https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 20 Jul 2026 04:47:00 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535370 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 20:07:04 +0000 pui 535370@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I like having a partially unfinished basement. It's great for storage, and a basement is usually the ideal place to have a TV room haha. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535282 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:24:52 +0000 Reese 535282@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoJoGirl: Lol this visual made me laugh </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535277 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:23:44 +0000 lolabee 535277@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: Haven't had a chance to read the full thread as yet but look into contracting it out yourself instead of having the builder do it. It will save you an absolute ton of money! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535265 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:20:24 +0000 chopsuey 535265@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaMoose: that's a good idea.. Will ask our builder! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535187 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:33:30 +0000 MamaMoose 535187@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: can you do half? My parents finished half o their basement with a living room, bedroom and full bath... And then they left the rest of it unfinished for storage, deep freezer, etc. They love it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535139 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:09:31 +0000 QBbride 535139@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The resale value will be much higher with a finished basement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535099 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:49:30 +0000 chopsuey 535099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Okay we're leaning towards having it finished with a bathroom and small kitchen! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535047 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:25:17 +0000 spaniellove 535047@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely finished! Our home is about the same sq footage wise and it's just the two of us so technically we don't need the basement but having it finished makes it much more inviting. The previous owner divided it up into mechanical space (where DH painted the floors with marine paint so you can walk barefoot and not feel icky) and a living area. We plan to turn some of that space into a gym someday! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-535039 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:22:09 +0000 Alivoo01 535039@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Finished, even if you I don't plan on using it much. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534895 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:25:49 +0000 JoJoGirl 534895@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Oh totally finished. I would LOVE to have somewhere I could 'throw' the kids when they are a little older to play and run around and not screw up furniture or anything valuable and not be underfoot. My parents used to LOVE throwing all 3 of us in our basement and we'd entertain ourselves for hours sometimes literally just running in circles. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534808 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:03:31 +0000 Reese 534808@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Finished!<br /> We love having the extra space. Ours is fully finished with wood floors, a projection screen with recliners (media room), gas fireplace, game area , full bathroom, large laundry room and lots of storage space! You can also do whatever you want with it since you will be designing it! Craft room , Candy Spelling style wrapping room... the options are endless :) If it isn't a money issue I dont see why you wouldn't. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534807 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:03:31 +0000 Pepper 534807@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: I feel like we let them drag their feet a little bit. They could have rushed it more if we specified in the beginning (or so they told us later, haha). You'll probably be in by September if you mention that as a deadline! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534800 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:01:38 +0000 chopsuey 534800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pepper: Dang. We're hoping ours is built by September! Our lease at our current place is up 9/30!</p> <p>And I know! Excited to customize everything :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534793 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 16:00:46 +0000 Pepper 534793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: So much fun to pick everything! Waiting for it to be done is the hardest part. Ours took 9 months to build, which felt like an eternity! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534785 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:58:36 +0000 chopsuey 534785@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Pepper: Cool. We find out how much it'll cost to have it finished tomorrow!<br /> Making a list now of all the upgrades and features we want!</p> <p>Double shower heads in our master shower is one! wOot! :P lol </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534769 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:54:04 +0000 prettylizy 534769@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would finish maybe half. Nice to have an extra spot in the basement (especially when the kiddo's get older) to go play and be loud, but I know DH would love some indoor storage for a tool room/work room. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534755 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:51:51 +0000 blackbird 534755@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not if you won't use it much. </p> <p>Ours is finished and it basically doubles our square footage. We use it a fair amount, it's cozier, feels less gross than all concrete. It just feels like extra living space to us. </p> <p>I only know one other person with a finished basement, though. They aren't very common here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534753 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:51:46 +0000 MediaNaranja 534753@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are currently in an apartment, but if we ever moved to a house with a basement, I would rather have it finished. Growing up we had a finished basement, and as kids it was a great place to use as a playroom, and as we got older we put a TV down there and it was a good place for teens to hang out. My mom also had a sewing room, and my dad had a small workshop. There was also a designated storage area. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534741 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:49:00 +0000 Smurfette 534741@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would go ahead and finish it. Will only help with resale plus you are more likely to use finished. And it is less scary that way! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534738 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:48:21 +0000 Pepper 534738@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@chopsuey119: We just built a house, and we had our basement left unfinished. The main reason being that the builders wanted a RIDIC amount of money to finish it! We could finish it after the fact using a private contractor/company and save a ton. So, that's what we plan to do in a few years :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534737 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:48:18 +0000 Bao 534737@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The house we are buying has a half a**** finished basement, sorry that is the only way I can put it. Since they screwed it up so bad we will eventually need to finish it to make it usable space for DH's recording stuff. It's always nice to have finished space! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534731 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:47:40 +0000 KissMeCait 534731@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Absolutely finished. If it’s an option, I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t want the added living space. Most houses around here are pretty choppy on the main floors but have big open spaces in the basement. There are so many possibilities when you have a huge amount of space to work with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534726 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:46:57 +0000 Chillybear 534726@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Were in a 1500 sqft house and plan on finishing the basement and moving the office/sewing room down there. along with hub's workspace/tools/storage and laundry. What was the office will now be baby's room </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534725 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:46:39 +0000 PurplePumps 534725@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Finished - less dusty and scary, and who cant use more nice storage or play space. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534723 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:46:14 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 534723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would finish it. You could use it for storage or a big place for the kids to play when they're older. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534721 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:46:03 +0000 plaidpants 534721@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>To me, a finished basement still feels like a basement. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534717 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:45:43 +0000 chopsuey 534717@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Weagle: hahaha good idea! Looked at pics of some unfinished basements and talk about scary! -.- :D </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534714 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:45:34 +0000 BelugaBean 534714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Weagle: This. Unfinished basements are kind of creepy to me and I wouldn't go down there.</p> <p>If there was no space anywhere else though, I think my DH would finish it anyway to give himself a big game room and to give LO a play room down there. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534706 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:43:54 +0000 Weagle 534706@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would do a basic finish. Enough that it's not scary. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/finished-or-unfinished-basement#post-534698 Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:42:47 +0000 LazyLightning 534698@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think it's regional but almost everyone here has a finished basement. We use ours for our surround sound and big screen TV - it's the only tv in our house. Husband also has his home office down there and once baby comes, I will use that area for my exercise (since I previously was using baby's room for that purpose). It's up to you... there is always the option to finish it later, too! </p>