10 Questions to Ask on Your First Call About Finishing a Basement

A finished basement can add family space, a guest suite or a home office without adding on. But basements have rules that the rest of the house does not, and the first call is where you find out whether a contractor knows them.

Here are the 10 questions I want every homeowner to ask me. Ask each contractor the same ones so you can compare.

1. Is my basement dry enough to finish?

Finishing over a water problem only hides it. Ask how the contractor checks for moisture, and what they would fix outside, like grading and downspouts, before framing.

2. Can I add a bedroom down here?

A basement bedroom needs a code-compliant emergency exit, usually an egress window with a window well. Ask whether your basement has one and what adding one involves.

3. Can I add a bathroom?

If the basement was roughed in, the drains are already in the slab. If not, ask what it takes to add them, which may mean cutting concrete or adding a pump.

4. How much ceiling height will I have?

Habitable rooms need minimum ceiling height, and ducts and beams can eat into it. Ask how the contractor plans rooms and soffits around them.

5. Will the space stay comfortable year round?

Ask how heating, cooling and humidity will be handled, whether ducts need extending, and whether a dehumidifier makes sense.

6. What wall and floor systems do you use below grade?

Materials that tolerate a basement environment matter. Our post on basement wall ideas covers options that work in Kansas.

7. Who pulls the permit, and what inspections are required?

Basement finishes need a permit in most cities. In Johnson County cities like Lenexa and Gardner, the contractor must also hold a Johnson County contractor license. Ask to see it.

8. Will the furnace, water heater and panel stay accessible?

Mechanicals need clearance and access for service. Ask how the plan keeps them reachable.

9. What drives the cost, and how can I keep it down?

Our basement finishing cost guide explains what raises and lowers the price, from egress windows to keeping the layout open.

10. What happens after the project is done?

Ask about the warranty and follow-up. We follow up at 3 days, 3 weeks and 3 months after every project, and our Kansas contractor license is GEN-000052-2019.

Use our basement planning checklist before the call, and read our basement finishing guide for the full process.

When you are ready, start a conversation or learn how our First Call works. Read more about our basement finishing services.