Basement Finishing in Northern VA | JK General Contractor

A basement already has a foundation, a floor and a roof over it. Finishing it turns storage space into rooms you use: a bedroom and bath for guests, a family room, a quiet office or a wet bar.

We start with what the space has to work around, such as the furnace, the water heater, the main drain and the electrical panel, and lay out the rooms so those stay reachable and the ceiling stays as high as it can.

What We Build Downstairs

Bedrooms with egress windows, smoke alarms and the room size and ceiling height the code requires
Full and half bathrooms, including baths built from an existing rough-in
Family and media rooms wired for a TV and speakers from the start
Home offices and gyms
Wet bars and kitchenettes, with the plumbing planned in the layout, not added later

Before the Walls Go Up

Moisture: we look for water stains, white mineral deposits on the walls and drainage problems outside, and the framing waits until the basement is dry
Ceilings: ductwork and pipes are boxed in neatly, with access left at shutoffs and cleanouts
Egress: any room meant for sleeping gets an egress window and window well
Systems: licensed trades run the wiring, plumbing, heating and air conditioning under their own permits, and each is inspected before drywall

Basement stairway with cable railing, cedar plank walls and a stacked stone wall under the stairs

Finished lower level with a home elevator, travertine floor, marble-top bar with leather stools and a stone fireplace

Finished basement with gray plank flooring, pendant lights over a counter and a vanity with an arched mirror

How Your Basement Gets Finished

Design visit. We walk the basement with you, check for moisture and talk through the rooms you want.
Written proposal. You get the layout, the materials and a firm price in writing.
Permits. We file the county building permit, and the licensed electrician, plumber and heating contractor file the permits for their work.
Framing and rough-in. Walls are framed, then wiring, plumbing and ductwork go in and are inspected.
Drywall, finishes and cleanup. Insulation and drywall go up, then flooring, doors, trim and fixtures, followed by the final inspection and cleanup.

How high does a basement ceiling need to be?

High enough for the code and for comfort, and the ductwork usually decides it. The building code sets a minimum ceiling height for finished rooms, with some allowance under beams and ducts. Most basements here clear it in the open areas, and the low spots are under the main duct runs. We plan soffits around those runs and keep the open parts of the ceiling as high as we can, which is why the furnace and the main lines are the first things we look at.

What does a finished basement add to a house?

Living space without a new foundation or roof. Finished, permitted rooms count when you sell, and a basement bedroom with its own egress window and a bath next to it gives the house another bedroom for guests, a teenager or a parent. Because the work is permitted and inspected, the space is on record with the county.

Add a Bathroom or an Egress Window

A basement bedroom is more useful with a bathroom next to it. See bathroom remodeling for what goes into a basement bath, and egress windows for the opening a basement bedroom needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a basement room be a bedroom?

It can, once it meets the code for a sleeping room. That means a way out in an emergency, enough floor space and ceiling height, and the required smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Most basement bedrooms get their way out through a new egress window and well, which we can add in the same project. On a septic system, the county health department also has to approve the added bedroom.

What if my basement gets damp?

Then it has to be dealt with before any framing starts. JK General Contractor looks at the walls, the floor and the grading outside at the first visit and tell you what we find, because walls built over a wet foundation do not last.

Which permits does a finished basement need?

A county building permit, which we file, plus trade permits for the wiring, plumbing and ductwork, which the licensed electrician, plumber and heating contractor pull. We line up every inspection, so the finished space is on record when you sell the house.

Can the basement have a wet bar or kitchenette?

Yes. JK General Contractor plans the bar or kitchenette in the first layout, so the drain, the water lines and the circuits are roughed in with the rest of the basement instead of added later.

How long does a basement take?

Most basements take one to three months on site. A bathroom or a wet bar adds plumbing work and inspections, and the county's inspection calendar sets much of the pace.