15 May Create a Home Office in the Basement

Creating a basement home office can provide a comfortable working space that isn’t constantly interrupted. Here’s how to set one up properly.

With the state of the economy, people are looking more and more into working at home. In fact, millions of people are now working from their homes and the numbers are rising as the people are cutting out the daily commute more and more.

When working at home, it is important that people have a place at home where they can work comfortably and quietly. In the northern states, basements are popular and can be a great place for an at-home office.

Seal the Basement

The first step to making a basement a home office is to make sure that it is a comfortable environment. Making sure that the basement is moisture- and mold-free is very important. Also, contractors should be hired to put up moisture sealants. When someone is building a basement, they should not be cheap on this step… a good sealant can ensure a moisture free environment. A bad sealant can make the working environment very uncomfortable as well as unhealthy. See more information about the health risks of mold in the home.

Set Up Office

The person working in the basement should make up a list of things they must have in their office and things they would like to have in their office. Things most basement offices should have are good lighting, ventilation, and a good cooling system. The office should have a desk that includes a computer, printer, a telephone, and a fax.

Adding Bathroom and Kitchenette

The basement should be redesigned to include a bathroom so it is not necessary to constantly go back into the house. It may seem like a luxury, but it is important to have a mini kitchen that includes a small microwave, mini-fridge, and coffee maker. This allows the person who is working in the office to be comfortable in their environment and not have a constant excuse to go back to the main part of the house. That’s not very good for managing time while working at home. All these things can be picked up pretty cheap at Wal-Mart or using Home Depot coupons.

If the basement office happens to be in the same area as the laundry room, then the owner should consider building a wall to keep out the noise. A simple wall can be built to do this and it can save the office worker a lot of aggravation. Air and proper lighting are very important to have in a basement office. Make sure the basement has a good air condition system or make sure a proper natural ventilation system is hooked up. There are commercial ventilation systems, but it’s also possible to create a basement ventilation system that will get the job done. Proper air flow is important to working safely and comfortably.

A few simple lamps to distribute throughout the basement should take care of the lighting issue. Good energy saver light bulbs should be used to get the best results possible.

Just like renovating any room in a home, basement remodeling has its own challenges. However, these challenges can be overcome when the homeowner considers what they need to know about home improvement. The good thing about basement renovations is that any existing problems are exposed and the budget will not be rocked by sudden surprises.