Turning Basement into Living Area is Complex Task

Q: I consider myself more skilled than the average Joe, so I have decided to finish my full basement - complete with a big, beautiful bathroom. Before I start, what should I address as far as moisture control and prep work?

Also, do I have to cut up the concrete to run the bathroom drains? What about venting the drains? I know enough about construction to know there will be many issues to address, and I don't want to forget anything. - Robert, New England

A: Finishing a basement is a great way to add valuable living space to any house, but beware: Basements are, by nature, wet and damp places that can take a toll on most building materials. The basement is also the area where things such as water heaters and water-based heating boilers might be found. Between the threat of groundwater rising or water heating equipment leaking, there is always a chance your basement can suffer severe water damage at any time.

Now that you know the risks, I can tell you some prep work is needed to control potential moisture and water problems.

First, you need to damp-proof the concrete basement walls and the floor. To do this, use a waterproofing paint or a waterproofing concrete coating that can be applied to the walls and floor. Follow the manufacturer's instructions in sealing all the concrete surfaces to drastically cut moisture in your basement.

Second, a sump and a sump pump need to be installed below the floor slab. The sump is basically a hole in the floor that collects water. The sump pump sends that water outdoors where it belongs. In the event of high groundwater due to heavy rain, the sump and pump should collect the water before it rises into the basement living area and divert it out of the basement.

The third part of the prep work should be to set up a dehumidifier station. A dehumidifier is key to controlling the moisture level in a basement. Set it up with a self-draining tank to eliminate the need of constantly emptying buckets of water.

Know, too, that most areas require permits to turn a basement into a living area. The local restrictions also will tell you how to install your bathroom vents and drain lines to meet code. However, when installing a bathroom in a basement, you can be sure the concrete floor will have to be cut up and dug out in some places to have places to run the main drain piping.

You have a big investment and a lot of work ahead of you. It's best to work slowly and fix up your full basement a step at a time.

Q: Ed, I'm a contractor. Recently, a very good customer called me to check out rusty water coming out of all the plumbing fixtures. I looked at it with my plumber, and he believes the rust is not from the street line and that it has to do with old galvanized pipe nipples stubbed out of the wall and used to connect the hot and cold water lines to the fixtures. My plumber says he cannot be responsible if the old piping breaks in the wall when removing the nipples, or if rusty water still comes out after the nipples are changed. How do I even propose this job to the customer with no warranty for any of the work? - Ryan, Washington, D.C.

A: Just like your plumber, put all the cards onto the table and told you what he thinks, you have to do the same for your clients. When dealing with old plumbing systems, especially with old materials such as lead or galvanized piping, you rarely can predict how extensive the repair can be.

The best-case scenario is all the old galvanized nipples come out easily, brass nipples can be installed and the rusty water soon goes away.

Worst case? All the nipples break in the wall, the walls have to be opened up and repiped and the rusty water still does not go away. Now you might be looking at extensive repair costs.

The solution is trust. Your customers need to know you are an honest contractor and you will do the best you can. Point out to them that anything can happen and they have to be prepared for this job mentally and financially before you start. On your end, keep them posted on every step of the job, or have them home while you and the plumber work so they know you're doing everything possible to keep costs down.

If you're hardworking and truthful with your customers, they will come to trust you with their homes. And that's what allows a successful contractor to make money.

MASTER PLUMBER AND CONTRACTOR ED DEL GRANDE IS THE HOST OF TV SHOWS AND LIVE EVENTS FOR HGTVPRO. SEND CONSTRUCTION AND PLUMBING QUESTIONS TO EDDELGRANDE@HGTVPRO.COM. VISIT ED AT ONLINE AT HGTVPRO.COM OR EDDELGRANDE.COM.

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