This project took an unfinished walkout basement and transformed it into the family’s "everyday hangout area." This case study will walk you through the plan development and finishes selected for this client. We hope that you find this helpful and inspiring as you begin the process of planning your own remodel!
Goals discussed with client:
- A cozy family room space
- A recreation area with a bar that included good access to the back yard
- A ¾ bathroom
- Good access to the storage/mechanical room
- A work out room
- A guest bedroom
- A mechanical solution that allows for zoned heating and cooling (separate thermostat for the lower level)
Before & After
Floor Plans
Original Floor Plan & Construction
The top of this plan is the ‘walk-out’ side of the home and originally had a 6’ patio door.
New Floor Plan
Hover over a hotspot to learn more about each feature of this project!
Changed the 6' patio door to a 9' wide 3 panel Marvin 'Elevate' door
Family Room with entertainment center
Unique Feature: Reading nook created under the staircase
Basement 3/4 bathroom
Guest bedroom
Workout Room (could also be used as a bedroom)
Unique Feature: The stairway was reframed at the base to create a split landing. This created easy access to both sides of the lower level.
Basement Bathroom
Starting at $38,520
- A custom vanity crafted at Sicora’s own cabinet shop.
- Species: Character grade oak
- Finish: Old Masters, ‘mist gray’ (same finish as the guardrail on the stairs)
- Tile floor: Tile By Design, 8” x 8” Cementine Black & White #2
- Fiberglass shower and surround
- Framed shower glass enclosure
- Acrylic counter top: matte white
- Vanity Light: Capital Lighting, C12183108432, Old Bronze
- Bath Faucet: Delta, Trinsic, matte black finish
- Deduct $2,500 if the plumbing in your home is already roughed in
- Electric, thermostatically controlled heated floor
- Fiberglass shower pan or a tiled shower floor & tiled walls
- 3/8” frameless shower enclosure
- Or include custom finishes of your choice!
Walk-Up Bar
Starting at $16,930
- Sicora’s custom cabinets
- Finish: Sherwin Williams, SW 7671, ‘On the Rocks’
- Countertop: Hanstone, ‘Chia’, polished with a 1/8” rounded edge
- Tile Backsplash: Kate-lo Tile & Stone, ‘Marble Verona blend’ 2” hex mosaic
- Flooring: Urban Floor, ‘Impala Oak’
- Wall Color: Benjamin Moore, 1464, ‘Light Pewter’ (throughout the lower level)
- Bar Sink: Sterling, ‘Springdale’, Stainless steel
- Bar faucet: Delta, ‘Essa’, Chrome finish
- Appliance installation
- LED under-cabinet lighting
- Glass cabinet doors
- Garbage disposal and dishwasher
- TV wiring and installation
Entertainment Center
Starting at $15,560
- Custom-built cabinet for storage
- TV mounting and installation
- 15’-wide wall assumed
- Thick character grade oak shelves, finished to match the bath vanity
- Decorative ship lap backdrop for the TV
- Carpet:
- Manufacturer: Philadelphia
- Style: ‘Kicking Back’ cut pile
- Color: 00712 Cocoa
- Engineered hardwood flooring
- Beams, columns, or other decorative details
- Bookshelves
Additional Living Area
Starting at $70 per square foot
1,200 sqaure feet of area finished
- Framing, insulation, and drywall installed
- Electrical: Recessed lighting and standard switches and outlets throughout
- Mechanical: Extending supplies and returns to all areas.
- Existing windows and patio doors assumed
Additional Considerations for Basement Finishing Projects
(Already existed in this home)
Sicora strongly recommends the installation of a drain tile system before finishing your lower level. This is some of the best insurance that you can buy to protect the investment that you’ll make in your lower level. Budget about $75 per lineal foot for the installation.
To learn more about these systems, visit this resource.
Before finishing your lower level, Sicora strongly recommends having your home tested for radon. If a radon system is needed, it is recommended to budget about $3,000 for the installation.
If you desire an upsized (from 100 to 200 amp) electrical panel, budget about $4,500.
