West Gate Basement Renovation

How did this basement renovation project come about?

This project was in a house that was over 100 years old! The homeowner wanted to utilize the basement for entertaining, relaxing, and watching TV. We gutted the entire space, insulated all walls, installed beautiful vinyl plank flooring, restored the original 100-year-old fireplace (with 100-year-old bricks we found to match!), and built a custom wood mantle & corner shelves. We built a new wood bar-top (while restoring the red vinyl 1950’s bar!), and added custom-built wood shelves behind the bar to match. Lots of challenges in this old home – but the result is just WOW!!!

With the home being 100 years old, the basement renovation came with many challenges!

This basement renovation was a great project that involved many different tradespeople. The client was looking for a relaxing, inviting, and entertaining space, which is nothing like what it was before we started. Whenever you are working in a home that is over 100 years old – there can be many “unknowns”. We encountered boiler issues, plumbing issues, and lots of electrical issues.

During demolition, we dealt with a lot of plaster and lathe. All were removed, and all of the exterior walls were reframed, insulated, and new drywall was installed.

The boiler system had been upgraded by the previous homeowner, but unfortunately, it had not been installed correctly. Our plumber was able to correct the deficiencies and have the system running perfectly. A lot of the plumbing and electrical “upgrades” were done by a handyman – and most were done incorrectly, and not up to code.

We pulled all required permits and corrected all deficiencies. We also discovered knob and tube wiring hidden throughout the entire basement, with a lot of new electrical improperly tied into the old. Our electricians re-wired the entire basement and removed all of the knob and tube in the home.

The age of the house showed in many areas. The concrete floor was quite uneven. A levelling agent was added, and the vinyl plank flooring that we installed was an appealing touch.

At the end of the day, we surpassed all challenges with flying colours and created a home that is safer and more accessible – which can be worth the price of admission alone!

What were some of the unique details of this basement renovation project?

The client wanted to keep an existing bar that was built in the 1950s. The red vinyl bar was restored by one of our crew members, and we custom-built a stunning wood top and shelves with a clear-coat, high-gloss finish.

The existing fireplace was missing some of the bricks that had crumbled over the years. We located the matching bricks through a local antique supplier, and we were able to replace the missing bricks with a perfect match! A beautiful piece of granite was used for a hearth at the base of the fireplace. The fireplace was inspected, cleaned, and approved for use.

There was a small two-piece bathroom in this basement. We replaced the toilet but kept the existing vanity. A new piece of granite was cut for the top and an under-mounted sink and faucet were also installed. The existing tile on the walls remained in place.

The entire basement was painted, and the client purchased new furniture to complete the captivating look of this exquisite basement!