Getting your basement finished is a fantastic way to increase the livable space in your home and add a great recreation area at the same time.  Home Design Elements recently completed a basement finishing job in Chantilly, VA.  Some of the details are likely very similar to what you may experience in your own home.

Job Details

The Mancinder’s home is in the westernmost portion of what is considered Chantilly, in a neighborhood just off of Rt. 50, west of where Rout 28 crosses.  The house is a four bedroom 2 1/2 bath and is about 3,700 sq./ft.  The family has 2 children who are middle school aged.  When we first spoke with Mr. Mancinder, he was shopping several contractors for the job.  He was even considering doing some of the work himself.  He wanted something simple to include a large TV with surround sound, and also an area where all the kid’s toys could be stored.

How The Job Unfolded

In this basement finishing job, we encountered two situations that  warranted special attention.  First, support beams interrupted the large space where the main entertainment area was to be.  This is really not a big problem, but we did have to decide how to dress up the beams so that they were at once unobtrusive and also aesthetically pleasing.  Two of the poles were used to frame out a half wall, which creates a rear border of the TV viewing area – you can’t even tell what they are.  The third is boxed in and finished and is sufficiently out of the line of site to the TV wall.

The second area that created a challenge was that the basement does not open up at ground level.  Like so many homes in Chantilly – especially those in South Riding – the basement opens to a walk-up.  The issue is that when it rains, the area just outside the door tends to flood.  A sump pump keeps the water at bay.  For this, we decided to use large ceramic tiles for the area inside the door.  So in the event of any mild flooding the carpet will be spared.

The Finished Basement

Although the customer didn’t think he could afford it, we managed to incorporate a full bathroom and a small wet bar.  By smart choices in materials and going with a design center/contractor, the Mancincer’s were able to have the new space they had wanted. Homes in the Chantilly, VA area took a hit in value with the rest of the country.  By adding a finished basement with nice features like a full bath and wet bar, you can get back so much of what the market took!

Call Home Design Elements to find out how we can help you get the finished basement you’ve been wanting.