Cost estimate for basement

[Anonymous]

We have ~ 400 sq foot basement we would like to refinish. Here is what needs to be done. Does anyone have any idea of the cost?

1. Remove drop ceiling tiles/frame and install drywall ceiling.
2. Rip out old carpet and replace with new nicer carpet for ~300 square feet
3. For the entryway, tile ~50 sq feet
4. Rip out an old washroom sink
5. Install a new sink in the bathroom
6. Move the wall next to the bathroom over three feet to fit the new sink (so new frame and drywall).
7. Paint walls white/beige

That's it.

[Anonymous]

Will you DIY any of it?

[Anonymous]

This doesn't seem like a basement refinish. It just sounds like some projects you want to do in your basement. I'd probably just call someone to do the floors, someone else to do the ceilings/move wall/drywall, a plumber and then a painter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This doesn't seem like a basement refinish. It just sounds like some projects you want to do in your basement. I'd probably just call someone to do the floors, someone else to do the ceilings/move wall/drywall, a plumber and then a painter.

This is what I was wondering. Seems like we would get ripped off using a contractor, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Will you DIY any of it?

Besides painting, probably not.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Any suggestions as to how we can find someone to rip out the ceiling tiles and the carpet? Can we hire a handyman for this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Any suggestions as to how we can find someone to rip out the ceiling tiles and the carpet? Can we hire a handyman for this?

A handyman would be the most cost effective, yes. The carpet installers also do carpet removal.

Carpet is super easy to remove. Get a good knife and you can do it yourself. We dispose of it in our regular trash over a few weeks and don't pay for removal.

[Anonymous]

Taking out the ceiling is very, very simple. Pulling up the carpet takes some elbow grease but is very simple too.

For ceilings, remove the tiles, leaving the grid. Take a pair of wire cutters and cut the wires attaching the grid to the ceiling. Start in one corner and work your way across the room. Separate the pieces and bundle. Use a pair of pliers to unscrew the hooks in the floor joists.

For the carpet, pry up a corner using a crowbar and star pulling. It is only attached around the edges. Roll. Do the same with the padding. Use a small crowbar to pry up the carpet strips. Wear gloves.

In a room this small this total demo should take a Saturday to accomplish.

Rent a truck from home depot for under $30.00. Load up the truck and drop is off at the county dump. Fairfax county charges a nonminal fee for this service.

Total cost: under $100.00 plus an afternoon of moderate work, less effort than you would spend doing a big yardwork day. No skill necesaary.

[Anonymous]

For the money you will save on ripping out that stuff yourself, you can add some recessed lighting...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taking out the ceiling is very, very simple. Pulling up the carpet takes some elbow grease but is very simple too.

For ceilings, remove the tiles, leaving the grid. Take a pair of wire cutters and cut the wires attaching the grid to the ceiling. Start in one corner and work your way across the room. Separate the pieces and bundle. Use a pair of pliers to unscrew the hooks in the floor joists.

For the carpet, pry up a corner using a crowbar and star pulling. It is only attached around the edges. Roll. Do the same with the padding. Use a small crowbar to pry up the carpet strips. Wear gloves.

In a room this small this total demo should take a Saturday to accomplish.

Rent a truck from home depot for under $30.00. Load up the truck and drop is off at the county dump. Fairfax county charges a nonminal fee for this service.

Total cost: under $100.00 plus an afternoon of moderate work, less effort than you would spend doing a big yardwork day. No skill necesaary.

This is helpful. Unfortunately, I'm up for it but not sure my husband is? But this Saturday of work would probably save us a lot of money!

[Anonymous]

As someone else mentioned, if you buy new carpet, they will tear out and haul your old carpet. So don't waste time with that. You won't get a discount (or if you do, it's like a $50 fee or something nominal).

You do need some kind of contractor/handyman (but not a "general contractor") for the ceiling drywall and moving a wall. I'd be inclined to just let them deal with the ceiling. If it's such an easy job for you to do on a Saturday, it's an even easier job for them to do -- in which case, the demo shouldn't add much to the cost. If you didn't otherwise have to bring in a contractor, I'd say just tear out the ceiling yourself. But not worth it since he'll already be coming.

Then plumber (2 hours of work?) and a painter.

Do it in this order:
- contractor to do ceiling and move wall. He can tear up the carpet around the existing wall while he's there.
- then tile (assuming they will remove existing tile - do this before carpet to avoid dust)
- then sink
- then carpet
- then paint (or do paint before carpet - depends on if existing carpet will get in the way of the paint).

Also - if you're moving a bathroom wall, do you need to retile the bathroom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taking out the ceiling is very, very simple. Pulling up the carpet takes some elbow grease but is very simple too.

For ceilings, remove the tiles, leaving the grid. Take a pair of wire cutters and cut the wires attaching the grid to the ceiling. Start in one corner and work your way across the room. Separate the pieces and bundle. Use a pair of pliers to unscrew the hooks in the floor joists.

For the carpet, pry up a corner using a crowbar and star pulling. It is only attached around the edges. Roll. Do the same with the padding. Use a small crowbar to pry up the carpet strips. Wear gloves.

In a room this small this total demo should take a Saturday to accomplish.

Rent a truck from home depot for under $30.00. Load up the truck and drop is off at the county dump. Fairfax county charges a nonminal fee for this service.

Total cost: under $100.00 plus an afternoon of moderate work, less effort than you would spend doing a big yardwork day. No skill necesaary.

Well my mom did the ceiling thing, the problem is that in these old shit homes nothing is level so the drywall was not that easy to install.

[Anonymous]

where are you located we can check it out?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone else mentioned, if you buy new carpet, they will tear out and haul your old carpet. So don't waste time with that. You won't get a discount (or if you do, it's like a $50 fee or something nominal).

You do need some kind of contractor/handyman (but not a "general contractor") for the ceiling drywall and moving a wall. I'd be inclined to just let them deal with the ceiling. If it's such an easy job for you to do on a Saturday, it's an even easier job for them to do -- in which case, the demo shouldn't add much to the cost. If you didn't otherwise have to bring in a contractor, I'd say just tear out the ceiling yourself. But not worth it since he'll already be coming.

Then plumber (2 hours of work?) and a painter.

Do it in this order:
- contractor to do ceiling and move wall. He can tear up the carpet around the existing wall while he's there.
- then tile (assuming they will remove existing tile - do this before carpet to avoid dust)
- then sink
- then carpet
- then paint (or do paint before carpet - depends on if existing carpet will get in the way of the paint).

Also - if you're moving a bathroom wall, do you need to retile the bathroom?

This is VERY helpful. So currently the entryway into the basement (from the outside) and the bathroom are both cheap linoleum. I assume they have to pull that up and then put down tile or whatever material we plan on using (bamboo?). Once you pass the entryway into the "Rec room" the linoleum turns into carpet.

Shouldn't we do the ceiling after moving the existing wall? Because the entire basement, including over the current bathroom, has this gross drop ceiling tile.

I guess we do need a permit b/c of the plumbing work or no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: where are you located we can check it out?

Are you able to send me an email address or is this against DCUM rules? I have no idea.