The basement process
A basement job runs in a fixed order so that anything hidden is seen, fixed and inspected before it is covered.
The six steps
- Walk-through. Robert comes to the house and looks at the floor, the walls, the stairs, the drain, the mechanicals and any sign of past water. Photos sent with your estimate request help him arrive prepared.
- Water and structure first. Anything that would be hidden later is answered now: where water has come in, what the walls are made of, where the main drain runs and whether a bedroom or a bathroom is realistic.
- Written scope, priced by line. You receive the work in writing, each part priced on its own line. Moisture work, plumbing, electrical, finishes and permits appear as separate lines so you can see what each costs on its own. Payments are tied to written milestones, and every project gets a written schedule before work starts. Schedules are estimates and can change for weather, permits, inspections or changes you ask for.
- Rough work, then inspections. Framing, plumbing, electrical and any mechanical changes are done while they can still be seen. Where your city or village requires an inspection, it happens before the walls are closed.
- Finishes. Insulation, drywall, ceilings, flooring, trim and paint. Selections are confirmed in writing before they are ordered.
- Final walk and your list. You walk the space with Robert and a list of small fixes. The invoice follows the written scope line by line, with approved changes listed separately.
When something turns up
Basements hide things: an old drain, a patched crack, a wall that is not what it looked like. When that happens, work stops on that item, Robert shows you what he found, and a change order is written with its own price for your approval before anything is added.
What you can see along the way
Material receipts are tracked and available for you to review. Larger jobs can have a private web page with the checklist, your list of small fixes and the receipts, so you can see where things stand. You can try the layout on our sample project, which is a made-up example.
Read next: How we work ยท Explore a sample project
Questions
Do I need to move out during a basement project?
Usually not. Dust, noise and access to the stairs are the issues, and they are talked through at the walk-through before the scope is written.
How do payments work?
Payments are tied to written milestones, and every project gets a written schedule before work starts. Schedules are estimates and can change for weather, permits, inspections or changes you ask for.
How fast will Robert reply?
Robert replies within 2 business days.
Who is at the house each day?
You deal directly with Robert, who runs the job. The scope describes who does what.
Keep reading
Tell Robert about your project.
Call, email or send an estimate request with photos. You deal directly with the person running your job. Robert replies within 2 business days.