Upcoming basement project

Darren Wright

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Springfield, Missouri
I built a family room a couple of years ago on one half of my basement. This month I'll be starting on building another bedroom and bath to finish it out. Last spring we found that even though we have a walkout basement, we had a water problem. During some heavy weeks of raining the ground got saturated and came up through the rough opening for the (future) bath tub in the basement floor. To prevent the problem again we installed a sump pump. Unfortunately the only place I could install it out of the way is where this bedroom is going. The small closet in the corner will house the sump pump. The double doors next to it will be the closet for the room, which also has the electrical panel and cabling (tv/phone) patch panels. The french doors go out to the family room, which I'm considering adding a kitchenette in. The single door on the side with the french doors will go out to a hall and bath. There will be a drop ceiling above the bed for the ducts and wiring runs as well as above the closets to have a full run back to the panels.

Anyway, will try to get some pics in as I progress since I wont have time for any woodworking projects for a while.
 

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Two code issues to think about:

1. Bedrooms should have external egress. Not sure if that's true everywhere but it's something to check.

2. Electrical panels need to have some clearance in front of them. Not sure exactly how much but, again, I'd check with your locals.
 
Hey Darren, is that an egress window to the left of the closet? Sure looks like a large/tall opening. :thumb:

As for the sump pump. I'm puzzled. :huh: I would have thought that with a walkout basement you would be dry also. weren't there already footing drains? If the ground slopes enough for a walkout, couldn't the footing drains just drain to daylight?

Oh well, I'm sure you've considered those already. Looks like a nice roomy bedroom. But you'll need curtains for those french doors.
 
Thanks for the comments guys. The window is an egress window as well as the exterior door is just outside the french doors.

I plan to have clearance around the electrical panels, that side of the closent will be partitioned off to accomodate them as a mechanical closet. I thought the double doors together would look better than two separate doors.

The basement has footing drains, but being that I'm at the bottom of a large hill and my back yard is as flat as Kansas (no offence Kansas folks, I grew up there), water has no place else to go when we get that much rain. Our builder thought he had fixed the problem. Apparently the electric company cut the drain when burying the electrical lines to the house. Three years later we finally got enough rain to prove it wasn't corrected or wasn't working. I've got about 6" of gravel under my basement floor allowing any water to make it over to the sump well before coming above the floor, so the sump has been doing it's job and running every good rain we get.
 
update

Sorry, had other photos but had to get a new phone and any other "in progress" photos got lost when the phone died. I've finished the drywall and have got the tape and first coat of mud on. Had a few extra tape joints, but was trying to be conservative in the use of my drywall, only had a few scraps left over. I'm hoping to be done with it by the end of this week and move on to paint, drop ceilings, and trim next weekend.
 

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Coming along nicely Darren. Personally, I detest the taping and mudding part, but I do it anyway. :( It's just part of the process. Keep up the good work and continue to post progess pix!:D
 
Thanks Rennie. Yeah, not too fond of the taping and mudding myself. I did it for 6 years professionally after HS, not to mention about once a year since I was 10 building houses with my dad. I've got one coat on and the first sanding done, two more to go. Hoping to have it painted by the end of this weekend.
 
Well, here's the latest...Got tiles layed in the bathroom this week and grouted. Today I got all the laminate floor installed. I have to say it's some of the most realistic floor I've seen yet. If it weren't for the hollow sound it makes when walked on, one might not know the difference. I also ordered the Porter Cable door hinge jig this last week, should have it mid-week to start on the doors. Will get trim done after the jambs are set.
 

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The past couple of days I've picked up the trim, stained it, and have two coats of sealer on. Can't believe how much trim has gone up. Only have a bedroom, closet, hall, and bath, but total was over $500. :eek:

Anyway, I also painted the trim for the bathroom. Set the Toilet, sink/vanity, & medicine cabinet. Also have all the doors hung, just need to mill for knobs, then remove all the hardware and paint them.
 

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Thanks Wes, Yeah I keep thinking "I should be done this week", but something always comes up or it's been raining (keeping me from pickup materials). Seems like the majority of the progress has been on days I took off work and the family wasn't home. :dunno::rolleyes:
 
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