We are just about done our basement - Just over 700sqft - 1 bed, 1 bath, large L-shaped living room/play area. Was our first home after our condo - Spec house, nothing fancy & no intention of staying past our daughter finishing elementary school. Sell & spend money on forever home down the road was always the plan.
We did it on the cheap:
- Builder did framing - Layout of stairs/furnace room meant they had to throw up only 2 extra walls, so they did that and included in price.
- Paid for electrician but ran most wire myself.
- Drywall all hung ourselves. Paid for a contractor to mud/tape & build the window trims.
- Just did Home Depot vinyl planks & tile (thicker ones with underlay built in at least).
- Pre-formed shower unit & Costco stand alone sink/cabinet combo.
Total cost ~$15k. Most done pre-pandemic ludicrous prices.
If I could do it again I would:
- Insulate the celling for sound/warmth.
- Heat at least the bathroom floor.
- Hire someone to do the stairs or do everything in thick carpet. We wanted vinyl plank cause it's easy to clean, cheaper and no worries about the kids destroying it like carpet. But it's cold on my tootsies & the stairs were a huge PITA.
- Lastly, it's the little stuff & finish work that's killing me - It takes forever & I can tell it's not professional and I hate it.