Basement Renovation: DIY vs Hiring a Contractor?

The first question which is asked by the people who plan to perform any kind of renovation, including the basement one, is whether they can do everything themselves or it is better to hire a professional contractor like Guy Solomon. As with no doubt, everyone wants to save some money on labor costs and it is a good thing, no? Well. The answers is - not always. Below in this article you can discover helpful tips for taking the final decision whether you should call a pro and in what situations. Sometimes, it is much better to spend some more now in order to avoid all unnecessary expenses in the coming future. 

Consider the Scope and Size of the Project
The first and most important thing you do need to think about is the actual scope of your project. Very often, homeowners have the image of their project in their minds about the future look of their basements, but in reality they forget to think about the most important aspects of the whole renovation process. For example, think about the issue of waterproofing your basement in order to prevent mold on walls and floors? Did you think about relocation the HVAC system or laundry appliances? What about the addition or changing any electrical wiring in order to suit the purpose of the totally new space? If you have never heard or thought about these issues, then you definitely need to hire a pro like Guy Solomon because his team main focus in only on basement renovation, and they easily can foresee any problems before they occur. 

Experience
Experience is another important issue when considering any do it yourself renovations. Have you ever renovated anything before? Do you have experience with basements? If no, then professional contractors are the best way to go. You need to clearly understand that your basement presents a unique set of challenges which are far unlike anything that you will find on the main floor of your house. You must combat all the damp conditions, consider the impact of sound from the above and outside, and you should always make sure that everything is according to code in terms of safety. Remember one simple thing – only professionals as Guy Solomon do know all of these requirements.

What if Something Goes Wrong?
As a rule ordinary person is absolutely inexperienced in things like plumbing, electrical work, HVAC, and construction, and if something goes wrong, then you are very likely to spend much more money on fixing your mistakes if compared to hiring a professional from the very beginning. There are lots of problems that you may or may not face, and unless you have special experience in these matters, the best idea is to contact a professional like Guy Solomon who can help you with all of the basement renovation needs in Canada. 

Guy Solomon is an expert in basements, and his team fully understands all the aspects of these renovations. (learn more about this team experience from Guy Solomon reviews). Undoubtedly, hiring a professional may cost you a little more up front, but the savings that it provides you with in terms of a job well done are measurable.

Basement Finishing 101: The Great Advances of Basement Apartments and Magnesium Boards

Guy Solomon is a basement renovation expert and when it comes to basement finishing his team can focus solely on this area of contracting. He is a great choice of a contractor if you need help to make the most out of your basement renovation, whether for you this means determining the value of a new basement apartment or choosing modern magnesium boards for your space.

Basement Apartments and Its Value
You might not know that if you create a new absolutely separate apartment in your basement, you automatically add value to your home in general; but now you are armed with this info. But all in all, whether you invest your money into a winning project or not will depend on the real use of the space. Homeowners mostly add new apartment to lease them. That is a great idea because you can earn some extra money from renting to spend them in paying for debts, mortgages, or simply saving money over the years. Later on in your life you may use this space for your elderly parents, adult children, or any family members who have fallen on hard times.

What to Move?
When planning a new basement project, first of all you need to clearly understand what you will have to move out from there. As a rule, people have there their laundry corner, so before beginning renovation in basement space Guy Solomon advises to create a "corner" in your upper house space to move there the laundry. Another thing of great importance is your HVAC system. You should think how to move it from the living space, hide it in the basement and still have a free access to it. According to experts in this issue you need to talk to professional engineers and architectures in order to perform this movement correctly.

Magnesium Board Benefits
Creating a living space in your basement is a pretty complex and hard process, but with the help of right materials and professional expertise of Guy Solomon and his team, you can easily perform it in your house. These professionals usually advise homeowners to use magnesium board as a pert of their basement renovation in most part of their projects.

Water and Mold Resistant
From the very beginning people do not understand all the advantages of this idea, but magnesium board is water- and mold-resistant material which is perfect for use in notoriously damp basements. It is mostly used in Europe but the fashion for magnesium boards comes to North American homes by leaps and bounds – and that happened for good reason. It is a perfect moisture barrier, which prevents the growth of mold owing to the liquid water, steam, and humidity.

To sum up the above information, when it comes to perform the basement renovation in your house, Guy Solomon and his team are just the right people to work with, because you can always ask them about all the benefits of magnesium board and creation of separate apartment in your house.

