Doing it yourself versus hiring a professional

You will need a building permit from your local building department to finish your basement, whether you do it yourself or hire a contractor.

A building-code book can be purchased from your building department, or you may be able to find one at your local library. The code covers such items as material specifications, the number and size of windows and fire-prevention requirements. Framing, plumbing and electrical inspections must be passed before you can proceed to the next stage of the project.
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Do it yourself
Hire a professional

Do it yourself

If you want to save money, consider doing some, if not all, of the work yourself. You may feel, for example, that you can handle the tear-out and disposal aspects of your basement renovation. Perhaps you have some experience with framing or drywalling, or maybe you'd rather be involved at the painting and finishing stages of the job.

When considering doing the project yourself, examine your personal abilities, tools you own or could borrow or rent, what you need to buy, the amount of time you can devote to the project and your budget. Analyze carefully the skills and available time of your potential helpers (friends and relatives).

Renovating the kitchen, the bathroom or finishing a basement requires a great deal of time and effort, but there is a tremendous feeling of pride and self-satisfaction when the project is done. With careful planning and doing some - if not all - of the basement renovation yourself, you will be rewarded, both emotionally and financially.

Hire a professional

Here's what to look for in a basement-renovation professional:

  • Get at least three detailed quotes.
  • Ask for references and pick three projects to call and see. Call references from jobs performed five years ago, to see how the contractor's work has performed over time.
  • Ask the contractor if he or she is a member of a home builders' association with a written code of ethics and call to check his or her current standing. Find out how long the company has been in business.
  • Ask for penalty clauses to be included in the contract if the expected completion date is exceeded.
  • Get a written guarantee on the work.
  • Beware of low-ball prices, where the contractor wins on extra materials. Try to plan the project carefully, so that there are as few surprise expenses as possible.
  • Get letters of indemnity from subtrades that show they have been paid in full by the contractor. The standard 45-day hold-back period on completion of work is generally less effective than actually having letters from each worker.
Good decisions on your part will lead to renovations that are properly executed.
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