Signs your basement needs more than a facelift.

Mistakes to Avoid When Remodelling Your Basement

Finding Experts That Will Soundproof Your Basement

Get the Most out of Your Garage Space

Preparing for your Basement Development

You’ve decided to finish your basement. Now what? There are a few things to consider before calling Alliance Renovations to come and build the basement of your dreams.

1. Plan Ahead.

 The first thing to consider is what you want your finished basement to be used for. Basement development companies can transform your space into whatever you have in mind but it helps to have a plan. You may need to consider things like the height of the ceiling, whether or not you plan to add in a downstairs bathroom, and the type of lighting you need or want. Basement development Calgary specialists can help you make some of these important decisions when they know what you want the finished product to look like.

2. Footloose and Flood Free.

One of the biggest obstacles for basements is the potential for flooding. The last thing you want is a newly finished basement to be ruined by preventable water damage. Cracks in the foundation of your home are one thing to look out for as well as making sure your in-home plumbing is secure and up to standard. Take the time to properly inspect all possible cracks and leaks. You may not even have to go inside to look for potential flooding hazards. If there are often pools of water along the sides of your house when it rains, it may be an issue of landscaping or resituating drain pipes. Basement development companies will know what to look for when they come to perform a quote but it never hurts to be prepared ahead of time.

3. Electric Outlets.

Making sure you have enough electrical outlets mostly depends on what your plan is. Home entertainment systems, basement offices and crafting rooms will likely require more than the average number of outlets. You may also want to consider how many things you plan to plug in where. You don’t want to blow a breaker every time you’re watching a Blu-ray disc on the big screen T.V. with surround sound and the theatre style popcorn maker running in the background. On the other hand, billiards rooms, storage spaces, and kids play areas may not require any additional outlets. When you call Alliance Renovations to come finish your basement, make sure you let them know what your electrical outlet needs are and how they can be met efficiently and effectively.

4. Permit Planning.

Basement renovations and developments require the proper documentation and permit based on the zoning laws in your city and the extent of your renovations. Acquiring the proper permit is especially important if you plan to turn your basement into a suite for renting. Knowing which permits you need can be stressful and confusing so it may be useful to look into basement renovation companies that take care of the permit for you. Companies like Alliance Renovations include the cost of the permit in their initial quote so there aren’t any surprises or extra hidden fees to worry about.

3. Financial Preparedness.

Basement development can be overwhelming, time consuming and expensive. Depending on the basement development company that you choose, you may find that finishing your basement is a project you’ll have to put on hold. Thankfully, Alliance Renovations – a Calgary based basement renovation company has a number of options to make sure your basement development project remains affordable and cost effective. When renovating or finishing your basement, look for basement development companies that offer sales, promotions, or financing options so that your dream basement is never out of reach.

Ready for to make your basement renovation a reality, then get ready for your basement renovation and contact Alliance for a free consultation. We also have monthly promotions so make sure to check those out as well.

Also thinking about a new Garage build? Check out our recent projects and get more information on our garage builders page.

The post Preparing for your Basement Development appeared first on Alliance Calgary.

5 Water Deals You Want to Seal Before Beginning a Basement Renovation in Calgary

Before you take on the task a basement renovation in Calgary to transform your cold concrete box in to a social hub or a fortress of solitude there are a few steps you are going to want to take to avoid undoing all your hard work further down the line. Nothing throws cold water on to a fine basement renovation project like…well…cold water.

Codes: Not Just for Spies

Building codes exist for a reason, that reason being to keep yourself and those around you safe. Before you pick up a hammer or pick in to the earth check with the municipal offices to see what permits you might require. We all know from childhood public service announcements to watch out for wires but plumbing work will frequently require an inspection. Poorly installed plumbing can quickly rot a house from the inside out. Calgary building inspectors know what to look for when checking that everything is up to code. This keeps the house safe but also protects shared municipal infrastructure from stress and damage. A Calgary basement renovation should never proceed before taking these steps.

