Before Pictures

Ok, here's what I was promising. The before shots.

The first picture is from the top step looking down. You can tell it's a mess already.







This next shot is at the bottom of the stairs turning the corner into the "workout" area. Not shown is the pile of hockey equipment at my feet. This area will still be a workout area but it will be nice!

Still in the workout area, the beam and posts separate the two rooms. The idea here is two walls enclosing the posts on each side with an archway between them. I'm not going to put a door in, no real point in it.




Still in the workout room, a view from the other side of the room.





Inside the pub room looking back towards the furnace, washing machine, etc. The water softener (blue box with black lid on the left) marks the extent of the pub room. The goal here is to make the room big enough for a pool table but yet leave enough unfinished area for storage, etc.

This next photo shows the area under the stairs. This will become storage and will be closed off with a door. The far right edge of the stairs is where the pub room wall will end. You can see we'll need some place to store our suitcases!


This last photo shows the view from where the door from the pub room to the unfinished section will be looking back towards the workout room. I sure hope I can fit a pool table down here...




Stay tuned for more pictures as cleanup begins next week.

Initial Estimate

My brother came over yesterday and we walked through a few ideas and he took measurements. Called me back last night. Not bad, only about $650 for materials (lumber, drywall, insulation, vapor barrier). He's itching to get started and even volunteered to help with the initial cleanup. We have a lot to do before he can do any work though and it won't happen for at least another week.

Stay tuned for the ugly before pictures!

Getting Started

I am getting ready to start a basement finishing project in which I will attempt to convert a huge mess into something more appealing.

I will share the trials and tribulations of this project as well as lots of pictures along the way.

The plan is to create 3 separate spaces within our L shaped basement. Area one will be a pub room, with a pool table, darts, satellite tv, bar. I'm thinking lots of Guiness signs, golf photo's, etc. The 2nd area will be a workout room with universal gym, treadmill, bike, etc and a couple lcd tv's on the walls. All sound and video for this room will be supplied by the a/v system in the pub room. The 3rd area will remain unfinished. It will consist of storage, workbench, tools, washer/dryer, furnace, etc.

I hope to use my brother as much as possible to help me out but plan to do most myself. I sure hope this doesn't take 2 years to finish.

First step: Clean out the crap! We have so much garbage down there that it will take us weeks just to throw out all the stuff we don't need so we have room to work.