Basement 1   Basement 2   Basement 3

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 
about finishing your basement

DO YOU USE ANY SUBCONTRACTORS?

Tom does the entire construction of the basement. The only subcontractors used are for electrical and plumbing. Our electrician and plumber are state licensed and local. It takes time to find good subcontractors and feel that we have the best in their respective fields. They are reliable and affordable. The feedback on them from customers is excellent. Many end up using them as their plumber or electrician of choice for future needs. Of course, you may hire your own electrician or plumber and we'll work with them throughout the project.

DO YOU HANDLE PERMITS AND INSPECTIONS?

Tom will work with you from the design of your basement through completion. He will assist you in filing out all permits and deliver them to the township for you. He will answer any questions the township may have. Tom Libucki is present for all township inspections, including those of his electrician and plumber. Unlike many contractors, Tom is also present for the final inspections.

HOW MUCH WILL MY BASEMENT COST?

The average cost to finish your basement will be between $22 and $40 per square foot. The lower end would be for a nicely finished basement. One that feels comfortable and inviting to your family and guests. As you add features like a bathroom and bar, the cost will obviously go up. This will bring you into the higher range listed. The square footage costs listed are realistic. Tom does not play advertising games of offering a rediculously low price of $8-10 per SF to get into your home. At the end of the day, you'll find our price range quoted to be fair and within industry standards.

Remember that you are creating a completely new level of living space. In effect, you are nearly increasing the size of your living space by 33% in your home. When you look at addition costs and new construction costs of $125-200 per square foot, gaining a lower level of living space is an exceptional deal. A common feedback is how customers and their guests alway comment on the fact that they do not feel like they're in a basement after we're finished. They are so completely impressed with how comfortable and cozy the space is.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO COMPLETE THE BASEMENT?

This would depend on the complexity of the project. Adding a bathroom requires additional work and inspections. One thing to remember is that Tom is working on your basement every day. Multiple jobs are NOT run in this company. The focus is on your job. A good rule of thumb is to figure 1 week per 100 square feet of finished basement. 600 SF = 6 weeks.

There are rough inspections, mid point inspections in some cases, and final inspections. A township has up the 3 business days to come out to inspect. As you can see, this impacts the time required to complete the basement. Common inspections are rough (building, electrical, plumbing), insulation, above ceiling, final inspections (building, electrical, plumbing, mechanical, fire).

CAN I PUT A BATHROOM IN MY BASEMENT?

In most cases, you can. Generally, an ejector pump is required because the sewer line is above the finished floor. This requires a pit to be dug into the floor. A vent line must be installed as required by code. There are options out there that do not require a pit to be dug in. My plumber can best assess your situation and provide you with a solution and price quote.

CAN I PUT A BEDROOM IN MY BASEMENT?

In order to have a basement bedroom, you must have egress in the way of a proper size window or door to the outside. Building codes are very strict on this because of the possibility of a fire in the house, trapping a person or people in the basement. In some cases, having a closet within a closed off room can classify the proposed room as a bedroom.

There are requirements on the size, net clear square footage of the window, and height from the sill to the floor, Doors and/or windows must be able to be used without the use of any tools or keys. Bilco doors can be tricky because they are not direct access and have the ability to be padlocked from the outside. It is always my suggestion to handle this on a case by case basis and ask the building department for their thoughts on the specific situation.

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS OR READY TO PROCEED?

Tom is happy to answer any questions you may have. The more informed you are, the better for everyone. Please feel free to contact us.

If you like what you've seen in the gallery and read so far, let's get together and talk about making your dreams a reality.  Request a price quote