The first step to any great basement finish or remodeling project is merging the perfect design, existing conditions, and your ideal budget together creating the best case scenario for you moving forward.

Hiring a skilled knowledgeable contractor to assist you in achieving this goal can save you both time and money. A good contractor has the experience and team at his disposal to make your project a success. Utilizing specialized tradesmen Ohio Home Doctor can typically complete your basement finish in 4-6 weeks. Ohio Home Doctor uses our experience to efficiently organize and manage day to day operations eliminating guess work.

Depending on your budget there are a few ways to proceed to attain the results you desire. For projects under $25,000 it is typically best for the design work to be completed by Ohio Home Doctor’s skilled in house basement designer. This eliminates architects and engineering fees which are sometimes burdensome when budget is a primary focus. When planning basement renovations exceeding $25,000 often times it can be helpful to enlist the service of an architect, designer, or both to hone your wishes into the elegant functional space your are looking for. Ohio Home Doctor has developed relationships with some of Dayton’s finest designers and architects and we are happy to refer you to a design team which fits your desires, vision, and budget.

No matter what your basement finishing needs are do yourself a favor and call Ohio Home Doctor at (937)605-6882 today to schedule a time to receive a free in home initial consultation to see if our company is a good fit for you and your project. Remember proper prior planning prevents poor performance

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As drop ceiling designs see more and more popularity in recent years, they’ve proven themselves to be a stylish and practical choice for basement remodeling.  Here are some important that you should consider considered  when considering a ceiling for your basement.   You will need  access the ceiling when ever you want to add new wires, lighting etc. Which is not like your other floors that may have been drywalled or covered in some other fashion.

We will now give you the positives and negatives that we see everyday dealing with basement suspened ceiling tiles and try to point out some of the different options you may want to consider.

Suspended Ceilings Dropped Ceilings or Drop Ceilings:

If there is enough head room clearance in your basement one of the easiest ways that you can  cover the ceiling is installing a drop ceiling also known as a suspended ceiling.  Suspended ceilings are made up of consist metal bars forming a grid pattern and form a letter T which are hung from wires that are attached to the joists above them.

These metal channels are snapped  together and form either a 2×2 ora 2×4 square. At this point these squares are inserted with the acoustical ceiling tiles or ceiling panels that you have chosen.  There are many advantages to this type of ceiling such as, the ceiling tile panels can be accessed for wiring, any  plumbing work or duct work.

Rewiring, from a basement to another floor is no problem now, for the running of  telephone or cable or TV, stereo wires and speakers or security systems or a doorbell or even  Ethernet wires.  Additionally, adding  insulation to the top of these panels is now a easy project.. The acoustic properties which are inherent in the panels also help decrease noise levels to help keep your basement and the above rooms a little quieter.

Acoustical tiles have made great advances over the last 10yrs.

There is now a  variety of acoustical tile styles, colors and grids from which you can choose. There are artistic tiles, vintage tin, wood planks, copper,  faux metal, faux wood, and custom painted ceiling  tiles. available from which you can choose from.  Using a sponge that is lightly dampened, your can wash the tiles.

What Suspended or Dropped Ceilings Can Offer You:

• Installs quickly, with no mess.
• Compatible with recessed and suspended lighting.
•  Helps muffle basement sounds from the floor above.
• Convenient access to cables, pipes, ducts, and electrical wires.
• Damaged tiles are easily and inexpensively replaced.
• Easy, inexpensive repair should a tile be damaged.
• An attractive, cost-effective solution.

However, here are some disadvantages to suspended or dropped ceilings.

Count on losing about four inches of head-space. But that same space is invaluable when used for the purposes listed above.

Drywalling the ceiling:

If you are looking for a professional appearance then finishing the ceiling with drywall will provide a warmer look than the commercial looking appearance of a suspended ceiling.  It will also help to match the other ceilings in your home.

The process of sheet rocking your ceiling involves installing  framing for the backing. Any duct work must be boxed  in and the service panels will need accounting for to access the plumbing valves, tub or shower J-traps, or any other areas for mechanical service.  Drywalling  a ceiling in your basement is work intensive besides being  expensive. Also running of any wires or cables to the floors above can be time consuming, quite often difficult and may be expensive.