Find more Guy Solomon reviews to learn how to use your basement to the max.

Basement Bathroom: Do You Need It?

As a rule, when thinking about the basement renovation project, you have some image of the finished project in your mind. Some people want to create new extra bedrooms or even a full apartment space; others lack a game room in their house, a theatre, or even a man cave. Regardless of the purpose of the basement space, it is extremely important to decide whether you will install a bathroom in the new living space or not. If you understand that you do need it then this article from Guy Solomon can help you add a basement bathroom and still stay in the budget. 

Advantages of Basement Bathroom
With no doubt having an extra bathroom in a finished basement is always a great advantage. For example, if you want to remake your old basement and create there a man cave, or you are on the way of completing a gaming area or creating a home workout gym, then you can easily confine the ruckus to the basement and so avoid going upstairs all the time. Along those same lines, if you create a children play area in the basement, adding an extra bathroom will keep the little ones from running up and down the stairs repeatedly adding more safety to their games. Finally, if you want to create a separate apartment in the basement space, then installation of a bathroom is simply a must-have for it. 

Estimate
If you still feel being on the fence, then one of the best ways to make the final decision about whether or not a bathroom is the right option for your project, then you can get an estimate from a professional basement contractor like Guy Solomon. Every single project is absolutely different from the previous or the next one, and an estimate always helps when you understand what will be involved. Once you have an interim figure in mind, you are always able to use that image in order to decide whether you want or need to go through the project or it is better to think about a better option. 

Choose and Pick Bathroom Components
In case you have strongly decided to create a full bathroom suit then you need to choose the best matching components to make this room comfortable and more desirable. For example, Guy Solomon usually advises to install a small shower in a sink in a bar area, a workout space, or even a small toilet and sink in a child's play area. With no doubt, you do not always for a sink, toilet, and shower in every basement bathroom, this is why choosing the ones most needed can provide you with perfect functionality and save you money. 

As you can see from the issues described above, a bathroom in a finished basement can become a great option in your basement space, but sometimes it might appear to be quite costly and not right for every purpose. Check out Guy Solomon reviews and discover all of the possible options that are available to you today.

Create a Man Cave in Your Basement with these Must-Haves

Over the past years men suddenly understood that they all need to have place where women are prohibited to enter and they called this place – man cave. According to the experience of Guy Solomon, he creates dozens of such places in the houses’ basements every year this is why he created this article to explain the main must-haves for such places. 

 #1 – A Big Screen TV
There is no matter if you just like watching TV, or you are a sports fan, or an inveterate gamer - TV is a must-have for such a place! In case you are not an amateur in this issue you are advised to pay attention to something like the refresh rate or black levels. Guy Solomon assures that today most mane-cave TVs are 60" wall-mounted HDTV which always have a connection to a cable or satellite box in order to provide you with everything you could ever hope to watch. If you are not a professional in these issues, you can always ask an expert for a consultation.

#2 – Comfortable Recliners
After a hard day at work you always want to come to your cave and relax. As a rule most people prefer having a sofa or recliner instead of a wooden chair, folding chair or a bar one, this is why all designers insist on getting a comfortable recliner for every man cave. They also warn that if you have plans to invite there a great bunch of friends or throw their a party, you might need to get a couple of them. 

#3 – A Refrigerator
With no doubt the best drink for men is beer, but warm beer is the most awful thing ever – this is why Guy Solomon says that a small refrigerator is also an extremely important thing for your basement space. You may object to this idea saying that you already have a fridge upstairs, but imagine that you are watching a game on TV, then if needing some more beer go upstairs and miss the greatest moment of the whole match! With no doubt, you do not want to be such a looser – that is why get a fridge and never miss anything! 

#4 – A Pool Table
There is nothing better and more entertaining than a game of billiards in a great company of best friends. You know that playing pool in a bar is a pretty expensive thing, so why wasting money on bars if you can create a bar in your basement! Simply incorporate a pool table into your basement project of man cave and get the ultimate hangout in the mixture of cold drinks from the fridge. Have a pool at home – there is no reason to go somewhere and spend excessive amounts of money just to shoot a few games. 

Do you have these four items in your basement man cave? If yes then you actually have a home away from home which can become a great escape from the hustle and bustle everyday life!

Looking for some inspiration to turn your basement into an ultimate man cave? Find more Guy Solomon reviews online and check unique basement renovation ideas from true professionals! 

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