How to Build a Basement Bathroom - What to Know Before You Start

One topic that gets a lot of attention is how to build a basement bathroom. Many people find themselves wondering if finishing their basement will add value to their homes and improve their living space. Overall, the answer is yes. A home with a finished basement, including a basement bathroom, adds a lot of livable square footage without an enormous cost. If you've got a basement and you'd like to make it some place that's worth living, you'll be happy to know that finishing it and adding a bathroom can be surprisingly simple and inexpensive. You just have to know what to do and you have to have a good plan.

What's the difference between a finished basement and a remodeled basement? Finished basements change a bare area into a carefully constructed living space, often with separate room and all the amenities you'd expect in the upper parts of a house. A basement remodeling is usually a much larger project that requires more effort and money. Many older finished basements, done with low quality materials or those that are just plain wrong, can turn into remodeling projects. You need to know in advance what you're doing and what methods you're going to use. Knowing how to build a basement bathroom properly in advance is one key to keeping yourself from having to remodel it again later.

This means keeping organic materials out of your basement bathroom and basement finishing projects. Many non organic materials are also susceptible - avoid ordinary wall board in favor of moisture resistant board, for instance. You'll be willing to deal with the extra expense when you realize that using a moisture resistant board in your new basement bathroom and in the rest of the basement will keep you from having to deal with mildew and mold. After all, you only want to build your basement bathroom once!

If you're not sure how to build a basement bathroom, or you know how to do some of the work but not all of it, stop. That doesn't mean you can't get into your dream finishing project. It does mean that you should enlist the help of a professional to get through the parts of your project that you don't know how to deal with. Making it up as you go is a surefire way to end up with a basement that needs work down the road!

You'll need to make sure that your basement bathroom has the right plumbing and wiring, good flooring that won't warp or delaminate, wall materials and paint that will resist damp and mildew, and fixtures that are suitable for use in a basement. Make sure that your bathroom is well lit and well ventilated, too. You'll be happier if you build a room that's pleasant to use as well as practical, and basement rooms can often seem cave like. Good design can help counteract this tendency. If you learn how to build a basement bathroom before you get started, you'll have a much better chance of a successful finishing project.

Thomas Johnsen is the Author and Leading Expert on how to Build Basement Bathrooms and the creator of the publication Building Basement Bathroom 101. Visit the site now to find the easy-to-understand step-by-step guides on basement bathroom construction available online today.

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