love remodeling and completing unfinish space such as basement. My dream is one day, i can build my own home with many options that my family wanted. I have been helping family and friends to finish their basements, remodeling houses, etc... Here is a list of reccommendation for building your basement.

Ceiling: Don't install a suspended or hang ceiling -- ever. "They're out". Use drywall as they are cheaper and they make your basement like a living space, not just a basement. Also consider tray ceiling or coffer ceiling to make your basement look more dramatic. You can install molding and run reccess & track lights to bring out the depth.

Walls: Don't install wood panels for walls. Like suspended & hang ceiling, wood panel can be easily install and access once it done, but they are out dated. Drywall makes it the material of choice for finished spaces. Most people choose suspended / hang ceiling, wood panel for their basement because they are afraid of breaking the drywall if they need to access to the inside of walls or ceiling. Tell you the truth, breaking drywall and fixing it are much easier and cheaper. With drywall, you can build niches, columns, etc...

Paint: Light-color paint is the color of choice. However, darker color can be used for a theatre room, exercise room, etc... Also, consider two toner with chair rail to make your basement look taller. For light-color, i used Home Depot Behr paint because it is better for your money; However, for darker-color, i used Sherwin-Williams or Duran because it better for painting.

Floor: Don't use ceramic or vinyl floor for your basement unless they are for bathroom. If you can do-it-yourself, use ceramic or marble floor for bathrrom instead of vinyl. The cost are not much different, but the labor are higher. Consider berber carpet or engineered hardwood as an alternative. Although they're more expensive, they're high-quality and better-looking. Vinyl floor or ceramic floor make the basement look cold and un-welcome. Most people i know install vinyl/Ceramic floor in the basement so they can open a dance party at home... few words for them, "Disco Fever are out dated".

Doorways: If you are in the market of buying or building a new house, please get walk out basement with full size french door and couple large windows. For internal doors, use slide door that can be hidden inside the wall and double glass french door to bring out the openess of the basement. Buy the doors that match with upstair doors.

Stairwell: Open your stairwell, and install a banister to make your basement blend in as a whole living space like upstair.

Home Theater: Home Theaters are very popular nowaday. Few home builder now offer free finished Home Theater instead of other incentive to get their customers. Unless you have a large family and need more bedroom, a dedicated Home Theatre over an extra bedroom in the basement is the right choice. Your family will enjoy the Home Theater more and it also bring the value of your house up.

Inspection: This is the most popular question. Should or should not? I always recommend that you should have inspection. For me, state of mind and safety are the most important. In some city, It is required that you have inspection to finish your basement. Any habitable space that is created requires a building permit.

• Building permit is required for construction of architectural and structural elements.
• Electrical permit is required for all electrical installations.
• Gas permit is required for installations of all elements and appliances associated with gas piping systems.
• Mechanical permit is required when adding or extending ductwork.
• Plumbing permit is required for installations of all elements and appliances associated with plumbing systems.