Month: April 2023

Some bugs can’t get enough of the damp and the dark, and the conditions inside your wet, leaky basement can create the perfect habitat for several insect species. Cockroaches, termites, pillbugs and house centipedes all adore dank, gloomy spaces and are common visitors in the subterranean rooms of houses up and down North America.

If left untreated, these insects can form infestations that may threaten both the health of your family and the structural integrity of your home. Preventing invasions is the best way to keep your basement pleasantly bug-free, but how can you go about keeping bugs out of your wet, leaky basement?

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are well-known for hanging out in sewers, so it should come as no surprise to learn these loathsome creatures love a damp, dark environment. As a result, they’re one of the most common insect pests found in basements – especially leaky ones!

This is because damp, leaky basements always have a steady water supply, without which cockroaches can’t survive. These filthy bugs often come indoors seeking moisture and a suitable nesting spot where they can breed. Once they do start producing young their numbers can explode, especially in rarely visited basements where they can scuttle around largely unnoticed. Roaches are dirty creatures with a high bacterial load and the potential to contaminate food supplies, so keeping them out of your home is a must.

Keeping your basement as dry as possible will make it look far less inviting to passing roaches.

Termites

Like roaches, termites are very fond of damp, gloomy environments and are frequently found in soggy basements throughout North America. For homeowners, termites are almost certainly the worst pests to encounter anywhere in your house. This is because these tiny bugs can cause devastating structural damage to your home if not dealt with immediately, and they often go unnoticed for long periods of time in basements. Meanwhile, these ‘silent destroyers’ chew their way through any wood they can find, gobbling up the cellulose (plant fibers) in your beams and floor joists.

Termites are such voracious eaters that they represent a major economic issue in the United States, accounting for billions of dollars in damages each year. To prevent a termite infestation in your basement, keep moisture to a minimum. As termites need a steady water supply to live, a dry environment can help to dissuade them from moving in and setting up home.

Pillbugs

Pillbugs are usually outdoor creatures and are often commonly found in damp soil and under flowerpots, compost, stones, and mulch. These tiny arthropods require a constant supply of water, as they cannot survive without it for more than a few days. Therefore, they only invade damp, leaky basements, where they have enough moisture to live. Though harmless, pillbugs can invade basements in large numbers and form infestations that can be tricky to get rid of. Prevent pillbugs by removing water sources in your basement, sealing up possible entry holes and keeping the outside of your house free from debris and clutter.

House centipedes

Another type of arthropod, the many-legged house centipede is another pest that loves to hang out in wet, leaky basements. This invasive species is thought to have originated in the Mediterranean region but, today can be found in houses throughout North America. House centipedes are carnivorous creatures that emerge at night to hunt and feed on other bugs (such as silverfish, cockroaches, and spiders). By day, they hide away in dark, damp areas, making your leaky basement their ideal home. House centipedes are more likely to come indoors during the winter months, as outdoor temperatures drop too low in some regions for them to be able to overwinter outdoors.

Top tips for basement pest control

Besides keeping your basement as dry as possible, is there anything else you can do to keep insects out?

InsectCop, a pest control advice blog, suggests Implementing an integrated pest control plan as it is the most effective way to keep your basement (and the rest of your home) bug-free. And here are some tips on just how to do that!

Keep your basement clean and tidy

Boxes, old furniture, and general clutter all make ideal shelters for a variety of pests and can encourage insects into your basement. Keeping your basement clean and tidy gives bugs fewer places to hide, so they are less likely to set up nests down there.

Check for entry points and seal them up where possible

Insects can find their way inside through any crack, gap or hole in the exterior of your house. Spend an afternoon identifying and sealing all possible points of entry to your basement to reduce the number of bugs that get in.

Be vigilant about food waste

Food scraps are the ultimate invitation to roaches and rodents and can bring all kinds of pests into your home. Get into the habit of clearing away dirty plates, utensils, food wrappers and leftovers immediately to avoid tempting bugs into your home.

Use a chemical soil treatment around the outside of your basement

Termites find their way into your home via the soil outside and will find their way onto any wood that contacts the earth. Try treating the soil around your basement with a chemical treatment to create a barrier that bugs can’t cross.

Use insecticidal baits and dusts

To keep roaches and other insects out of your basement, scatter an insecticidal dust around entry points to your garage. These roach powders kill bugs on contact and can help to stop them from coming inside and setting up nests.

Knowledge is the best defense!

Certain types of bugs are very at home in dark, damp, gloomy environments. For anyone who owns a leaky basement, you may find yourself encountering all sorts of insects down there, including cockroaches, termites, pillbugs and house centipedes.

