It's not hard to understand why basement remodels are one of the wisest major home improvements you can undertake: It provides the same benefits and extra living space as a home addition, at a fraction of the cost. Naturally, this translates into a home improvement that can pay dividends when it comes time to sell your home. It's impossible to predict just how much of a difference it might make with the current housing crisis, but there's a decent chance if you're willing to wait for the market to rebound, you'll be in good shape.

Three Steps to Detroit Basement Remodels

• Basement Prep: Many homeowners who have an unfinished basement use their basement for storage. It makes sense until you decide to remodel and realize just what a mess you have on your hands. Naturally, the basement must be cleared out before it can remodeled. You might be able to find a full-service Detroit basement remodeling company who will take care of this for you, but it's usually not the best option. If you simply can't or don't want to clean the basement out yourself, you can hire a cleaning company to come in before the more technically-skilled contractors arrive. Most homeowners just bite the bullet and do it themselves.

• Basement Waterproofing: Your contractor will have his or her hands full with a different form of basement prep. Before the drywall, flooring, wiring, and plumbing is installed, your basement must be "waterproofed." Different basements have different moisture levels, but nearly all have sufficient moisture to require waterproofing to protect the investment and longevity of your remodeling features. A number of different areas can be involved in waterproofing process including new gutters, better lawn drainage, ventilation, and fixing any interior leaks. The extent of these projects and the current condition of your basement can greatly affect the final cost of your project.

• Basement Remodeling: Once your basement has been ridden of moisture, the meat of your remodeling project can begin. Concrete staining is a great idea for floors and is becoming more popular every day as homeowners realize how much potential their concrete floors have. You may also need to upgrade your insulation to create the same cozy atmosphere as the main floor of your home. Next, drywall is a must for decorating purposes. And, of course, with the insulation and drywall generally comes a custom electrical wiring scheme that will enable to hook up any number of big screen TVs, computers, stereos, etc. Likewise, new plumbing will give you such options as an additional bathroom, a wet bar, an improved laundry space, or other features. Basement remodeling is, by definition, a customized project. Tell your contractor what you want to use your basement for, and they'll create the space for you.

Detroit Basement Renovation Contractors
As always, talking to multiple contractors and checking references are the primary vehicles to finding a competent contractor with the best estimate for your job. Follow up these initial contacts with a review of ServiceMagic's contractor ratings page or a similar service, such as the Better Business Bureau.

Once you've found a basement renovation contractor you can trust, you'll find the stress of the job decreases exponentially. It may not disappear, however. Basement waterproofing is a notoriously imprecise area of the home improvement industry. Sometimes it can be like trying to diagnose a patient whose only symptom is chest pain. Still, the best contractors will always be upfront about potential obstacles and let you know throughout the process how the project is progressing.

But don't take our word for it. Here are some of the things Motown homeowners told us about their experience with Detroit basement renovation contractors:

"It is best to have a very good idea of what you expect in mind before beginning to look for estimates. We found that the more uncertain we seemed about this project, the more the dollar signs appeared in the eyes of the contractors giving us estimates."

"Finding someone who is trustworthy may be time-consuming, but it really pays off in the end!"