The basement is often a very underused space in the home. It ends up being a storage area for junk or maybe a utility room. But if you renovate it, you have a whole new living space. It could be a games room or a second living area, or maybe even another bedroom. Unfortunately, most basements are in a bit of a bad state, so you need to prepare it properly before you can start thinking about what to do with it. Here’s how to get your basement ready for a big renovation. 

Deal With Water Damage

The most common problem with basements is water damage. It’s where the water has managed to get in, but for some reason doesn’t seem to want to leave. This can be caused by poor drainage or perhaps a crack in the foundation that is letting water through. If you have been hit with floods in the past, everything will be soaked with water. Either way, if your basement has a problem with water damage, you can’t do anything until it’s sorted. You may need to call in a water damage cleanup service to deal with it for you and get everything dried out before you can move ahead with the renovation. If you skip this step, you will end up with damp problems further down the line. 

Clear Out Clutter

You will need to clear out all the clutter before you can do anything else. This means moving everything out of your basement and putting it in storage or your garage. Be ruthless when you are decluttering and get rid of anything that you don’t actually need, or it will just take up space elsewhere in the house. 

Think About Ventilation

If you are thinking of turning your basement into a games room or something that will have people in it, then it’s important that the air is well circulated. If you just have no fresh air in there at all, then it will get stuffy and can create potential health problems. Poor ventilation will also increase the chances of damp problems. So, look at ways to add more ventilation and think about putting another window in. An air conditioning unit to cycle the air will also make a big difference. 

Add New Electrical Fixtures

Basement renovations will often involve having a new electrical system put in place. Most basements will have a single light and one or two electrical sockets. But if you want to create a living space, you will need more. So, before you start decorating, call an electrician and have them assess the space. They will be able to tell you where you can easily put sockets and switches etc. It’s far easier to do this when you have a blank space to work with. You can then design the rest of the space around the electrical fixtures. 

Once you have completed all of these steps, your basement is ready for renovation. Get creative with your ideas and you can turn it into an amazing new space in your home.