Calgary’s Seasonal Drips Can Damn your Basement Renovation

Horror movies have more than their fair share of damp basements, and that is hardly a coincidence. No one like a dank space with its own precipitation. Nothing condemns a basement faster than moisture so look for any signs of potential water issues before  starting basement renovations. Calgary Chinooks might have a dry climate, but when it rains it pours and homeowners want to keep that water outside where it belongs. You don’t need a flood to saturate the matrix of a basement, even heavy seasonal thaws can allow water to seep into the walls and floor. Look for puddles of water on the floor and drips from walls and supports below the natural drainage grade.  

Well, Well, Well

Wells are half-circular or rectangular shields that attach to the side of the house around windows, holding the weight of the earth and blocking debris and moisture from the gravitational flow to a basement window. If you want/have basement windows, wells are a must. Basement windows tend to get a real beating from water dripping off of roofs and from ground-flow rain/debris, so they deteriorate quickly. To protect basement windows, wells should include transparent covers which offer physical protection and a barrier to keep heat/cold in the room.

Foundational Knowledge

Foundations need to be protected as everything is build upon them. Check outside to make sure the surrounding area is graded away from your foundation to keep water flow from eroding and cracking it in the future. Repair any cracks found in your foundations walls and look for any unusual conditions that could have caused the damage beyond normal wear and tear. 

Vapour is a “Very Poor” Addition to Any Basement Renovation

If your foundation is crack-free, your wells are well constructed, there is no symphony of dripping pools, and your Calgary basement renovation codes check out with your plans your basement can still become a damp concrete cave. Add a vapour barrier to the walls and floors before doing any finishing work. To test for current moisture conditions seal 2-foot squares of plastic sheeting to the floor and walls. Wait a couple of weeks. If condensation forms underneath, the foundation’s not sealed. If droplets form on top, the basement needs dehumidifying.

If you are ready to start your Basement Renovation or have are looking for more basement renovation ideas, contact Alliance Renovations for a free consultation at (403) 228-2000 or on fill in our contact us form.

Also thinking about a Home renovation or Garage Build? Check out some of our Home Renovation projects and our Garage Build work. 

The post 5 Water Deals You Want to Seal Before Beginning a Basement Renovation in Calgary appeared first on Alliance Calgary.

Basement Renovation Ideas- Making The Most Out Of Your Basement

So you have finally decided to tackle your basement renovation. While a Calgary basement renovations company will have some ideas about what is or is not feasible, the design of your new basement should be dictated by its primary purpose in your life. Here are some basement renovation ideas to make the most of your space.

1. Games Room:

Are you a 12th level halfling healer, or a crack shot on the post apocalyptic wasteland of a distant planet? Maybe you’re the person who hoards all the ore making it impossible for anyone to expand their territory, whatever your gaming taste there is no doubt that the living room or kitchen table are sufficient, but hardly ideal. Whether you’re knocking over your grandmother’s heirloom figurines with your wild mario kart reenactments elbowings or losing dice to the dark void under the refrigerator it is pretty obvious that these spaces are designed for other activities. 

Talk to a basement renovation specialist and that can make a space that is actually designed to accommodate your entertainment evenings. Surround sound and dimmer switches wired in to pot lighting will certainly make the explosions of a nearby grenades a significantly more immersive experience, upping your awareness much to your teammates delight (and your enemies chagrin.) If you’re more of a traditionalist with tabletop games talk to your basement reno could include shelving options for all your cards, boards, chips, tiles, boxes, and dice. Never suffer the glaring irritation of buttons or paperclips mismatching the aesthetics of your tabletop world.

If this all seems like childsplay because what are games without proper stakes? You could renovate you concrete box in to an elegant billiards room or prohibition era high-rollers haven. A built-in bar, custom displays, and practical storage options will make your tiny piece of monte carlos worthy of a visit from 007 himself. A Basement Renovation specialist can build you a space with nothing to interfere with your hustler style trick-shots and carefully placed reflective surfaces to avoid revealing your hand to unscrupulous opponents.

