Finished and Unfinished Basements

Have you ever wondered why our Canadian homes have basements? One word: frost. Frost expands soil and creates pressure which can lift houses up or push foundation walls in. During construction, we dig down far enough to get below the frost line. Our foundations today have to be tall enough to extend up through the soil above the grade, so we can place the house on top of the foundation. Since we have to dig a trench for the footings and foundations, the basement “hole” was created to be able to use that space for living. Today, most of our homeowners make use of that additional square footage as man caves, family entertainment areas, storage and can even be used for additional bedrooms and bathrooms.

When you are building a brand new home, there are so many decisions that you have to make with regards to personalization including your choice of flooring, countertops, cabinets, and of course, whether or not to finish your basement right away.

The plan for your unfinished or finished basement will likely occur during your initial conversations with your Sales Representative (hopefully prior to home excavation) and we can generally accommodate most homeowner possibilities. We will always do our best to work with you to create a basement space that suits your needs and budget. If your goal is an extravagant sports themed man cave, we can work with you to have television cables, pre-wired surround sound systems, and even specialized lighting implemented for your perfect home theatre.

If you plan on finishing the basement yourself – that’s ok too! After your home is completed, just remember that it’s likely you may have to hire a separate contractor to do the work if you’re not as handy, and you won’t be able to roll the cost of that renovation into your mortgage, like you can if the builder completes the work. The finished basement option can be extremely financially appealing for most homeowners, and working with your builder in the beginning stages of construction (to coordinate the implementation of rough-ins, wiring, etc.) can save you from dealing with problems down the road.

No matter what decision you make with regards to your basement, in the end, it is YOUR home and we want you to be comfortable. Be open and honest with your Sales Representative every step of the way to maximize all your options and make the best decision for you.