Steps to Take Before Finishing Your Basement

Finishing your basement can be a big investment. That's why it's important to get the job done right the first time. Otherwise, one bad rainstorm could put your brand-new basement underwater overnight. 

We always recommend some type of basement waterproofing prior to starting your basement finishing project. This ensures that any leaks, water seepage, or potential flooding will be properly managed to protect your investment.

Below are the most common steps we recommend to homeowners before they finish their basement:

1.  Assess the exterior and interior of your home and foundation for potential water or structural problems:

Before a basement can be finished, it needs to be thoroughly assessed for cracks, leaks, bowing or leaning walls, and other potential structural concerns. Simply covering these problems up with drywall will come back to bite you in the future. It's better to take care of them now, rather than having to tear out your finished basement and get the issues fixed later.

2. Address any structural or foundation concerns:

If there are signs of foundation settlement, such as cracked, leaning, or bowing walls, we may recommend a non-invasive solution like our CarbonArmor fiber wall straps. This system stabilizes foundation walls and allows them to be sealed up to prevent leaks and water seepage.

3. Install a basement waterproofing system with a sump pump

Lastly, prior to finishing a basement, we recommend installing a full perimeter interior drainage system. We offer our WaterGuard drainage system, which is installed beneath the basement slab to drain water whether it be wall seepage, floodwater, or water beneath the basement slab. WaterGuard integrates with our TripleSafe sump pump system to pump water out of the basement and away from the home's foundation. With this system in place, your finished basement will stay dry and protected from water damage.

After completing each of the above steps, your basement is ready to finish! Mid-State Basement Systems can help see your basement finishing project through from beginning to end with our full suite of Total Basement Finishing products. This includes walls, flooring, ceiling tiles, doors, and more: All designed specifically for basement environments for maximum durability and water resistance.

To learn more about finishing your basement with us, you can visit our Total Basement Finishing page or give us a call at 1-614-696-6400 to schedule your free basement inspection and waterproofing/finishing estimate today!