{"id":539,"date":"2016-12-31T00:42:00","date_gmt":"2016-12-31T00:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.brothersconstruction.com\/?p=539"},"modified":"2017-01-31T03:32:31","modified_gmt":"2017-01-31T03:32:31","slug":"basement-finishing-answers-materials","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brothersconstruction.com\/basement-finishing-answers-materials\/","title":{"rendered":"Basement Finishing Answers: Materials"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Best \"finished \"Brothers \"Brothers<\/h2>\n

Introduction To Choosing Basement Finishing Materials:<\/h2>\n

Choosing custom finishes (tile, stone, flooring, paint) is one of the pleasures of partnering with a basement finishing contractor. Because most people live in a previously owned home, a basement finishing project is a rare opportunity to create an entire floor of custom, living space that expresses a unique aesthetic vision. \u00a0However, the fulfillment of this vision is frequently thwarted by basement finishing material choices that are overly trendy or gimmicky, of poor quality, installed improperly, or of dubious taste. It is the purpose of this article to guide homeowners through the process of choosing tile, granite, cabinetry, flooring, etc. for their basement finishing project. \u00a0Chosen properly, the installation of these materials will transform what might have been merely a professional yet bland functional space into a vibrant and luxurious lifestyle retreat that highlights the benefits of excellent taste.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Part One: the varieties of basement finishing contractor, homeowner, and supplier relationships<\/h2>\n

If the final appearance of the basement finishing project is paramount to your overall satisfaction with the project then you must choose a finished basement contractor who will give you the maximum number of material choices within your budget. \u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/em>Basement finishing contractors can be separated into two distinct types relative to how they go about giving clients the ability to pick out tile, cabinetry, flooring and other basement finish materials. Below is a summary of each of these different basement material acquisition methods that importantly differ as to the amount of choice and input. A letter grade for each type follows the summary. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

BYOM or Bring Your Own Materials Contractors:<\/h3>\n

The first type of contractor sets up a\u00a0‘bring your own materials’ \u00a0(BYOM) material acquisition method whereby the homeowner buys and delivers all of the tile, cabinetry, flooring etc. that is needed for the basement finishing project. In some cases the basement finishing contract stipulates material allowance numbers that stipulate how much money is included in the total price in the contract for each type of basement finish. In other cases the contract assumes that the homeowner buys and delivers the materials out of pocket.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The advantage to this arrangement is that it gives the highest degree of autonomy to the homeowner in choosing the various finish materials. If a homeowner is expert in finding reputable suppliers and has the time to arrange for delivery and paperwork then the greater freedom that this arrangement allows might be a good choice. However, most homeowner neither have the time or the expertise and this type of arrangement often obscures the true cost of the finished basement project once all of the materials have been purchased and delivered by the homeowner. Additionally, and perhaps most importantly, this arrangement unnecessarily adds other possibly responsible parties in any warranty issue that might arise. For this reason alone the ‘bring your own materials’ (BYOB) arrangement is to be avoided. \u00a0GRADE: C minus<\/p>\n

Finished Basement Contractors with Dedicated Basement Material Showrooms:<\/h3>\n

Basement finishing companies that have their own brick and mortar showrooms or design centers and are direct dealers for various tile, cabinetry, flooring, and plumbing providers usually set up an all inclusive arrangement with homeowners. In this case, the contract for the finished basement includes finishes that are displayed in the contractor’s showroom. This method has a number of advantages.<\/p>\n

One, it is likely that the homeowner will have far more selection within their defined budget as direct dealers enjoy significant price discounts on the materials that they display. Moreover, these price discounts are much lower than those enjoyed by designers that do not have their own showroom. \u00a0Also, homeowners are guaranteed to have the most updated selection of materials as the reps. for the different tile, carpet, cabinetry lines visit showrooms frequently to update their displays. Finally, this all inclusive approach gives homeowners the piece of mind to know that any problems that may arise from the materials chosen will be handled by the contractor who has a direct and longstanding relationship with the material suppliers<\/a>. GRADE: A<\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/h2>\n

When choosing a contractor for your basement finishing project it is imperative that a wide variety of updated, high quality material choices are available for selection by the homeowner. Basement finishing contractors who have a dedicated showroom<\/a> are much more likely to provide the means by which a homeowner can create a custom, unique living space that expresses the style of the household.<\/p>\n

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\"Brothers
\u00a0 Design Center and Basement Finishing showroom in Historic Downtown Littleton, Colorado. Proudly featuring basement cabinetry from\u00a0Aristokraft Basement and Kitchen Cabinetry<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Basement
\u00a0Since 1978, basement finishing\u00a0with integrity<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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