10C Help Desk: Finishing a Basement

MayDay10

Anyone do this? Did you get permits and follow code to the letter?

I am ready to really dive into the design phase of my basement. It is a newer home with a lot of adequate space/support/headroom, etc. The problem is an egress window. Mine would not meet the guidelines. I also know once you go down that road, they throw boondoggle at you from all directions and it likely costs all sorts of money and time.

Anyone got recommendations? I am doing this myself, with the exception of electrical work and finishing the drywall.

SPEEDY MCCREADY

MayDay10 wrote:

Anyone do this? Did you get permits and follow code to the letter?

I am ready to really dive into the design phase of my basement. It is a newer home with a lot of adequate space/support/headroom, etc. The problem is an egress window. Mine would not meet the guidelines. I also know once you go down that road, they throw boondoggle at you from all directions and it likely costs all sorts of money and time.

Anyone got recommendations? I am doing this myself, with the exception of electrical work and finishing the drywall.

Fuck the permits...
Just make sure your electrical work is done properly....

If one of your nosey neighbors calls your county or villiage on you....
Then just go out and get a permit....

Whats the guideline on the window?
Whats the problem??

MayDay10

I have 2 normal basement windows... the small sideways rectangle ones at the top.

I think by the book, they need to be 44" or less off the ground, 5.7 square feet, easily opened, and there has to be 3 feet of clearance outside the window, with steps or benching leading to level ground.
So I would have to dig, bust out the wall, pour new concrete/mortor, frame and put in a bigger window, build a huge window well outside, etc. Probably have to hire someone to do a structural assessment after that too.

I think you also need like 4% or 8% window to floor space or light and ventilation.

Then I have this huge window lighting up the basement.

I have never really heard of anyone going through this to finish a basement.

Empty Glass

I did mine with the help of two guys, so from time to time there was a work truck out front. Since it didn't look like I was building the Taj Mahal, I skipped out on the permits. I did however make sure everything was up to code.

Side note to anyone who'll build a home in the future. Have the builder rough out the plumbing in the basement. An extra bathroom is always nice especially when your basement is a bar.

MayDay10

Empty Glass wrote:

I did mine with the help of two guys, so from time to time there was a work truck out front. Since it didn't look like I was building the Taj Mahal, I skipped out on the permits. I did however make sure everything was up to code.

Side note to anyone who'll build a home in the future. Have the builder rough out the plumbing in the basement. An extra bathroom is always nice especially when your basement is a bar.

do you have an egress (other than the stairs)?

covered in bliss

Don't worry about the permit but make sure you do everything by the book. you can always claim ignorance if you get busted.

Our egress doesn't meet those specs but there are other exits from the basement. My sister's house doesn't have ANY exit from the basement and it's scary because my nephew's bedroom is down there. God forbid there is ever a fire!

what kind of basement do you want? A basic mancave or another family room?

If you weren't aware, here's an excellent website for info: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/basements/

Our basement was partially finished by the previous owner's father, we just added a wall with a door to divide the laundry/work area from the tv/pool table/bar area... a drop ceiling, can lights and extra heating/cooling ducts. I installed the ceiling myself, materials were around 500 bucks and it's a pretty large space. There are pics on the website I posted of a black painted ceiling and it looks sharp! we lost some height when installing the dropped tiles.

There was already carpet installed... a berber with green foam pad. I guess you have to get the foam pad when installing carpet on cement. If money were no object, I would rip it all out and install more cement with radiant heat pipes and a boiler or at least the heated matting wires under tile or cement and use area rugs in the tv area.

I would also install a small bathroom if I had the cash.

covered in bliss

---and you want to do everything by-the-book because if/when you go to sell, the inspector will probably notice any shortcuts and you will probably have to pay to have them fixed!

our previous owner didn't enclose the wiring in conduit, just ran romex across the ceiling, which is a no-no here. It could have been a deal breaker but we didn't push it.

MayDay10

thanks for that site. Didnt have that one yet. Still collecting as much info as I can.

Basically, one room is going to be a gym, and the larger area a nice home theater, sports watching, video game, bubble hockey, dry bar kind of area.
If there was a bedroom, I would definitely make sure there was a second escape.

I think I can hit almost every other requirement I have seen.

covered in bliss

MayDay10 wrote:

thanks for that site. Didnt have that one yet. Still collecting as much info as I can.

Basically, one room is going to be a gym, and the larger area a nice home theater, sports watching, video game, bubble hockey, dry bar kind of area.
If there was a bedroom, I would definitely make sure there was a second escape.

