Irish's it ain't no thatched cottage...
Posted: Sun Aug 30, 2020 1:18 pm
Before the world ended, we started a basement reno. It was already 2/3rd finished (drywall, drop ceiling, vinyl floor) but was really just a single, huge room that we never really used.
The idea was to add a bedroom with a egress window and a full egress door to the outside (It formerly had none).
We were also having them add an office and a bathroom in a previously unfinished area and having them frame out and finish the laundry room.
They started work in early March but for obvious reasons they only got a few weeks in before being forced to stop.
They resumed in June. It turned out that there was a "miscommunication" on the the Egress window and there was no way they could include it for what they quoted us (~$20,000). I was not happy, but for the total price we got I couldn't really complain.... much.
So we lose the ability to formally call it the 4th bedroom (the statute here is that there needs to be a direct means of egress)
But because of the door, we still get to claim the 3rd bathroom and the significant increase in square footage (+1200).
We have since added another $4K in various add-ons (Battery back-up, bluetooth, sump pumps, tearing up carpeting on stairs and refinishing, re routing AC Ductwork for efficiency, wiring and plumbing in the office for eventual potential conversion to kitchen)
Even with the additions, the price was so good we fully expect to recover our outlay when we sell.
Or if we decide to stay we could eventually rent the space out as a really good sized apartment.
The rub is that this husband and wife contractor team are slow as molasses. They only work 3-5 hours a day, 3 days a week on average. It is taking forever and frankly I was not (and am still not) crazy about them coming into our house even that much. But they are not working any other jobs and claim to take every precaution in their personal lives and frankly my wife was going to have a cow if I didn't let them back in.
I didn't take proper before and after photos but I will add what I do have shortly.
The idea was to add a bedroom with a egress window and a full egress door to the outside (It formerly had none).
We were also having them add an office and a bathroom in a previously unfinished area and having them frame out and finish the laundry room.
They started work in early March but for obvious reasons they only got a few weeks in before being forced to stop.
They resumed in June. It turned out that there was a "miscommunication" on the the Egress window and there was no way they could include it for what they quoted us (~$20,000). I was not happy, but for the total price we got I couldn't really complain.... much.
So we lose the ability to formally call it the 4th bedroom (the statute here is that there needs to be a direct means of egress)
But because of the door, we still get to claim the 3rd bathroom and the significant increase in square footage (+1200).
We have since added another $4K in various add-ons (Battery back-up, bluetooth, sump pumps, tearing up carpeting on stairs and refinishing, re routing AC Ductwork for efficiency, wiring and plumbing in the office for eventual potential conversion to kitchen)
Even with the additions, the price was so good we fully expect to recover our outlay when we sell.
Or if we decide to stay we could eventually rent the space out as a really good sized apartment.
The rub is that this husband and wife contractor team are slow as molasses. They only work 3-5 hours a day, 3 days a week on average. It is taking forever and frankly I was not (and am still not) crazy about them coming into our house even that much. But they are not working any other jobs and claim to take every precaution in their personal lives and frankly my wife was going to have a cow if I didn't let them back in.
I didn't take proper before and after photos but I will add what I do have shortly.
Fixed?