! But, if you just want to move her in for minimal cost, $5K might be plenty. You said you have a $150K budget--surely you could buy a condo or nice apartment nearby for that? Or how about an accessory dwelling unit? Then you also have to consider resale...what will these alterations do to the value of your home. Maybe they'd increase it, or, if the alterations are technically illegal, decrease it.

I'm also reminded of an interesting topic, about multigenerational living and how it's so verboten in this country but quite normal in much of the rest of the world.

 

[Sparky617]

I'm in the process of finishing mine DIY. I haven't really kept great records with respect to costs, but I'm probably in $40-$50K range in materials including a professionally installed heat pump for just the basement. Mine is around 1000 square feet and includes a full bath, but not a kitchen. I installed a new basement sub panel, a new exterior patio door (walkout), an EV circuit to the garage, tiled shower, drywall ceiling and walls. Last pending expenses include: bathroom vanity, baseboards, door trim, and about 700 square feet of LVP flooring. I'm finishing up the tile floor in the shower, once that is done and the tile is grouted I'll set the toilet and get the vanity.

Here is a link to the thread I've been updating with photos. Basement Project thread

If you're going to hire it out I'd get several bids. Not sure how tight your labor market is for contractors right now. We've been on a building boom that is still going strong here, though it has started slow with the increasing mortgage rates. Trying to get contractors can be a challenge. You will very likely need permits in just about any jurisdiction in the USA. Not getting permits will make the sale of your house more difficult.

 

[crgaragedoor]

1000 sqft is pretty decent for a living space. But I would want to know what requirements your MIL has. Is she want something cozier and comfortable, or something basic? Try to figure out the preferences, and the costs associated with it. That will be better to understand if $150,000 is enough or not!