I think I can hit almost every other requirement I have seen.

we have a 12x15 room that was used as an office, then a play room and now a home gym. We bought 7/8" thick, 40x40 interlocking foam mats for the room---LOVE IT! http://www.greatmats.com/products/martial-arts-mats-78.php

Empty Glass

MayDay10 wrote:

Empty Glass wrote:

I did mine with the help of two guys, so from time to time there was a work truck out front. Since it didn't look like I was building the Taj Mahal, I skipped out on the permits. I did however make sure everything was up to code.

Side note to anyone who'll build a home in the future. Have the builder rough out the plumbing in the basement. An extra bathroom is always nice especially when your basement is a bar.

do you have an egress (other than the stairs)?

sorry, re-reading your post I see the main question was the egress and not permit/code. I have a walkout.

Good point mentioned above if you sell. Not sure how not having an egress would effect things.

MayDay10

covered in bliss wrote:

MayDay10 wrote:

thanks for that site. Didnt have that one yet. Still collecting as much info as I can.

Basically, one room is going to be a gym, and the larger area a nice home theater, sports watching, video game, bubble hockey, dry bar kind of area.
If there was a bedroom, I would definitely make sure there was a second escape.

I think I can hit almost every other requirement I have seen.

we have a 12x15 room that was used as an office, then a play room and now a home gym. We bought 7/8" thick, 40x40 interlocking foam mats for the room---LOVE IT! http://www.greatmats.com/products/martial-arts-mats-78.php

I was looking at something like that, or maybe a material like a wrestling mat.

mickeyrat

Check your local regs. But I worked installing low voltage wiring. Unless their is a bedroom or room set up to potentially BE a bedroom , no egress needed. From what you described its not needed. But local regs are king here.

As for what you may need/want to think about. I would recommend going with in wall/ceiling for your theater speakers. Just use a nail in elec box to mark them and use a blank plate to cover if you choose to go a different route on a theater system. Also would get some insulation to put behind these boxes to help with sound bleed upstairs.

Could help with resale value having this preinstalled.
Also think about any confugration you can for wiring and install it NOW i.e. computer networking, cable/sat wires.. Its much better than trying fish or retrofit.

MayDay10

I was thinking of recessing the front speakers into the wall, and having the side and back speakers on pivot brackets on the wall. Do you know a good looking drop sealing that will not let as much sound through?

I am going to look into the egress rules. I just worry if I contact the town building department itll open a can of worms.

mickeyrat

MayDay10 wrote:

I was thinking of recessing the front speakers into the wall, and having the side and back speakers on pivot brackets on the wall. Do you know a good looking drop sealing that will not let as much sound through?

I am going to look into the egress rules. I just worry if I contact the town building department itll open a can of worms.

no I dont, but I would think theres too much space for sound to bounce around in with that type ceiling. BUT , you can still use insulation throughout to deaden the sound going upstairs in addition to using a piece directly over/around your speakers too. At least in the theater part.

Using surface mount, estimate where yo will place your seating in relation to the TV/Screen. Pull the wires approx 3-5 ft BEHIND your seating for the rears.Ideally your rears will be pointed toward the screen from behind the seating. Doesnt HAVE to be that way though.

Look at an actual movie theater for placement ideas.

brianlux

SPEEDY MCCREADY wrote:

MayDay10 wrote:

Anyone do this? Did you get permits and follow code to the letter?

I am ready to really dive into the design phase of my basement. It is a newer home with a lot of adequate space/support/headroom, etc. The problem is an egress window. Mine would not meet the guidelines. I also know once you go down that road, they throw boondoggle at you from all directions and it likely costs all sorts of money and time.

Anyone got recommendations? I am doing this myself, with the exception of electrical work and finishing the drywall.

Fuck the permits...
Just make sure your electrical work is done properly....

If one of your nosey neighbors calls your county or villiage on you....
Then just go out and get a permit....

Whats the guideline on the window?
Whats the problem??

In the county in which I live it's the "just go out and get a permit" part that will get you because they are very expensive here. I'd look into this further. I've heard of people around here who ran into huge financial trouble because they weren't well informed. You might do well to call your county offices and ask some pertinent questions about permits in your area.

MayDay10

I decided to go without permits.

I know what the general code is and I am going to conform to it. I am not building the egress as that would blow the budget (got about 11K to spend, egress and permits would push it over $16k probably and increased taxes)... however, in my design I am going to make it 'easily' upgradeable to include the egress... so maybe I can add it in the future and get it permitted.