The quickest way to gain more usable square footage in your home is to finish the basement. The lower level is also where you can create spaces you’ve always longed for like an exercise room, home theater or wine cellar.

Because it’s ripe with so many possibilities, finishing a basement is one of the most popular Do-It-Yourself remodeling projects. But this type of project can also set many traps for missteps and future disasters if the job is not done properly. Here are some important points to consider before finishing a basement:

Building Permit

To assure that the work is done to proper safety codes and that you can recoup some of the cost when re-selling, follow all the building permit codes of your community. Learn more about the importance of building permits.

Water Management

Is your basement dry? Any water leaks, mold, mildew or humidity issues need to be identified and repaired or managed before applying any new surface. Simply covering a damp concrete wall with drywall does not make the problem disappear; it only creates additional problems in the future like structural damage, mold and rot.

Basement Stairs

A finished basement is used more often, which means the stairs need special attention. Construction-grade or “rough finished” stairs often need to be completely rebuilt  for correct riser height for finished tread material.

Safety Concerns

If there is no dedicated entry to the basement, you will be required to install an egress window or door. Egresses are for emergency situations so you can escape and firemen can get in.  Learn more about egress windows.

New stairs and wall framing require fireblocking – which prevents movement of flame, smoke and gases through concealed vertical spaces – and draftstopping which does the same for horizontal spaces. Your communities’ building codes and remodeling professionals know the proper materials to use to keep your family safe.

Electricity

A basement remodel usually adds new features that require power, which means additional circuits need to be added to your electrical panel. You need a survey of new power needs and panel updates performed by a certified electrician.

HVAC

Proper and comfortable climate control in your finished basement might require an upgrade to the HVAC system. If you have an older system, this is the best time to upgrade to an energy efficient system for the entire house. But it is wise to tackle all HVAC upgrades before beginning construction work on the basement so you will have proper access to the furnace and air filters.

Utility Access

Your new walls and ceilings must provide easy access to water shut-off valves and plumbing stacks, electric junction boxes and gas lines. These utility items can be relocated at great expense, or simply include access panels and suspended ceilings in the new basement design.

Insulation

To increase comfort and energy efficiency, insulation and vapor retardation is a must. It is also a vast topic with many important details. For a quick primer on vapor retardation do’s and don’ts, click here. For pro tips on properly insulating a basement, click here.

Ceiling Height

Drywall or drop ceilings are common in a basement remodel, and a general rule of thumb is having a minimum of 7 feet from floor to ceiling. Each municipality has different requirements – as well as height exceptions for existing features like duct work and support beams – which will be thoroughly covered when applying for the building permit.

Flooring

Even in the driest basement, it is not recommended to use carpeting, hardwood or laminate flooring. Installation on concrete and variations in humidity can cause problems with these surfaces. Because of its resistance to moisture, tile of every kind is the preferred basement flooring material. Or consider painting the concrete the color your choice. Throw rugs can be used throughout the spaces for additional warmth and comfort.

All of the above is the short list of important details that go into the planning, design and building of a finished basement. Overlooking any of these steps is why so many do-it-yourself basement remodels eventually fail or – even worse – have to be ripped out come time to sell the home.  It may seem that doing it yourself will save money, but doing it right (and safely) the first time with professional designers and builders always saves money in the long run.

The certified designers and skilled craftsmen at Mosby Building Arts have deep experience in creating finished basements built to code that enhance your lifestyle. View a portfolio of Mosby’s finished basement projects, and when you’re ready to maximize your living space with a finished lower level, call Mosby at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Creating a beautiful and comfortable home requires a lot of thought, research, acquisition, and work to get it right.  The wall color compliments the flooring, colorful accents delight the eye, window treatments control the light, furniture is placed just so… which leaves no room for a neon beer sign collection or the stuffed and mounted head of a 4-point buck!

To be honest, the overall look and comfort of a home tends to be the opposite of the creature comforts that soothe a man’s heart. This may explain why the garage has been the classic hideout for the man of the house, where he carved out a spot for a TV, a radio, maybe a small refrigerator and any old chair would do.

Today’s modern man has exercised his prerogative for an indoor Man Cave, a piece of the home specially reserved for uniquely male activities. The term has entered into standard American language, has its own dedicated website, and men all over the nation and in the Metro St. Louis area are eyeing up unused spaces in their home for its potential as a private retreat or playroom.

High on the Man Cave wish list is a home movie theater, a place to escape to (or invite everyone in) with ultra comfortable seating, surround sound, and an opportunity to hang up old movie posters long ago stashed in the attic.

Other times, a man’s private time is about physical fitness, with everything they need to exercise in the comfort of their home. A home gym is the perfect opportunity to customize with a flat screen TV, surround-sound stereo, personalized exercise equipment and souvenirs of an active life.

Remodeling the basement into an adult game room can go upscale like an Old World casino, with a poker table, billiards, shuffle board and full wet bar.

Or it can be more down to earth like this finished basement Man Cave done up in red as an homage to the St. Louis Cardinals, including red felt on the pool table, big screen TV, baseball memorabilia, and two seats from the old Busch stadium.

And a wine cellar is a literal interpretation of a cave, and one that provides the libations that lets a man relax at the end of a day. They can be designed to include a table and chairs, a humidor, wet bar and audio system.

A Man Cave is a highly personal place, accommodating the special interests and needs of its main inhabitant. Mosby Building Arts has designed and built special spaces for men who are recording artists, world travelers and classic car collectors. When you (or your man) have a hankering for private clubhouse within the home, work with Mosby architects and designers to develop the ultimate Man Cave by calling the office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Lots of stuff requires a place to put it. This is why storage is a top-of-mind need in just about every household of every size.

