Finishing your basement is one of the best investments you can make in your home. Your basement is a space you can utilize for far more than storage. Many people choose to move a basement remodeling project to the top of their renovation list because of all the benefits a finished basement can provide.
One of the biggest perks: It will increase the value of your home when it’s time to resell. A finished basement will provide an average 70% return on investment. Another perk is the additional living space it adds to your home. By finishing your basement you can add additional features like more bedrooms, bathrooms, home offices, a home gym, or a full-size wet bar to your home. Your family can enjoy these spaces now, and when it’s time to sell, a finished basement will also appeal to future buyers.
Did you know a finished basement can also improve energy efficiency? In many cases, an unfinished basement has insufficient insulation and allows air to escape, while a finished basement has added layers of insulation and drywall to keep the temperature consistent and reduce the energy needed to heat or cool your home.
While the benefits of finishing your basement are clear, choosing a contractor for the job can feel a little daunting. You don’t want to make a hasty decision and end up regretting it later. To make the process a little easier, we’re sharing the top five questions you want to ask when reviewing contractors for your basement project, and why it’s a good idea to get a free quote before you get too far into the planning process.
Question #1: Do They Offer Full-Service Remodeling?
When tackling a big project like finishing a basement, would you rather contact multiple people for each part of the project, or would you rather work with a team of professionals who can do it all seamlessly? You’d opt for the latter, right?
When choosing a contractor for your basement, it’s important to assess exactly what they can do and what they can’t do. This will help you narrow down the companies and people you’ll need to communicate with.
Few people know Home Town Restyling does basement finishing projects. While basement remodels aren’t heavily advertised, our talented team can help you get this project completed to your satisfaction. For nearly 40 years, we’ve provided trusted, friendly, local service with a personal touch. We are dedicated to quality and stand behind our work for life.
Our team will help you decide what features make the most sense for your home. Then we’ll map out each room and all the details for you. We’ll also assess the optimal areas for closets, electrical outlets, wiring, and lighting.
Home Town Restyling can also help with:
- Drywall installation
- Plumbing
- Painting
- Flooring recommendations
If you are considering adding a basement bathroom, we have a team of professionals who can help. No matter the size of the project, we can help you design a basement bathroom that fits your needs and budget.
Our services include:
- Walk-in showers
- Tub/shower combos
- Barrier-free showers
- Bathroom vanity and countertop installation
- Faucets and fixtures
- Bathroom lighting
- Toilet installation
If you dream of adding a wet bar, mancave, or kitchenette to your basement space, we can help with that, too! We can assist with the design and construction of the bar project—no matter how big or small.
We’ll create a quality wet bar by contributing our expertise in:
- Countertops
- Backsplashes
- Cabinetry
- Electrical
Our overall goal when finishing your basement is to help bring your vision to life and transform your space into a new, well-loved hang-out area in your home.
Question #2: Do They Work with Top Brands and Partners?
Not all contractors have the same work ethic. Some contractors will use whatever materials they can get easily without giving the customer much of a choice. When you meet with your contractor, you can ask about the products they use. You’ll find great contractors are enthusiastic about the products they use and would be proud to use them in their own homes.
At Home Town, we only work with the best brands, partners, and quality products we trust. Two of the brands we use frequently for basement finishing projects are Bath Planet products in new bathrooms and StarMark Cabinetry for kitchenettes or wet bars.
Bath Planet is our preferred manufacturer of acrylic bath and shower systems. Our customers love Bath Plant because they offer a low-hassle, affordable solution to revamping existing bathrooms or creating a brand new bathroom. They offer many stylish options when it comes to patterns and colors—plus they offer shower doors and accessories.
Our customers love our Bath Planet products because they are:
- Easy to clean
- Resistant to mold and mildew
- Triple-lock sealed to prevent water from seeping under your new shower
- Backed by a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty
We are also proud to be a StarMark Cabinetry dealer. StarMark uses quality hardwoods to build cabinet boxes, cabinet doors, drawers, and roll trays. They have many different styles and colors available and offer a ton of storage options, which are always a hit with our customers.
Some of the things that set StarMark apart:
- Their craftsmanship will last a lifetime.
- They pay attention to the details, even the ones you can’t see. They add side-to-side runners to inset cabinetry and ensure the cabinets stay square.
- The edges of doors are sprayed twice for a durable, smooth feel.
- They are environmentally responsible.
Question #3: Can They Help You Visualize Your Finished Basement?
Sometimes a bigger project like a basement remodel can feel overwhelming because there are so many decisions that go into the overall process. Working with a team to transform your vision into a plan everyone can follow can be helpful. When you work with contractors who are willing to take the time to understand what you want, it can make the process much easier.
One way we help customers bring their visions to life is by creating a professional, digital rendering of the project. This digital drawing of the rooms allows the customer to get a sense of what the space will look like when it’s done. Customers can also make any changes ahead of time if something isn’t translating like they were imagining. This creates fewer surprises and gives everyone a chance to feel like they’re involved in the project.
We also know there are times when a customer might want to see or touch something in person before making a big decision. That’s why we have a showroom filled with samples and replicas so customers can interact with materials firsthand and determine exactly what they like (and don’t like).
At Home Town, we treat every project as a unique job. We listen to our customers and take great pride in helping them create the space that fits their design style and household needs. When you work with us, you can feel confident you will be involved in all the big decisions and heard throughout the planning process.
Question #4: Is the Work Being Performed by Experts?
When you make a big change to your home, you put a lot of trust into your contractors. When choosing your project team, make sure you perform your due diligence by researching their background and past client experiences. If you don’t, you might end up in a situation where your dream basement project turns into a nightmare.
For the past three decades, Home Town Restyling has served thousands of residential customers throughout Eastern Iowa. Our team is made up of experts with years of professional experience. We strive to put customers first by providing quality work and offering full-service support. When you choose us to work on your home, we treat your project with the same attention to detail as we would if we were doing a job for a relative or close friend. We learn something from every project, and that helps us solve challenges before they become issues.
We are also mindful about who we bring into your home. Whenever we can, we rely on employee labor and our crews are respectable and responsible. Many customers have commented on how friendly and non-intrusive our crews were when working on projects. Some even mentioned our crews went out of their way to not upset pets or that they left their work areas looking better than they found them.
Throughout the process—from planning to project completion—our goal is to be your trusted partner. At Home Town Restyling, we stand behind our work for life. Even after your project is finished, if something isn’t working the way you expected, we want to know so we can make it right.
Question #5: Do They Offer Financing?
Finishing your basement is a big investment, but an investment that will be worth it. When you choose a larger remodeling company, you can often get financing assistance if you need it. This allows you to start your project, even if you don’t have all the money for it upfront.
Home Town Restyling offers a variety of financing options through GreenSky® to make your project more affordable. One of the benefits of financing is that you can pay over time, even after your new basement is completed!
Our current financing options include:
- 60 months, no interest
- 18 months, no payments, and no interest
- 2.99% for 120 months
- 6.99% for 84 months
Get pre-approved from the comfort of your home with no paperwork required. To find out more or to get started, click here.
We hope we’ve given you a list of questions to ask potential contractors for your basement remodel or finishing project. We also hope you’ll consider working with Home Town for your project. Reach out to start the process and get a free quote today!