Whenever you find any type of insect in your basement, however, you need to act quickly to prevent a large (and problematic) infestation from forming. Keep your basement as dry as possible and put an integrated pest management plan into place to prevent invasions this winter!

About the Author:

Kristiana Kripena works as a Digital and Content Marketing Director for InsectCop.net, which is a pest control advice blog that helps people live pest-free lives by providing tips and guides on everything from rat-proofing your home to getting rid of mosquitoes.

For homeowners that love to entertain, one of the most exciting ways to prepare the home for guests is with a basement transformation designed especially for socializing. The kitchen and living room areas aren’t always ideal for hosting guests, and a basement renovation can really add life to your gatherings—especially if it’s created with the holiday spirit as an inspiration.

While basement media room transformations have always been fashionable, using the space for entertaining a large party of guests is an idea that is rapidly growing in popularity. Imagine having a designated area that’s out of the way and set up just for your holiday celebrations—with convenient and useful features designed to optimize the time you spend with friends and family and for keeping your gatherings under control.

Whether you love throwing costume parties for Halloween or family reunions for Christmas or Hanukkah, a basement transformation can help to make your holidays more special than ever before. In this article, our experts at Matrix Basement Systems share our best holiday-inspired basement renovation ideas that will improve the way you live while enhancing the value of your home.

Celebrate in Style

One of the most luxurious transformations homeowners choose when renovating their basements is a home theater area. There’s no doubt that this is one of the best ways to utilize the space.

In fact, basement home theater projects are one of our favorite renovations to take on at Matrix Basement Systems. Our team is always eager to help our customers create the perfect design and layout that suits their needs, preferences, and personal style.

For homeowners that love the holiday season, creating a space that goes above and beyond a basic home theater basement—and that pays respect to the most wonderful days of the year can be truly magical. Here are some of our favorite basement media room ideas for celebrating holidays in style:

• Play Area 
  The basement can become an incredible play area for children during holiday gatherings—keeping them safe and out of the way of the more adult gatherings happening upstairs. Think about creating a layout for games, a television, a Wii or other video game consoles, toys, books, or a crafts table (if you’re willing to clean). Focus on infusing the space with added safety and security measures for the little ones—like rounded corners, slip-proof flooring, and barred windows.
• A Bar Area
  On the flip side, you can also consider confining the adults to the basement, leaving the area above free for non-alcoholic fun. A basement bar is a wonderful way to entertain guests that drink. A great idea is to add soundproof walls, windows, and doors to let guests at the bar and those upstairs enjoy their evening without worrying about the noise.
• Kitchen
  If you or your immediate family love to cook or believe food is an essential aspect of any party, then consider installing a second kitchen in your transformed basement. Because everyone tends to congregate around the kitchen, confining the food area to space below can be a great way to keep your home more organized during gatherings.

Halloween

There’s no better way to celebrate Halloween than in the comfort of a basement home theater. After all, no Halloween celebration is complete without some serious scary movie-watching with friends and family. If you have kids or are into fun more than scares, then consider classics such as Hocus Pocus or Hotel Transylvania, and gather everyone into the basement for an amazing movie night.

Here are some other ideas that you can use to celebrate Halloween in your basement:

Decorative Accents: Decorate your basement with jack-o-lanterns or hang bats/spiders from the ceiling. If you’re really into this holiday, consider turning your basement into a dungeon-like space or a haunted house for your costume parties. You can also put out tables and chairs for the little ones to carve pumpkins—a messy activity that is best contained in one easy-to-clean space.

Lighting and Special Effects: It’s just not Halloween season without setting the mood with lighting and special effects. Some easy ways to set the mood include fire torch-themed light covers and black lights. For extra credit, be sure to rent a fog machine and lights that can stimulate lightning for the big party.

Thanksgiving

If you’re having dinner upstairs, you can use the basement as a viewing room for those interested in watching Thanksgiving football games. You can also send the kids down to the basement to watch Thanksgiving-themed movies, like Free Birds or Turkey Hollow.

Christmas

There are numerous Christmas movies and Christmas specials to watch in your basement media room. We recommend partaking in the classics such as The Santa Clause or A Christmas Story. However, you can’t really go wrong with any Christmas themed movie you choose.

When it comes to decorating your basement for Christmas, the sky’s the limit. Turn your basement into a beautiful, cozy winter wonderland with these great ideas:

• Decorative Accents
  String tinsel across the ceilings, hang stockings (especially if you invested in a basement fireplace), and by all means, put in a Christmas tree. Depending on how festive you feel, you may want to place figures like a Rudolph, Santa, or elves throughout the room.
• Lighting
  Christmas is all about the lights. String lights throughout the room, over the bar, and anywhere else you can.