With a little creative direction, there are many ways to increase storage space. Adding shelving systems, installing more cabinets and buying armoires or antique chifferobes are typical options. Along with these common solutions, let’s consider what other options might maximize storage potential.

Storage Under the Stairs

Put all that square footage under a set of stairs to use as a closet.  Just as important as the space to store belonging is ease of access. In the example above, Mosby designers created a unique set of folding doors that expose the entire contents under the basement stairs.

Wall of Bookcases

Floor-to-ceiling bookcases across an entire wall is the dream of many book lovers, as well as a smart way to get maximum storage while using up minimal living space.  In the example shown above, the desire for more book space was answered by Mosby designers with built-in bookcases lining three walls of a home office, customized shelving heights and cabinet doors to match the homeowners needs.

Customized Closet

A Christmas tree collection brings about very special storage needs for such large objects.  As part of a basement remodel, Mosby Building Arts planners configured space within an exercise room purposely designed to house trees.  Behind a pair of sliding doors is a spacious Tree Closet!
See more of the home with these 3 clever storage ideas.

Add Space in the Walls

Take advantage of the space between wall studs by adding recessed cabinets or niches.  For the master bathroom shown above, Mosby inserted a lighted niche with glass shelves into the marble wall, creating a stylish and useful space that keeps the clean lines intact.
See more photos of this master bathroom project.

Built-In Bench Seating

Built-in seating provides a place to sit without taking up valuable floor space, and it doubles as a wonderful place to store things out of sight.  With the family room addition shown above, there’s bench seating with storage on both sides of the fireplace. To the right are pull-out drawers, and to the left is a clever way to disguise a pop-up TV screen (as seen in the photo inset).
See more photos of this family room addition.

There are so many clever and useful ways to create more storage in every home, and we invite you to work with the space planning designers at Mosby Building Arts to explore the best organization solutions. Call the office at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.

Our basements are a wonderland of possibilities, with all that space waiting to take care of our basic needs – like storage! – or our fondest dreams . . . an arts and crafts studio, media room, home theatre or man cave. It can do both, and this is why finished basements are one of the most popular remodeling projects.

Expanding your living space is what finishing a basement is all about. For instance, a one-story home can become a 2-story home by turning your basement into a lower level used by the entire family. The deep bench of professionals at Mosby Building Arts work with homeowners to create the new spaces they’ve always wanted within the square footage they already have.

One of our favorite basement remodeling projects was the transformation of a typical unfinished basement into a multi-faceted entertainment destination created for the whole family to use.

A game room provides plenty of space for a poker table, pool table, fooz ball and a shuffle board.

Adding a full service wet bar with mini-refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave and sink is an added benefit to the pleasure and convenience of fun and entertainment. The main public area of the finished basement is combined with more private realms that can be used simultaneously.

A fully-equipped exercise room has a complete wall of windows to allow those working out to see the action outside the room while privately pursuing fitness. The rubber tile floor in the gym is padded to protect against high impact. This workout room leads into a full bathroom with a walk-in steam shower.

A hallway doubles as an art gallery which leads to two more specialty areas…

The theater features luxurious, reclining leather seats on two levels, a marble-faced fireplace and a wrap-around sound system. The room is soundproofed so that one group can take in a movie on the big screen while other activities continue around them.

Next door to the home theater is the family’s wine cellar. Red wood wine racks, cabinets and ceiling are accented by slate tile flooring and natural stone walls. Also included in this finished basement project is a large guest bedroom, which usually gets used by one of the sons who spends most of his time in this entertainment wonderland.

See more photos of this remodeled lower level.

Think about the possibilities for your basement. Is there a Man Cave that is in your future? A special domain for the man of the house, or the place to display special collections?

The Mosby Team guided this Chesterfield family in turning their basement into a St. Louis Cardinals playground, with the drapes, furniture and pool table felt all decked out in Cardinal red.

We even found a way to incorporate the old Busch stadium chairs the owner purchased when the stadium was replaced (above left) as well as a special built-in cabinet for his chess collection (above right, background).

See more photos of this project.

Create the spaces you always dreamed about and enhance the living space and beauty by remodeling your basement.

Keep in mind there are several reasons for a professional to finish your basement. Moisture can be trapped behind walls in finished spaces and can create serious health issues as well as deteriorate the existing structure. The first step we take is to evaluate the basement and find the root cause of any moisture issues. Common mistakes too often can be made, like using plastic or kraft paper to create a vapor barrier along the wall. Air circulation is important for keeping a space underground dry and proper installation is key to years of enjoyment.

To get the finished basement you’ve always dreamed of, and to make it one that’s healthy and built to last a lifetime, call on Mosby Building Arts. See examples of other finished basements we’ve done and then work with our team of designers and skilled craftsmen to create your perfect lower level. Call us at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.

A Creve Coeur client had us transform half of their condo basement into 2 bedrooms and a full bath. The finished project is real handsome, especially the bathroom, which is all blue and white and smart.

And one of the bedrooms has a special, retro surprise…

The Murphy Bed (invented by William L. Murphy) came to life in 1916 as a space-saving device for people living in tiny, post-World War 1 apartments. Even if we’ve never experienced one in person, we’re familiar with them from countless movies and cartoons.

As the square footage of American homes began increasing after World War 2, beds that hid in the wall were no longer required as a solution. In 1989, Murphy Bed was legally declared a generic term to describe any bed that folds into a wall. And in 2006, the concept once again became the perfect solution for a lower level office that can do double-duty as a guest bedroom.

Taking these photos was the first time I’d ever encountered an actual fold-away bed. It was both a nostalgic experience and an ingenious way to allow a new room to multi-task in style. It is also very easy to open and close. Everything old is new again, and Mosby extends a big hearty “welcome back” to the Murphy bed!