Basement Makeover
USINFO | 2013-08-09 13:30
Basement: Before
The unfinished, unused cellar in Megan and Casey Collins's 1920s Minneapolis bungalow was the stuff of horror movies. Slanted cement floors, exposed pipes, dangling wires, and slapdash wood paneling made the subterranean space "scary like a dungeon," says Megan.
Basement: After
To contain costs, Casey tackled almost half of the overhaul himself, including designing the layout, framing the walls, putting up insulation and trimwork, and painting. For the trickier, labor-intensive jobs they relied on a by-the-hour handyman, and kept tight control on the fees and progress with weekly status reports.
Basement: After
A cabinetmaker buddy constructed a built-in entertainment center at cost. Loaded with storage-smart cubbies, it contains the TV, stereo, and Megan's magazines. A wipe-clean, microfiber sofa and matching ottoman, scored for under $700 at a discount store, withstand stains and divide the room.
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