Hello World! Welcome Friends! You might have great ideas for upgrading your basement, but it can get tricky to find the time and room in your budget when raising children — it happens to most parents. Fortunately, these budget-friendly basement upgrades are practical, quick and affordable.
1. Insulate the Subflooring
Rigid foam board insulation is one of the most practical, budget-friendly basement upgrades. Although it’s supposed to be for walls, you can use it on your floors. It’s the most affordable way to keep the room comfortable and elevate its appearance.
These panels have a fantastic insulation rating, keeping your basement nice and cozy year-round. They only cost around $1 per square foot on average, which is 50% less expensive than other subfloor boards. Plus, they dampen sound — a great feature when you have loud children — and improve your home’s energy efficiency.
You might be wondering what the catch is. While the boards are a great addition to most homes, they can trap moisture. Since external water build-up is among the most common causes of basement flooding, pairing them with a vapor barrier is a good idea to keep everything dry.
2. Use Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper
Peel-and-stick wallpaper is one of the best budget-friendly basement upgrades. It’s become popular in recent years, so there’s an enormous amount of styles to choose from. Although you’ll have to wash the walls and wait around 12-24 hours for the moisture to dry before beginning, the application process is fast. It’s a super convenient upgrade for busy parents.
3. Create an Accent Wall
If you’re searching for budget-friendly basement upgrades with the biggest bang for your buck, look no further than accent walls. You can use them to create a visual centerpiece and draw attention where you want it — a great feature if your space is unfinished. Plus, they brighten up your space and breathe some life into it.
There’s no limit to your options if you get creative. For example, you can install wall frame molding and then paint over it to achieve a unique accent wall. It only takes one hour at most to measure, cut and hang each wall frame. Although its price depends on the type of material you get, it can cost as low as $1 per linear foot.
4. Paint the Walls
Painting your basement gives you a cheap, easy and permanent upgrade. Covering your walls in a light color can make the room feel more spacious and bright. If you want something more subtle, use the same shade in a different gloss level. For example, if you have a matte tan wall, you could create an abstract pattern using tan semi-gloss.
5. Add Shelves
Every parent would benefit from some extra storage space. Floating shelves are a great idea if you want to keep your nice trinkets out of your kids’ reach. You can get them in metal, wood, glass or plastic — whatever fits your budget. They might be a small addition, but the decoration can add a lot of life to a room.
If you have some DIY experience, try your hand at installing built-in shelves. You don’t even need to tear down a wall — surrounding a bookcase with drywall can make it look like a recessed storage area. It can be time-consuming, but the materials are affordable.
6. Install New Flooring
Brand-new flooring is one of the best ways to immediately change a basement’s atmosphere on a budget. Vinyl or laminate are some of your best choices because they’re soft and durable, meaning you can drop something without it breaking or scratching your new floors. Best of all, they only cost $2-$7 per square foot on average.
7. Add Extra Lighting
New lighting is one of the most classic budget-friendly basement upgrades since most don’t have windows. It always brightens up a space and makes it feel complete. Depending on your ceiling’s height, you can install recessed or hanging fixtures. If you want them to draw attention, choose something large and match the room’s style.
8. Upgrade the Stairs
Every basement has stairs, so they’re a great feature to upgrade. While the steps are the most obvious things to change, they require a lot of work and aren’t always kid-friendly. For example, wood can be too slippery for little ones even though it looks fantastic. Instead, you can add hand-painted designs or wallpaper to the risers to get the look you’re going for.
Alternatively, you can replace the railing with something more to your taste or simply repaint it. If you like your stairs the way they are, consider adding a nook under them. You could put in bookshelves, a seating area or a closet for extra storage — you know it’ll come in handy when guests visit and you want to hide your kids’ toys to make it seem like they’re tidy little angels.
9. Add a Baseboard
A baseboard is perfect for homes with kids because it’s practical and aesthetic. It’s especially a great idea to install it if you’re redoing your flooring because it hides imperfections and small gaps. As a bonus, it only costs $0.60-$1.20 per linear foot on average.
10. Stain Your Floor
Most parents juggle their own work and hobbies with their children’s school and extracurricular activities. Usually, it’s hard to find time to unwind, much less to commit to a big home upgrade. Luckily, you can use concrete stain to elevate your space in a single day.
Although acid stains are nearly permanent, they’re tricky to perfect because you need to know when to stop the chemical reaction. The water-based version should be your go-to since it comes in a wide variety of colors and is much easier to work with.
You Can Build a Better Basement on a Budget
Each of these upgrades has a massive impact on the room, so you don’t need to get involved in a complete renovation to make it look better. You’ll have no problem finding the time and money to upgrade your basement with these budget-friendly options — and your family will be able to enjoy the space in no time.
Click the links below for any posts you have missed:
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