Even though your drywall ceilings may  have a finished look your ceiling panels can be replaced and, when any  plumbing problems do arise,  any ceiling panels can  be taken out and popped back in, whereas  any drywall replacement will involve cutting out a portion, repeated patching, additional sanding and the refinishing of the drywall area  and repainting.

Drywall ceilings can be textured, stippled or painted. Although most people seem to apply a stippled finish, you have many more choices regarding the finish that you apply to your drywall ceiling. Suspended ceilings come in a number of varieties of finish and colors, however you generally do not have the same flexibility with suspended ceilings that you have with drywall.

Installation time and difficulty are about the same, although they each will need different tools and skill sets.  If you are having a difficult time choosing which way to go, then you might consider going for both. It is possible to dry wall areas where you will not need any to access wiring or plumbing and such, and install suspended ceilings throughout the remaining basement areas.

Finished basements in high demand in the housing markets of today throughout the U.S.  For a home’s equity in the long term, the finished basement proves to be a great asset.  But for this to occur  the remodeling and finishing of a basement must have a professional look to it will take not only careful planning but considerable forethought.

To ensure that your investment will not be compromised, taking care to address each step in the process is critical for success.

So to wrap up, if flexibility to add something in the future is important for you then maybe you want to consider a suspended ceiling. On the other hand if you prefer finished look and are not concerned about future modifications, then drywall is probably the best for you.

Call Ohio Home Doctor for a free suspended or dropped ceiling estimate for your basement or any other project for your home at… (937) 605-6882

The post All About Acoustical Suspended/Drop Ceiling Design and Installation appeared first on Ohio Home Doctor.

Even the nicest finished basements always lack one very important thing, natural light.  Natural light livens up a room, allows for natural plants to flourish, and generally just makes people happier. Imagine sitting in your basement office or basement bedroom and being able to gaze out and see the sunny day around you.

This ability will undoubtedly make you smile and is just one advantage of having Ohio Home Doctor install an egress window for you.  Choosing an egress window contractor  in Dayton Ohio and the greater Miami Valley is a decision that must be made with care.  Do not be fooled by do-it-yourself blogs which can make it sound easy.  Installing an egress window is an involved and very technical task.

In order to install one, your foundation must be cut, yes the foundation which holds your house up.  Also the drainage system must be properly tied into your home’s existing drainage system.

Be sure to ask potential egress window contractors how they intend to do this, and pay attention.  If you feel like they don’t know the answer, be concerned.  Improper installation can be disastrous and turn your potential gem into a never ending nightmare.

Also ask how they intend to cut the foundation.  If they say anything other than a track mounted hydraulic wet saw tell them, “ Thanks, but no thanks!”  Installing an egress window is not a job for a handyman or weekend warrior.

Be sure to select an insured, bonded member of the Better Business Bureau.  Ohio Home Doctor is proud to be Dayton Ohio’s premier egress window installer. We have installed every style of egress window well and have weeded out the low quality and over priced options for you.

According to Webster’s dictionary,  the term “Egress” is defined as, “to emerge” or “a path out”.  The literal definition is very appropriate since egress windows provide just that, “a path out” through your typically impenetrable basement walls.

In the greater Dayton Ohio and Miami Valley area, the building codes dictate that any basement containing a bedroom or sleeping room must contain an egress window and approved egress window well system to facilitate occupants’ escape in case of fire or other natural disaster.

Adding an egress window not only provides priceless peace of mind, but also adds value to your home, and increases your quality of life while spending time in your finished basement.  In Ohio, without a properly installed egress window, you as a homeowner cannot claim the finished square footage in your basement even if there is no bedroom.

When you list your home, the MLS listing will ignore all finished footage in your finished basement possibly causing potential buyers to pass over your listing, not knowing your home meets their square footage requirements.  This being said, installing an egress window and egress window well, yields incomparable returns on your investment.

