Basement Finishing System

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Bring it into the 21st Century with a Modern Basement Finishing Process

(ARA) - Unless your name is Carol Brady, retro relics like green shag carpet and dark wood paneling have probably disappeared from your home's decor. But venture into many a basement and prepare to enter a time warp. Remodeled decades ago and decorated with smoked mirror wall tiles, swag light fixtures and velvet paintings, these dingy spaces seem uninviting by today's standards, yet they can add significantly to a home's useable square footage and value.

Just because the basement is the lowest level of the house doesn't mean it has to be at the bottom of the list of rooms to renovate. As homeowners look to gain more useable space from their home, a growing trend is emerging: remodeling old basement remodels.

Remodeling is in. In the 12 months ending in September 2005, homeowners spent $125.2 billion to remodel their homes, an increase of 6.6 percent over the previous 12-month period, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University.

"We are increasingly getting requests to remodel old basement remodels," says Frank Palmeri, business manager, Owens Corning Basement Finishing System. "For those with a basement finished decades ago, many are finding it just doesn't meet their needs any longer. Whether it's drafty, dark or just dated, even a finished basement doesn't provide value if it's not a room where homeowners enjoy spending time."

Building a Better Basement: Then and Now

Just as there have been advances in design and decorating over the past decades, so have there been advances in basement finishing techniques. There are now systems available that are specifically designed for basement environments which offer distinct advantages over the traditional wood and drywall construction used back then.

The Basement Finishing System by Owens Corning exemplifies the benefits of a 'then vs. now' approach to remodeling your old basement remodel. For example:

Then, drywall and traditional methods yielded a basement that provided little to no insulation or energy saving properties. Now, insulated walls create a warm, cozy space that, according to the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewal Energy, can help reduce whole-house energy costs by up to 30 percent. Plus, it may qualify homeowners to claim up to a $500 energy tax credit under the Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Then, traditional walls could actually absorb moisture, making them conducive to mold and mildew growth. Now, the breathable walls of a finishing system resist mold and mildew.

Then, access to plumbing, foundation walls and wiring was difficult and messy -- walls had to be cut into and re-patched. Now, removable walls provide easy access.

Then, there was minimal sound absorption. Noise would bounce back, creating maximum echoes. Now, there is 95 percent sound absorption, helping to foster a warm acoustic environment.

Then, walls were easily dented, cracked and stained. Fixing them required repair work and repainting. Now, virtually maintenance-free walls are dent- and stain-resistant.

Then, it was a noisy, dirty, dusty installation process that could take months. Now, trained professionals complete the process in as little as two weeks with minimal disruption and virtually none of the dust and mess.

"According to our research, one of the key reasons homeowners finish their basement is for lifestyle factors -- needing more space for a dedicated purpose, such as a theater room, home office or exercise room," says Palmeri. "These customers tell us that their new basement becomes a room they can't wait to use, rather than one they feel obligated to use because the space is there. Homeowners are pleasantly surprised by the speed of this building process, especially if they've been through a traditional drywall basement remodel the first time."

If your finished-long-ago basement has devolved into the land time forgot, it may be time to remodel the remodel.

For more information on Owens Corning Basement Finishing System, call (800) Basement or visit www.basementfinishingsystem.com.

*Basement Finishing System is a trademark of Owens Corning.

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