Total Project Cost
#1. A ¾ bathroom: $38,250
#2. Walk-up bar: $ 16,930
#3. Entertainment center: $15,560
#4. Finished square footage: $84,000
- 1200 finished square feet desired TIMES $70
OPTIONS:
Zoned Heating/Cooling System: $7,000
SUBTOTAL: $154,740
Current pricing as of 03/17/25
Project Specifications
- Decorative hanging fixture (ie: ceiling fan):
- Allowance of $500/ea
- Wall-mounted sconces:
- Allowance of $150/ea
- Flush-mount ceiling fixtures:
- Allowance of $100/ea
- Exterior lights:
- Allowance of $250/ea
Includes sound, video and security.
- Paid for and provided by Owner
- Coordinated by Sicora
- Kitchen sink:
- Amerisink, stainless steel, undermount
- Allowance of $250
- Kitchen faucet:
- Single-action, pull-out spray, stainless
- Allowance of $400
- Kitchen disposal:
- Insinkerator Badger 5XP, 3/4 hp
- Allowance of $150
- Airgap:
- Allowance of $25
- Toilets:
- Comfort height, elongated, white, 2-piece Kohler Wellworth
- Allowance of $400/ea
- Bathroom sinks:
- Undermount, white, Kohler Caxton
- Allowance of $100/ea
- Bathroom faucets:
- Chrome, center mount
- Allowance of $300/ea
- Shower trim:
- Chrome, single action
- Allowance of $400/ea
- Tub/shower trim:
- Chrome, single action
- Allowance of $450/ea
- Handheld shower on slide bar:
- Allowance of $400/ea
- Alcove soaking tub:
- White
- Allowance of $600/ea
- Tub surround:
- 3-piece fiberglass, white
- Allowance of $700/ea
- Bathroom Accessories:
- Sicora to install
- 2 bathrooms assumed/project, 8 pieces total assumed for installation
- Allowance of $150 per bathroom
- Engineered hardwood flooring:
- $13/sf (materials and installation)
- Scope: Walk-up bar and gaming area
- To be installed per the manufacturers’ installation instructions
- Floor transitions are to be flush, unless it is not structurally feasible to do so
- Carpet:
- $5/sf (materials and installation)
- Scope: Family room, back hallway, guest bedroom, and stairway
- Included: underlayment and carpet
- Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT):
- $10/sf (materials and installation)
- Scope: Work-out room
- Floor to be flush with the next adjacent floor surface
- Offset pattern installation assumed
- Material is assumed to be installed WITHOUT grout
- Scope: Backsplash of the bar and bathroom floor
- Ceramic/Porcelain tile is always assumed for installation
- Drawers:
- Slow-close hardware, maple, dove-tailed construction
- Doors:
- Full overlay with face-frame construction
- Interior:
- White melamine
Allowance of $10/each pull or knob
- Framed shower door
- 60” assumed
- Allowance of $800
- Secondary closets
- White melamine shelf and chrome rod
- Allowance of $150/each
- Provided and paid for by Owner, installation by Sicora
- Appliance supplier to place appliance in the opening and location for install, Sicora will connect and slide into place while providing proper flooring protection
- Recycling of old appliances to be performed by appliance supplier (they usually will pick up old appliances at time of delivery of new appliances)
Good to Know
What's Included in a Sicora Project
- Permits, construction plans, inspections, dumpster, lead testing, and necessary site prep
- Portable on-site toilet
- Design assistance for finish and material selections and project management
- Structural engineering
- Online client web portal set up specifically for management of your project
- Full warranty: 12 month cosmetic warranty; 2 year mechanical warranty; 10 year structural warranty
- Installation of appliances paid for and supplied by the owner
Financing Options
If you are evaluating ways to finance your project, we encourage you to reach out to Gail Vinje of CrossCountry Mortgage, who manages a majority of the construction loans that Sicora works with.
Email gail.vinje@myccmortgage.com
Call (612) 670.4230
Complimentary Consultation
If you would like to discuss your project with Sicora, you can schedule a consultation in one of the following ways:
- Schedule a complimentary, in-home consultation online on our Contact page. Click on ‘schedule an in-home consultation’ and you’ll see all of the available meeting days and times.
- Email us at: contactus@sicora.com
- Phone Consultation at 952.929.0098
We look forward to helping you craft a beautiful solution for your home!