Here on our plumbing blog, we often talk about various home improvement projects that you can embark on. As you can likely guess, the scale of these projects can vary significantly as well, in addition to the investment required having a wide range too. Nonetheless, no matter if the project is completed out of necessity or simply something to modernize the space, a home improvement project can certainly be a fun one to tackle!
As a plumbing company serving the Kansas City area, our team has had the opportunity to work on numerous renovation/remodeling projects over the years. Installing freestanding bathtubs, bathroom rough-ins and replacing vanities are just a few of the many possibilities. In this week’s blog post, we’re going to be taking an inside look at a popular home renovation project that can definitely add value to your home (when completed correctly), as you’re essentially creating a new living space. This project that I’m referring to is a basement finish. Granted, finishing your basement will definitely be a more substantial project (compared to simply swapping out a couple plumbing fixtures), there’s no denying that it can have a significant impact. Plumbing will definitely be intertwined throughout, but you’ll also want to remember that several other contractors will be involved as well. Nonetheless, in our blog post this week, we’ll provide some tips for your basement finish project and discuss why plumbing is such an important aspect of this renovation.
Add a Basement Bathroom
Before getting the construction process started, there are two things you’ll want to have established. First and foremost, you’ll need a budget. While this number doesn’t have to be set in stone by any means, it can definitely be helpful when meeting with local contractors. Likewise, it never hurts to have a little flexibility in that number in case any unforeseen expenses arise along the way. The second factor you’ll want to finalize is a layout. This will be something you’ll establish with your contractors (unless you’re completing the work yourself), but it’s nonetheless important to have the vision for the space on paper. As you can likely guess, it’s much easier to make design changes before construction has commenced.
With that all being said, we can now discuss our first basement finishing topic that has a connection to the plumbing world. There are several elements you can incorporate into your basement finish and one that you can’t go wrong with is adding a basement bathroom. It may depend on the square footage available, but you’ll also want to decide what all is included in this bathroom. Do you go with something simple by just having a small bathroom vanity and a toilet? Those are definitely the necessities and I’m going to guess you won’t regret having that as part of the design. If you’re planning on adding a bedroom in the basement and the space allows for it, another possibility would be to make it more of a full bathroom with a shower/bathtub included. All in all, adding a basement bathroom should definitely be something everyone considers for a basement finish project.
Add Elements to the Unfinished Area
While this blog post is largely geared towards those finishing their basement, even a home with a finished basement likely also has an unfinished part of it where you can store holiday decorations and so on! Would you agree with that statement? Well…it’s in this area where you’ll also notice there are some plumbing components right out in the open! What things that are plumbing-related might you plan to have located in the unfinished part of your basement?
For one, you may notice there are some exposed plumbing lines, but for the sake of this blog post, we’ll focus on more specific components. The most notable one is the water heater. We’ve said it many times before here on our blog, but the water heater is definitely one of many plumbing components that homeowners need working on a daily basis. The traditional storage tank water heaters continue to be the most popular style of water heater in residential houses. Considering it can take up a little bit of space, most homeowners would prefer to not have it right out in the open of the living area (if at all possible). That makes the unfinished area the perfect location for it! Keep in mind though that you’ll want to avoid storing anything that may be flammable close to the water heater, as that can be a safety hazard. If you’re looking for something that’ll save space in regards to a water heater, then you may want to consider having a tankless unit installed. These are attached to the wall and offer a number of unique benefits, including a longer expected lifespan of the water heater.
A second item that could find its home in the unfinished part would be a water softener. We’ve talked before about how the Kansas City area has its fair share of hard water. As a result, it’s no surprise why many homeowners opt to invest in a water softener system. In terms of water softeners, there are options that both sit on the floor, as well as those that can be attached to the wall. You’ll just have to weigh the strengths of each and decide which makes the most sense for you! If you have any questions about water softener systems, don’t hesitate to give us a call!
Add a Basement Bar/Kitchenette
For those looking to transform part of their basement into a mancave or even just a spot for hanging out, then incorporating a basement bar or kitchenette makes a lot of sense! Unsurprisingly, if you opt to go this route, plumbing will obviously be involved as you’ll need water and drain lines, in addition to installing the fixtures at the end too (sink, faucet, garbage disposal, etc). Nonetheless, just as we mentioned above with adding a bathroom in the basement, a bar or kitchenette is yet another example of something that you won’t regret adding into your design for the space!
Planning a Basement Finish Project? Call Us for the Plumbing Components!
Do you live in or near the Kansas City area and are thinking about getting started with a basement finish project? There’s no doubt that this is such a fun project to invest in and given that it can essentially create a completely new living area, it’s one that you’ll enjoy for the years to come! Throughout this week’s blog post, we discussed a handful of the areas where plumbing would be involved with this renovation. From the basement bathroom to the bar/kitchenette and even utilizing the unfinished area for other items, plumbing is definitely a necessary component for finishing one’s basement. Once you have a plan in place for all of these necessities, you can start browsing through furniture options and even a big screen TV so you’ll be ready to watch the Chiefs during football season!
As mentioned in the opening section, our team at Stine-Nichols Plumbing has had the opportunity to assist on a number of remodeling/renovation projects over the years. From the initial rough-in stages to the final fixture installation, it’s always cool to see the complete transformation. If you’re ever interested in a free estimate for the plumbing aspect of your basement finish, feel free to give us a call at (816) 348-3481.