Enjoy the Holidays with Matrix Basement Systems

At Matrix Basement Systems, our team of expert contractors can help you turn your basement into a luxurious space that’s perfect for entertaining guests, working out, meeting with clients, or anything else. Our team has the skills and experience necessary to bring whatever you can dream up into reality.

Ready to transform your basement into a beautiful space in time for the upcoming holiday season? Then give us a call to speak with one of our agents about our professional basement renovation services or fill out our online form to schedule your free quote.

Subscribe to Matrix Basement Systems Inc.’s Blog

A basement apartment represents a massive home improvement opportunity for homeowners. However, it’s one that often goes under the radar.

Many homeowners don’t know how to upgrade a basement apartment. Hence, they leave it the way it is — a dark and isolated place.

Your basement apartment should not be dark and isolated. You can turn your basement apartment into a mini-living paradise.

We want to help you bring your dreams of upgrading your basement apartment to life. Therefore, we’re writing this article to discuss multiple tips and design ideas to upgrade a basement apartment. At the end of this article, you’ll have all the info you need to turn your basement apartment into a whole new world.

Benefits of Upgrading Basement Apartment

Here are some of the advantages to expect when you upgrade your basement apartment.

You’ll get an extra bedroom

When you remodel your basement, it means an increase in your home’s size. While upgrading the basement section of your house, you can add one or two bedrooms. The extra livable space in your home will increase your property’s value. If there’s a need to sell your house in the future, potential buyers will find it appealing.

An extra bathroom

Setting up and tiling a bathroom in your basement apartment comes at a cost, but the results are mind-blowing. Away from added functionality, you’ll also get good value for your money. An extra bathroom will help you sell your property faster —  if and when you want to do so.

ROI

One major advantage of upgrading your basement is the great return on investment you stand to gain. The ROI for upgrading a basement apartment can be as high as 70%-75%.

Adds space to your house

A basement apartment allows you to add a functional space to your house without going against any zoning restrictions in your area. Hence, if you live in an area with zoning restrictions, you can get the extra space you crave by upgrading your home’s basement.

A basement apartment can serve multiple uses

You can transform your basement into a place for recreation, a guest house, or storage by upgrading it. If you intend to sell your property, a finished basement is something your prospective buyers will love to see.

The feeling of transforming a dark basement into valuable space for multiple uses is a bonus that will please buyers. Hence, you can sell your property even quicker than you imagine. And if you don’t want to sell, you and your family will enjoy these benefits.

Basement upgrades don’t require high-end materials

Many homeowners balk at upgrading a basement apartment design because they feel it’s a project that requires high-end materials. However, this is not entirely the case. You don’t need the high-end finishes in your basement.

You can save money on your basement apartment upgrade by using low-cost materials. Use the high-end materials for the rest of your home.

Related Article: How Much Time Does it Take to Finish a Basement Apartment?

How to Upgrade a Basement Apartment

Now that you know the benefits of upgrading a basement apartment, you may be wondering how to go about this upgrade. Below are proven steps to upgrade a basement apartment.

Seal air and water leaks

Your basement may have water or air leaks. To enjoy the benefits of having a great basement, you need to seal these gaps. You can go the extra mile by insulating your basement against the brutal weather in Ontario.

Solve mechanical problems

During a basement apartment upgrade, you may encounter obstacles in the form of appliances or mechanical systems that can obstruct your upgrade plans. Most times, it may be difficult to move these obstacles out of the way. Doing so may be expensive and will come with multiple construction problems.

Instead of moving these systems and appliances, you should design your basement remodel around them. You should also cordon off the furnace and water tank areas. Ensure your mechanical systems are properly ventilated. If you have to move the systems, upgrade to systems of proper size and efficiency.

What about the overbearing columns?

When upgrading your basement floor, columns or lally may obstruct your plans. You can’t just remove these columns because they support the house’s weight. In your bid to upgrade a basement apartment, avoid tampering with load-bearing columns.

What you can do is replace overbearing columns with engineered steel beams. However, before embarking on the replacement, get a permit from the local building department.

Ductwork can be unpleasant

Ductwork in your basement can be an eyesore. Worse, they’re difficult to move. Moving them to upgrade your basement apartment can be an expensive task. So what can you do?

For one, you can frame around the ductwork, using it as a design element. One way of doing this is to create a tray ceiling or a soffit. However, ensure there are no leaks in the ductwork before framing it.

