Basements

 

Basement Finish, Non-Structural 

Process overview:  Finish existing unfinished basement or demo existing and build new basement layout. 

What's Involved Preliminary:

  • Architectural basement layout design drawings including revisions [3 weeks]
  • Structural engineering design & report (if modifying structural elements) [3-5 weeks]
  • Estimate from Darlington Renovation [1-2 weeks]
  • Estimate contract approval [1 week]
  • Plan review and approval from Landmark for replacement windows (if building is located within designated historic district) [1-2 weeks]
  • Permit submittal and plan review with building department [1 week]
  • Total Preliminary timeline [8 weeks]  (some steps occur simultaneously) 

What's Involved Construction:  

  • Dust containment and work zone set up [1 day]
  • Demo of existing walls & ceilings [1 week]
  • Framing interior & exterior walls [1 week]
  • Install egress window/s & replacement windows [1 week}
  • Electrical, plumbing, HVAC rough-in installations including inspections [2 weeks]
  • Insulation and drywall including inspections [2-3 weeks]
  • Finishes including trim, painting, tiling, flooring, bathroom [3-4 weeks]
  • Total Construction timeline ~ [9 weeks]
  • Overall Total timeline ~ 17 weeks

Typical Cost: 1000 SF basement ~ $85k (NOTE: this is approx cost to achieve a finished basement with one bathroom, one or two bedrooms, laundry, mechanical/storage and a living room. Assumes new windows, new furnace with new ductwork plus new A/C, new electrical service, and new water heater).

Basement Dig Outs/Underpinning

Process overview:  Install new foundation under existing foundation and dig out basement interior.  

When is this a good idea?  Digging out and finishing a basement is certainly going to be cheaper than a pop top.  If you have low ceilings or a crawl space, a basement dig out and finish can provide comfortable space with lots of natural light.

What's Involved Preliminary:

  • Soil sample and soil report [6 weeks]
  • Architectural basement layout design drawings & site plan drawing including revisions [3 weeks]
  • Structural engineering design & report [3-5 weeks]
  • Estimate from Darlington Renovation [1-2 weeks]
  • Estimate contract approval [1 week]
  • Plan review and approval from Landmark (if building is located within designated historic district) [1-2 weeks]
  • Permit--includes initial plan review submittal, resubmittals and processing approval time with building department [4-6 weeks]
  • Total Preliminary timeline [12 weeks]  (some steps occur simultaneously) 

What's Involved Construction:

  • Dust containment and work zone set up [1 day]
  • Demo of existing walls & ceilings [1 week]
  • Saw cut and dig at future egress window location to provide dirt removal access [1 week]
  • Install beams and posts per structural engineering report (including temp walls and post footings) [1 week]
  • Dig out, build forms and pour new foundation walls and footings in sections and in a sequence per structural engineering report (including inspections by engineer or building official) [4-6 weeks]
  • Install new interior perimeter drain with sump pit [1 week]
  • Backfill and pour new basement slab [1 week]
  • Total Construction timeline ~ [8 weeks]
  • Overall Total timeline ~ 20 weeks

Typical Cost: 1000 SF basement ~ $60K (NOTE: this is approx cost to achieve an unfinished basement with head room of 8'. Does not include cost of underground plumbing or egress windows.)