GettyImages-929233838

There are a lot of decisions that have to be made when building your new home, and a big one is whether or not you want to develop your lower level when building, or leave it unfinished to complete at a later time. There are a lot of benefits to including the development of your basement during your new home build, and we’re going to take you through them, as well as some ideas to consider for your future basement.

No Disruptions in Your New Home

One of the biggest benefits of including basement development in your new home build is that you won’t have to worry about any disruptions to your living spaces later on. Your basement will be done as soon as you move in, meaning you won’t have to deal with the noise and inconvenience of future construction disrupting your daily life, or spend hours with contractors down the line coming up with the plans for your lower level. This also means your rough-ins will be placed exactly where you want them and there won’t be the possibility of needing them in a different location when it comes time to develop your basement – it will already be done!

Extra Living Space

This also means that you’ll be able to enjoy every part of your home right from the beginning. Whether your basement will be used as an extra area for entertainment or a place for your older kids to have a space to call their own, you can take comfort in knowing that you don’t need to wait for it to be completed. If you choose to develop your lower level, our standard plans are finished with an additional bedroom, full bathroom and a rec room, but you can always modify the layout to fit your needs.

GettyImages-1151465873

The possibilities on what you can use your completed basement for are endless, so you can make sure it’s going to be the perfect space for you, your lifestyle and your goals. Here are a few of our favourites:

Ultimate Entertaining: If you love to entertain guests, turn your basement into the ultimate entertainment space. You can get a projector and screen for an at home theatre, create a game room or just have some comfortable couches and a fireplace for you and your guests to relax in.

Home Gym: Now a home gym definitely doesn’t need to take up an entire basement worth of space, but having even one room in your lower level as a designated “work-out room” will keep the rest of your basement and home free of equipment that could get in the way.

Living Suite: Whether you’d like a place for your overnight guests to feel comfortable, a suite for aging parents to retire to, or an additional source of income as a rental suite, your basement can be converted to create a perfect place for all of it. All you may need is a bedroom and a bathroom, but you can also consider adding a wet bar or a full kitchen, depending on your needs.

GettyImages-1151466656

In some cases, an exterior door can also be accommodated, so renters will have their own entrance into the house. Be sure to talk to your New Home Sales Consultant if this is something you’re interested in.

Permits and Inspections

Another benefit of developing your lower level with your builder is that they take care of it all. No matter if you’re doing it yourself or with your builder, permits need to be pulled and the work needs to be inspected to ensure that it is done properly. Your builder has everything they need to complete the construction and will follow all of the steps properly when it comes to getting the right permits they require and having the inspections completed.

If you choose to take the do-it-yourself route, be sure not to miss this important step. It could save you from costly expenses down the line or possible interruptions when it comes to selling your home.

Consistent Design

The aesthetic design of your home is important and you want it to flow seamlessly from room-to-room (and floor-to-floor). We can assist you in creating the perfect space that will match the design and colours you choose for your upper levels. This will prevent you from having to search for the paint colour that was used or the casing that comes as close as possible to matching. While you will have all of the paperwork available to reference back to in the future, it’s not uncommon for certain materials to be discontinued. By developing your lower level at the time of your build, you can ensure that your design will be consistent and perfectly match the levels above.

GettyImages-485624142

Warranty

Another great reason to include basement development is that you will be covered by the same    1-2-5-10 year warranty program as the rest of your completed home. As a builder, we stand by our work and provide a warranty program that includes structural issues, materials and the like. You can take a look at what’s included in our warranty program here. This also reduces the risk that you’ll be on the hook for costly repairs from do-it-yourself projects. By having an outside company do the work, or by choosing to do it yourself, it is no longer the responsibility of the builder to fix if something were to go wrong. It’ll give you peace of mind knowing your basement is covered.

Added Value

Whether you’re building your forever home or looking for a home that will last you a few years before moving onto something different, having your basement developed will add value right off the hop and benefit you when it comes time to sell. Having a fully completed home is a huge selling feature, and we’re sure you’ll find that the value a developed basement adds to your home is worth the initial investment. And even better, the cost of your developed basement will be included on your mortgage, so you don’t need to worry about saving up to complete the construction or taking out a separate loan.

There are a lot of benefits to including the development of your basement in your new home build, and whether you choose to include it now or complete it at a later time, we’re sure you’ll be happy with the end results.