Anonymous wrote:OP here. No kids, but plan to. The existing finished part of the basement has an area we can use as a playroom. For now we’d use the extra room as a home gym (currently work out in unfinished area). FWIW would take sq ft of house from 2k to 2350.

If you can afford it, finish it before the kiddos. You will want the space as they get older, particularly if you have more than 1 kiddo. Once kids start arriving, your time, energy and patience will be a bit diverted.

OP here. No kids, but plan to. The existing finished part of the basement has an area we can use as a playroom. For now we’d use the extra room as a home gym (currently work out in unfinished area). FWIW would take sq ft of house from 2k to 2350.

What will you be doing with the extra room? That seem like it would be key. The excuse to access plumbing and electrical only makes sense if the entire basement was unfinished

Dealing with whatever floods (pipe, storm, etc)

Do you have it plan to have kids?

Cost and how much you’d use it.

Are there any? About 50% of our basement is already finished, and I would like to finish another 25% to give us one more real room, and leave the other 25% which has HVAC and W/D unfinished. DH thinks we should leave it unfinished so we have easy access to pipes in walls and electrical work in ceilings. What say you?