If you want to avoid the expense and hassle of buying and moving into a bigger house, you may want to consider remodeling the basement. Adding a bathroom, as part of a basement remodeling project is a must for it to pay back fully in expanding the living space of your house. There are a few things you can check yourself to start to determine the feasibility of adding the bathroom. This article will give you some basic tips you need in planning a successful basement bathroom addition.
Tip 1 - Take a Careful Tour of Your Basement
Before you even think about adding a basement bathroom, you will want to go down into your basement and check a few things. First of all, are there large cracks in the walls with signs of the walls starting to cave in? If so, you first need to call in a basement repair specialist before taking on any basement remodeling project. If there is no significant wall movement or major cracks, then you can go further down the checklist.
Next check the drainage. Dump a bucket of water down the drain closest to where you want to place the bathroom. If the water drains fast, you are in luck. If not, you will have to call a plumbing or drain company.
If you have no drains, you then will have to install a sump pump. Talk to your hardware man or plumber about that.
Next check to see if there is mold build up in walls or corners. If that is the case, you will have to seal the basement edges from the outside with tar. Where water is getting in the basement through garden or grass areas, you need to build a slope of soil. There are also special paints for sealing basement walls.
Also check the wiring in the basement to make sure you have sufficient wiring options available. Check to see what else is being used on the proposed circuit. If there are already heavy loads on available circuits, you may have to hire an electrician to install a dedicated circuit.
If your basement passes the above check list, then you can move on to the next tip.
Tip 2 - Choosing the Bathroom Location
The bathroom, of course, should be in a convenient spot, but a corner is best. In a corner you already have two solid walls. Hopefully, it will be in the driest part of the basement where there is good air flow. Having a window opening to set up your exhaust route for your ventilation system is also essential. Check to see where the closest drain is to where the bathroom fixtures will be. Take a bucket of water and dump it in the middle of the toilet/sink/bath(shower) area. Study the flow path of the water. If it easily runs down to the nearest drain, that is a good sign. If not, you may have to adjust the slope of the floor with some cement.
Tip 3 - How to Use the Plumber for Consultation
Unless you are experienced at plumbing yourself, you will need to enlist the help of the plumber for at least part of the job. Most plumbers will either offer a free estimate or affordable fee for an estimate. It is best to be honest and tell the plumber that you want to do part of the job yourself. A good honest plumber will be willing to give you different options. The main things you need the plumber possibly to do, if you are inexperienced with such things, is setting up the drainage and feed lines. It would be best for the plumber to set up the drains for the sink, bath/shower, and sink, so all you need to do is install the facilities and do the carpentry and finish work.
It's not easy to add a bathroom to the basement by oneself. A professional can only help you in adding a bathroom with perfection. Browse HandyAmerican.com for complete list of contractors.
Posted by: TrustedProsSuggested Reading For You
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