Do you have a small house? If so, you might want to consider adding a small basement to your home. A small basement can be used for many different purposes, such as storage, an additional bedroom, and even as a home office.
However, having a small basement doesn’t mean that it can’t be used efficiently. We’ll go over some helpful advice in this piece to get your modest basement project off the ground. Read on for more information.
If you’re anything like many Americans—tight on space and cash—you may want to look into adding a small basement to your home. A modest basement may be utilized for a variety of things, including storage, an extra bedroom, and even as a home office. It’s not necessary for it to be a box or a closet. It just requires some planning and execution! Here are five helpful tips that will get you started on the right track:
Get a Grip On Your Budget
One of the first steps in any project is to get a grip on your budget. While the average person thinks of a small basement as a luxury, it’s actually not the case. Your cramped space will definitely see a lot of your time, and you’ll undoubtedly want to use it frequently. So, the question is, how much should you spend on a small basement?
The fact is, you can’t know exactly how much you’ll need until you get started. The key here is to look at your lifestyle. What percentage of your time will you spend in the small room? If you spend most of your day there, you are aware of the necessity for room to move around.
Build with the Natural
The first thing to know about adding a small basement to your home is to ignore the concrete and pick up the dirt. Yes, it may sound contrary to popular belief, but you don’t have to go out and buy tons of expensive equipment to build a small house. All you need is a trim level, a few lumber scraps, and your bare hands.
So, before you dig into the walls and foundations, think about what type of materials would be best for your specific location. Do you need a heavy dirt wall? Do you live in an area where it snows a few times a year? When it comes to foundations, you have a few different options. You can either build with concrete, dirt, or a combination of the two.
While concrete doesn’t require any supplemental materials to work appropriately, soil foundations can hold up better against Mother Nature’s weather. They’re also easier to mason and have the potential to look much more authentic than a dirt foundation.
Set Up Proper Maintenceing
Although you don’t have to mow your lawn or sweep the leaves into a pile at the end of the driveway, it’s a good idea to keep your small house site adequately mowed. This will not only keep your grass looking neat and happy, but it will also prevent soil-born diseases and insects from sneaking in.
This is particularly important if you’re planning on adding a greenhouse or a small child. Maintaining a small house lawn is a constant struggle in today’s world, so this is a small sacrifice you should consider making.
When it comes to keeping your small house site tidy, there are a few things you can do without worrying about. Maintain the boundary wall between your property and the next. This will prevent your small house from looking out of place and will give your home a neat, clean look. If you do have neighbors, keep them on your side of the fence. This will help you keep your tiny house secure from the elements and other unwanted visitors.
Have a Plan Before You Start
When you’re just getting started on your tiny house project, it’s best to have a plan in place. This will not only help you stay organized, but it will also help you stay focused. As you begin to break ground for your new home, it can be challenging to know where your energy should be focused. You don’t want to start laying the foundation and immediately begin adding rooms. Start with the basics and work your way up.
This will not only help you stay on track, but it will also help you avoid getting bogged down in details you’re not comfortable finishing. One helpful tool when it comes to designing a tiny house is a room-by-room checklist.
Using this checklist will help you mark off the items you need to complete each room in your home. This will not only help you stay focused, but it will also help you stay on schedule.
Find the Right Materials
One of the best things about small homes is that you get the opportunity to use whatever materials are already in your house. In some cases, this can be a positive. Say, for example, you have a wood-burning fireplace in your living room. Wood-burning stoves are pretty outdated, but they can look great in a small house.
In this case, using wood will be a great asset. However, in others, using materials from your home can be a turn-off. You should carefully examine both your functional and aesthetic demands when planning your small house renovation if you want to maximize its potential. For example, you don’t want to use things that are too plain or cheap looking. On the other hand, you don’t want to use too many elaborate finishes.
If you spend too much money on unnecessary accessories, you’ll end up unhappy with your purchase—no matter how nice the piece looks.
Conclusion
A small basement is an excellent addition to any house. It can be used as a home office, additional bedroom, or storage space. If you’re tight on space or cash, a small basement can be a great way to save money.
You can even use a small basement as a great way to store items, like a bike or other things you don’t use very often. When you have a small basement, there is plenty of room to grow. If you add a little space, you can add another bed or a chest of drawers—or even a desk! Whatever you need space for, you can probably find it in a small basement.