The square footage of a typical basement has an equal amount of square footage as each floor above.  Imagine what adding a couple of bedrooms, a bathroom, and multiplying the total square feet in your home will do for its value.  In this housing market every seller needs every advantage he or she can get to stand out from the house down the street. Adding an egress window and egress window well in Dayton Ohio will do just that for you.

Ohio Home Doctor can install an egress window while we finish your basement, or in your already finished basement.

Installing egress windows while basement remodeling can maximize the cost effectiveness of both projects.  Cutting the foundation allows us to bring drywall, and other building materials, easily into the basement, an advantage which has obvious benefits if you have ever had to carry anything into yours.

Also doing both projects simultaneously eliminates interior finishing costs.

Egress window installation codes in Dayton Ohio mirror those of national standards.  The window sill may be no more than 44 inches from the finished floor with a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet.  This means when the window is in open position the accessible opening must be equal to or greater than 5.7 square feet.

The best type of window for achieving this requirement and minimizing the penetration through your home’s basement foundation walls are casement, or “crank out” windows.  When open, these windows provide nearly 100% of the window’s rough opening size as an escape opening.  Code also has requirements for the type of window well and amenities the egress window well you select provides. Call today and we can schedule a time to discuss which options are best for you and your needs.

There is one last misconception I would like to clarify.

I have heard people argue, “ The only window I will put in my basement is glass block” because of security concerns.  I am here to tell you, a properly installed egress window can provide even more security than glass block windows.  This is because of the several security covers offered by various manufacturers, and the additional barrier when a potential thief must penetrate two obstacles instead of one.

Ohio Home Doctor also installs full egress walkout doors regardless of your home’s dirt grade.  We have several relatively inexpensive options to install a door entering and exiting your basement.  The possibilities this remodeling option will provide for you are endless.

We have installed many types of full egress walk out door and stair systems and have received positive feedback from other industry professionals on our innovative ideas, and cost effective techniques for achieving functional basement doors where people thought they could never exist.

Ohio Home Doctor will be happy to provide you with the egress window installation you deserve.

Let us show you how easy it can be!

Call Ohio Home Doctor today at (937) 605-6882 and schedule a time to discuss the different options we have available and to receive a free estimate that meets your requirements and budget.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Matt Geddis
Ohio Home Doctor Inc.

While your here on this page, why not take a minute to quick jump over to our egress window suppliers and take a look at all the options there are to choose from.

Take a look here:  http://www.WellCraftWells.com

And Here:  http://www.redi-exit.com

We hope this information about what you should know about walk out basement and egress window construction has helped you understand the conditions required for your walk out and egress window needs.

The post What You Should Know About Walk Out Basement and Egress Window Construction appeared first on Ohio Home Doctor.

Basement Ceiling systems: Drywall: Drywall ceilings provide a clean fluent finish ad are available in many different finishes and textures.

While beautiful and clean they do prohibit running new wires and working on above mechanicals. If drywall is your material of choice make sure you include the plenty of lightning and design the rooms to accommodate changing lifestyles (play room to pool hall) so that the finished rooms in your basement will be multifunctional and suit your diverse needs.

Acoustical Ceilings: Acoustical ceilings are know under several names such as: drop ceilings, suspended ceilings, and panel and frame ceilings.

In the last 15 years companies have developed numerous different styles of these ceilings offering choices that vary significantly from the one you probably have in your office. Acoustical ceilings provide excellent sound retention and make running new wires or addressing above mechanical issues in the future simple.

Lightning, outlets, and mechanicals can be added, altered, or removed with comparably little effort and absolutely no painting or drywall mess.

OHD Healthy Living Basement Finishing Techniques: Over the Years Ohio Home Doctor has perfected a proprietary technique for maximizing the quality of your basement finishing or remodeling project. We have combined innovative moisture extraction methods, foundation treatments and top coats, and the latest in micro-ban materials and techniques specifically designed to provide you with the healthiest finished basement on the market.

One deep breath of our finished product and you will feel the Ohio Home Doctor difference. Not all basement finishing contractors in Dayton Ohio are created equally.

Call Ohio Home Doctor Inc. today at (937) 605-6882 and talk to the best acoustical ceiling contractor in the Dayton, Ohio area.

to find out which basement ceiling system would be best for you situation.

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