An old unfinished basement garage space has been converted to a cozy library on Kline Street. In renovating basements there are several things to be taken into account. 1. Insulation - considerable heat is lost through basements. Typically older homes have little or no insulation making them big heat sinks that increase the homes heating costs, results in cold floors in the living space above and are not comfortable to use. In this space 3” of high density foam insulation was used on exterior walls. Rim joists were also insulated with fiberglass batt insulation insuring the floors above remain warm. 2. Dampness – It is very important to ensure dampness is addressed. Although partially addressed with good insulation and vapour barrier practices, before spending money finishing your basement it is important to ensure basement walls and floors are free of cracks and leaks including periodic leaks occurring seasonally or with weather events. This can be achieved with external or internal drainage systems, sump pump systems, concrete repairs or landscaping. In this case the external drainage system had been replaced a few years ago and we started with a nice dry space however provisions were made for future use of a sump pump if necessary. 3. Lighting – Often basements can seem dark and gloomy largely as a result of having fewer and smaller windows. In this case pot lights were used to provide general and task lighting. LED pots are now inexpensive to purchase as well as operate. They are environmentally so much better then florescent and are so thin that they truly can be used anywhere. In this case fresh white paint takes maximum advantage of available light. 4. Flooring - Basements present unique challenges, largely relating to dampness. Many flooring products including laminate flooring for example is not warranted if installed below grade. In this case we used a Vinyl plank floor 100% vinyl so able to withstand dampness. When carefully planned basement renovations can add to the value of your home, your use and enjoyment as well as your comfort level. Hindon Construction Ltd would like to be your choice of contractor for you basement renovations. Call 902-818-1601 for a free consultation.