Finishing the Basement

Hurray!!  We are officially finishing our basement.  The construction is starting and it should be done before Thanksgiving.  We aren't personally doing any of the construction but it is still a huge project.  Basically everything that you store in your basement has to be cleared out so that the contractor can get in and start building. 

Do you understand how much work is involved in not only cleaning but clearing out your basement?!  I seriously don't have time for this, but I seriously wanted my basement finished so somehow we made it happen.  Basically we threw a lot of stuff away and the rest we brought up and will store temporarily in our garage.  It looks like a hoarder took over our garage and honestly, I'm not even thinking about the time when it has to all come back down to the basement.

Ironically, because I was so busy getting the basement ready for the construction to start, I didn't take any before pictures.  I know that we have a few around here somewhere so hopefully, I'll find those and add them.

 

almost finished...

The project took 3 weeks start to finish.  The contractor was here during my dad's stay with us, so dad had to put with the hammering, banging, and people coming and going.  On the flipside, the construction workers had to put up with the constant smells of cooking as my dad literally always had something going in the kitchen.  During the last week of construction, my dad kindly made them all a big Thai lunch.  Figured they deserved to taste it after smelling it for two weeks.

(As a side note, the builder probably wondered about us, because the first week he started also happened to be the same exact time I got season 2 of Downton Abbey.  I'm sure I made a great impression by literally watching tv the whole time he was at our house!  Then the next week my dad came.  I'm sure he thinks I live a charmed life--watching tv and eating all day.  Well, maybe I do!)

Anyways, we are very happy with finished project.  Can't think of one thing to complain about.  Our contractor delivered on every promise from quality, to timing, to budget.  If you are ever in need of a contractor/handyman, have I got a recommendation for you. 

So here are a few pictures.  Still need to finish decorating (that alone is a massive project) but you get the idea.

 

 

 

Dave finally got his long-sought surround sound along with an enormous new TV.  We also got a lovely sectional leather couch.  We were hoping to bring the couches from the family room down to the basement and put the new sectional upstairs but our old couches were not even close to fitting down the basement stairs.  Fortunately, the sectional just squeezed through.  Honestly, we have been so busy since the basement was finished we haven't reallly had much time to enjoy it, but I forsee lots of relaxing movie and game nights down there.