Raise low-hanging ceilings

Low-hanging ceilings in your basement take up extra space. To upgrade your basement apartment, take steps to raise the ceilings or get higher ones.

Let your basement be family-friendly.

Your basement can serve as an additional family-friendly living space. It can be a playroom for kids or a chill spot for adults. Whatever the case is, your basement can be comfortable and modern.

A home movie theatre may be a good idea

Instead of leaving the basement apartment to remain dark and quiet, you can turn a section of it into a cinematic universe. Dark and quiet are ideal features for a cinema.

Thus, bring in light-coloured armchairs, sofas, and patterned walls, plus a large flat screen. These components, some lights, and a good sound system can turn your basement into a home movie theatre.

A wine cellar is a stellar idea

Since basements tend to be naturally cool, they serve as great places for wine cellars. If you want to upgrade your basement apartment, it will not be a bad idea to transform it into the wine cellar of your dreams. You can spice things up a bit by adding a tasting table.

Bring the music home with your basement

A great idea for your basement apartment upgrade is to turn it into a soundproof music room. If you have a great taste for music and hate disturbing your neighbours, then your basement represents a great place to satisfy your cravings. You can install soundproofing on your basement walls and ceiling, thereby giving your sound speakers the freedom they deserve.

A basement is a good place for a home gym

Your home basement is a great place to have a gym. With its cooler temperatures, you can install a gym, yoga room, or other forms of fitness centers. A good tip is to use a mirror, which can make the basement apartment feel even larger. It also ensures you have proper alignment while working out.

A game room in the basement

If you and your friends enjoy playing games, then your basement can serve as your game room. You can turn your basement apartment into a game room by bringing in dartboards, poker, table tennis, and pool tables. You can also set up a video game hub in your basement if that’s your preference.

The basement can become your home library

Another idea for a basement apartment upgrade is to turn it into a home library. If you love reading, you can bring in some cabinets, your favourite books, tables, chairs, and reading lights. All you’ll have to do is section off a corner of the basement apartment.

A swimming pool is a wonderful upgrade

If you have a big enough budget, you can have a spa-like indoor pool in your basement. Other possible fittings include a steam shower, massage room, or a free-floating tub.

Art lovers can upgrade to an artist studio

Basements are dark, but if yours receives some natural light and you love art, you can section a corner of it into an artist’s studio.

A tip to making this work is to paint the basement floor, ceiling, and walls white. Doing this ensures you maximize the available natural light in your basement. However, if you rely on artificial light, you can create a crafting room rather than an artist studio.

Average Cost of Upgrading Your Basement

If you decide to upgrade your basement apartment to a rental property, you will incur some expenses. Most times, basements are without electricity, plumbing, and insulation fittings. As part of your basement apartment upgrade, you’ll need to install these fittings.

There are different methods of calculating the average cost of a basement upgrade. If you calculate the cost per square foot, you must consider plumbing, walls and insulation, and electrical expenses. These expenses are between $25 and $45 per square foot.

However, if your basement is new and has sufficient weatherproofing, you can upgrade the basement apartment without changing many things. In this case, you may spend close to $20 for each square foot.

On average, the cost of upgrading your basement ranges between $12,000 and $50,000. This average is for a remodel with a floor size of about 1,500-2,000 square feet.

However, if you want to add other luxuries like a full bath, a place for entertainment, a pool, or other amenities, you may have to spend between $50,000 and $80,000. You may spend even higher for a fully furnished and exotic basement, with costs reaching $100,000 for such projects.

Cost variables

If you use top-quality materials, you will spend higher on an upgrade. However, when you use low to medium quality materials, you will spend lower.

Related Article: How to Choose a Reliable Basement Renovator in Vaughan

Conclusion

A basement upgrade is always a good idea. You just have to figure out a way to get the best value for your money. To do that, take advantage of the basement remodel ideas and tips in this article.

As you now know, you’ll gain many benefits by upgrading your basement apartment. Besides these benefits, you’ll also enjoy the good feeling of knowing you have a wonderful space.

If and when you decide to upgrade your basement apartment, you’ll have to cover certain expenses. These costs depend on the size of the project and the quality of materials you use. Hence, you should work according to your budget. If you’re on a low budget, limit your expenses to lower-quality materials. You can use higher-quality materials if your budget allows it.

Whether you’re on a budget or not, you deserve the best services when upgrading your basement apartment. That is why you should trust only our basement design and finishing services for all your basement upgrades and remodelling.

Here at Basement Finishing Company, we have multiple years of experience providing high-quality basement upgrades at affordable prices.

We are one call away and will be right there when you need us. Call us today and let us help you turn your basement into a living paradise.