How to Build a Basement Bathroom - What to Know Before You Start
One topic that gets a lot of attention is how to build a basement bathroom. Many people find themselves wondering if finishing their basement will add value to their homes and improve their living space. Overall, the answer is yes. A home with a finished basement, including a basement bathroom, adds a lot of livable square footage without an enormous cost. If youve got a basement and youd like to make it some place thats worth living, youll be happy to know that finishing it and adding a bathroom can be surprisingly simple and inexpensive. You just have to know what to do and you have to have a good plan.
Whats the difference between a finished basement and a remodeled basement? Finished basements change a bare area into a carefully constructed living space, often with separate room and all the amenities youd expect in the upper parts of a house. A basement remodeling is usually a much larger project that requires more effort and money. Many older finished basements, done with low quality materials or those that are just plain wrong, can turn into remodeling projects. You need to know in advance what youre doing and what methods youre going to use. Knowing how to build a basement bathroom properly in advance is one key to keeping yourself from having to remodel it again later.
This means keeping organic materials out of your basement bathroom and basement finishing projects. Many non organic materials are also susceptible - avoid ordinary wall board in favor of moisture resistant board, for instance. Youll be willing to deal with the extra expense when you realize that using a moisture resistant board in your new basement bathroom and in the rest of the basement will keep you from having to deal with mildew and mold. After all, you only want to build your basement bathroom once!
If youre not sure how to build a basement bathroom, or you know how to do some of the work but not all of it, stop. That doesnt mean you cant get into your dream finishing project. It does mean that you should enlist the help of a professional to get through the parts of your project that you dont know how to deal with. Making it up as you go is a surefire way to end up with a basement that needs work down the road!
Youll need to make sure that your basement bathroom has the right plumbing and wiring, good flooring that wont warp or delaminate, wall materials and paint that will resist damp and mildew, and fixtures that are suitable for use in a basement. Make sure that your bathroom is well lit and well ventilated, too. Youll be happier if you build a room thats pleasant to use as well as practical, and basement rooms can often seem cave like. Good design can help counteract this tendency. If you learn how to build a basement bathroom before you get started, youll have a much better chance of a successful finishing project.
Thomas Johnsen is the Author and Leading Expert on how to Build Basement Bathrooms and the creator of the publication Building Basement Bathroom 101. Visit the site now to find the easy-to-understand step-by-step guides on basement bathroom construction available online today.
