why basements are the most important room in your house
i recently had the opportunity to present on the mainstage of the Calgary Renovation Show. the first few moments were a bit nerve-wracking for me, up on stage, by myself. public presentations are more intimidating than i remembered (pre-covid), but thankfully, i’m much better one-on-one with my customers.
the topic i presented on was ‘why basements are the most important room in your house.’ we’ve all walked into a beautiful house and been dazzled by an amazing kitchen. granite countertops, beautiful fixtures, herringbone backsplash, dramatic themes, ceiling accents and high end appliances. same thing with bathrooms. floor to ceiling tiles, undercab lighting treatments, floating tubs and spectacular wall accents.
these two areas, kitchens and bathrooms, form the first impressions we have of homes. they help increase the value of our home (usually 4-7%). realtors focus on these rooms to sell houses. most people will prioritize their renovation budget to these two rooms.
while kitchens may be the heart of a home, the basement, more specifically your foundation, is a key indicator of the health of a home. if you’re looking at buying or renovating a home, you won’t regret taking a close look at your foundation, from the outside and in the inside.
first, let’s start outside. take a walk around the perimeter of the house and run through this checklist:
is there negative grading? does the ground slope towards the house?
is there a path for water to drain away from the house?
is there parging or crumbling concrete around the base of the house?
is there discolouration or stains around base of the house?
is there cracking around the base of the house?
second, let’s go to the basement and run through this checklist:
does it smell damp, musty or organic?
are there warped or stained baseboards?
are there stains or efflorescence (white powder) on the walls or floors?
are there cracks in the walls or floors?
are the floors or foundation crumbling?
what do all of these questions have in common? they identify whether the house has water damage. if you answered yes to any of the above questions, it’s likely the house is not only susceptible but could already be damaged by water. damage, caused by water entering your home through a crack in your foundation, may not be covered by your insurance policy.
if you find any signs of water damage in your home, i’d like you to do three things: don’t panic, take pictures and call me. i specialize in foundation assessments and repair. as a registered professional engineer, i use my extensive background knowledge and engineering principles to explain what’s happening and how the issue can be repaired. my goal is to educate you, so you feel empowered to make the best decision for your foundation issue. i also offer piece of mind by covering all of my work with a 10-year workmanship guarantee.
