Planning your project can seem overwhelming so make
sure you do the following to ensure you will get the most enjoyment out
of the end result;

First: get a professional design

Next: Hire a company with genuine design and construction expertise

Why?

1. 
Enjoyment: You want to get full use and enjoyment out of your completed
project.  When most people think of basements they think of cold, dark,
dusty storage spaces.  The first secret of finished basement success is
to come up with a design that makes you feel excited about going
downstairs.  It shouldn\'t be just a basement but an extension of your
home, another living level!  When the project is finished you don\'t
want to feel like you are in \"a basement\".

2.  Resale Value: If
you are finishing your basement you are probably not planning on moving
soon but you always want to consider the resale value of any home
improvement project.  The factors that most influence finished basement
resale values include how well your lower-level space complements your
main living areas and key features like bedrooms and bathrooms.

3. 
Getting the Best Deal: Ordinary people and experts alike will tell you
to get multiple bids to make sure you are not getting ripped off.  That
is good advice, but you do need to be careful that the bids are
comparable.  Just like when you purchase your home, there can be a
$40,000 difference in the home you and your neighbor with the same
model purchased, because of upgrades, quality of materials, etc.  If
you need help determining how to compare bids we are happy to help!

4. 
Avoiding change orders: Make sure your design includes 3d elevations
and renderings.  What happens above the floor is extremely challenging
and important!  Designing a basement always poses the challenge of
hiding beams, poles, soffits, HVAC, etc. and a good design will conceal
those and make it obvious of the things you were trying to hide after
it is finished.  2d elevations and hand sketches make it harder and
almost impossible to ensure you are doing just that.  If you are not
using a 3d design you may not discover those problems until it\'s too
late.

5.  Hiring a company with experience in design and
construction: Great designs take experience, skill and a good
attitude.  When you give into the temptation to hire the lowest bidder
you might be sacrificing a good design that you will be happier with in
the end.  Also, the lowest bidder a lot of times is just that, just to
get the job.  Then they come back later and ask for more money because
they didn\'t include necessary things in their bid.  This is another
reason to look for a 3d design.

Visit The Basement Remodeling Company blog for more tips about basement finishing.