Pre-Project

This will be a brave attempt at documenting my basement finishing project. We need some dedicated play space for our son's toys, exercise equipment, and ( .... a home theatre.)

Here's a few pre-project pictures. On the right is a shot from the bottom of the stairs. The builders left almost 8' between the floor and the bottom of the 1st floor joists, so the finished room will have a standard height ceiling. On the right side of the room, the heating ducts, and most of the mechanicals (gas & water) are run below the joists. Clear space under the duct is just over 7'.

I've done some work in the past helping friends and summer odd jobs with new and remodel construction, so I'm fairly confident in my building skills. This should be a straightforward project, but we'll see as time goes on! It's my biggest project yet by far around the house, so of course, it's an excuse to buy tools. I'll try to post and review anything relevant...

I checked with the local township and was informed that I only had to apply and receive an electrical permit because I will be running new circuits for outlets and lights. I did this two weeks ago (simple form and a sketch of the plans). The township called me this past Friday and said my permit was ready. $134 for the permit fee. I'm not sure if this includes inspections or if I will have to pay for those separately. We'll see.