Whatever your taste in gameplay may be Alliance Renovations will have exactly what you need to let the games begin.

2. Performance Space:

Whether you’re a professional with theatre Calgary, or an ameture belting it out to a karaoke track there is no doubt that performance space is hard to come by. It can be pricey, inflexible, and needs to be booked unreasonably far in advance. Poetry slams in cafes and bars might have worked in the Belle Epoque but nowadays they are likely to be overrun with drunken frat boys or chatty instagram socialites there for the free wifi, not exactly the audience you are looking for. Every artist needs to hone their craft and a neighbour pounding on the wall is hardly a helpful form of critique.

Why not contact a Calgary basement renovations company to make full use of the open floorplan and sound-dampening qualities of your unfinished basement. Build a black box performance space with soundproofing insulation, electric outlets to accommodate your lighting needs and flexible stage and seating options that can be manipulated to suit every performance. Master your blocking, sharpen your choreography, or perfect the pauses for your next audition monologue. 

3. Fitness Studio:

Let’s face it, we all need to exercise but going to the gym can be expensive, time-consuming, uncomfortable, and overall too inconvenient to stay motivated. Another basement renovation idea that might hold the key to your sustained fitness efforts, a Fitness Studio! Working with a Basement renovation contractor can build you a space that is appealing enough you’ll look forward to coming home and burning off the frustrations of the day. Divide your open floor plan to accommodate weights stations, install all the right flooring for a corner dojo or zumba dance floor, and leave all the room you need to condition your core strength and flexibility with some pilates and yoga. Workout without worrying about unwanted amorous advances, or uncomfortable judgement from the local gym bunnies and muscle-heads. Alliance Basement Renovations team  can transform your bare basement in to a fitness space that will improve your everyday quality of life

4. Crash Room:

But maybe a corner dojo isn’t quite enough, do you or your family practise martial arts? Or maybe you just have particularly energetic kids who like to wrestle and crash into each other at every opportunity. It’s all well and good to tell them to play outside but Calgary’s weather can make that an uncomfortable and/or messy proposition. When it’s raining in the summer or slushing the rest of the year outside might not be the best place to roll around unless mud tracks add to your personal decor. Instead consult aCalgary basement renovation specialist and turn your empty basement space in to a padded crashroom. Basement Renovators can advise how to properly install the hooks and supports to pad a room useful for everything from practicing slapshots, to mastering a tumble routine. Best of all? Your breakables are safe from the colliding energies of your ameture WWE fighters.

5. Beauty Salon:

If you’re somewhat more meticulous with your appearance you have probably noticed how quickly one can run out of  bathroom space. Between palettes, bushes, bottles, and tools there is barely space for the sink, and unless your bathroom was designed by a makeup artist the light is likely tinted or shadowed in ways that could not be more different from the natural light of day. Bring in a renovation company and they can set up your space to let you look your best. Install a walk-in closet so you can keep your quality clothing in pristine condition avoiding unseemly wrinkles and folds from extended time in cramped spaces. Next build custom storage options suitable for all the palettes and pots that hold the high quality pigments you use to create your makeup masterpieces every morning. No more losing your favourite lipstick to the bottom of a bag only to find it after it has expired. Finally install the proper lighting and outlets around the mirrors and vanities you have always wanted wanted. Your heating tools will never need to be tangled again when you have them neatly stored, ready for your latest styling inspirations. Alliance Renovations will know exactly how to build a space to showcase your most stylish self to the world.

If you are ready to start your Basement Renovation or have are looking for more basement renovation ideas, contact Alliance Renovations for a free consultation at (403) 228-2000 or on fill in our contact us form.

Also thinking about a Home renovation or Garage Build? Check out some of our Home Renovation projects and our Garage Build work. 

The post Basement Renovation Ideas- Making The Most Out Of Your Basement appeared first on Alliance Calgary.