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Top 4 Reasons You Need a Finished Basement – Especially When You’re Safer at Home

Once upon a time American workers didn’t NEED a home office, or a home gym, or a home theater. These were optional spaces, nice extras for those who sometimes had to answer some emails after hours, or who didn’t feel like hiking out to the gym, or who really liked their at-home film experience.

But a lot has changed in 2020, and as of this article’s publish date hundreds of millions of Americans are stuck at home round the clock, and it’s getting REALLY old REALLY fast.

Fortunately, there is a Fort Collins Finished Basement solution that can help you make the most of this difficult situation. And that solution is your basement, professionally finished by none other than yours truly: Artisan Remodeling & Design!

Reason #1 why you should finish your basement: Space

The more time you and your family spend in your house the smaller your space is going to feel—and the crazier everyone is going to feel stuck inside it. Finishing your basement is the easiest way to add significant livable square footage to your home, which provides more space for everyone to spread out and get off each other’s nerves.

Reason #2: Comfort

Finished basements are naturally cozy. They’re cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making them the perfect at-home sanctuary during extreme temperatures and pandemics alike.

Reason #3: Purpose Built Spaces

Unfinished basements are a natural fit for all the much-needed spaces of the moment like home gyms and fitness centers, home offices, craft and hobby rooms, home bars, and in-home theaters where you and your family can spend some peaceful quality time.

You can choose to go with the basics (drywall, flooring, electrical) and get up and running fast, or go with a more comprehensive basement remodel to create a lasting, useful, and beautiful space for your own use in the short term, and for entertaining and hosting once social distancing ends.

Reason #4: Home Value

Remodeling does more than just improve your experience at home in the short term. It also benefits home value and resale potential years down the road.

We all know the financial system is unstable right now, and we definitely can’t tell you how to invest or where to put your money. But we can say that in ten years people will still need houses and at that point, if you’re looking to make a move, a finished basement would be a great asset to show off.

Ready to Serve

If you’ve been struggling with all this time at home and remodeling to finish your basement sounds like something you’d be interested in, let us know! Artisan Remodeling & Design serves the Fort Collins and Loveland areas of Colorado and we are open for business as we take every precaution to limit social interaction and protect the health and safety of our team members, partners, and clients.

Call us today at 970-691-6995 for more information about our Fort Collins Finished Basement service.

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Home Gyms Are No Longer a Luxury in Fort Collins – Here’s How to Design Yours Today!

The world won’t soon forget the pandemic of 2020, and there’s no telling when the need for social distancing will end. While we all want things to go back to normal, many of us are still feeling a bit weary and prefer to stay at home, where we can remain safe and healthy. In this strange new reality it’s fair to say that at-home exercise and fitness solutions are no longer a luxury for health-minded homeowners. Fort Collins Home gyms have become a necessity.

Fortunately, designing and developing your own home gym is easier than you might think. Here’s how to get started!

1. Choose your Equipment

While you could design the space first and fill it later, working the other way around has its advantages. Different types of equipment may have different structural or electrical requirements, and laying out your equipment ahead of time will give you a good idea of how much space you’ll need.

A few examples of home exercise equipment to choose from include punching bags, stationary bicycles, rowing machines, elliptical trainers, treadmills, weight machines, and free weights/a weight bench, just to name a few.

Make sure to include both strength and endurance-focused equipment that you’ll enjoy using, along with floor space for stretching, in order to balance your workouts.

2. Find Your Space

Depending on your equipment and the amount of space it takes up you may be able to use a spare bedroom or a portion of your basement as-is. Or, you may find that you need to make some changes.

Finishing or remodeling a portion of the basement is probably the most common solution we see. Basements offer a cool, private, and out of the way space with plenty of room. With some drywall, good flooring, lighting, ventilation, and electrical access, basement gyms can be a winning choice. However, some homeowners find that the lack of natural light negatively impacts their motivation.

Spare bedrooms, on the other hand, already have light, power, and ventilation, but often lack the same wide-open open space and lack of distraction that you get in the basement. And when using an upper-level space you need to make sure that the weight of any heavy equipment is safely spread across your floor joists, not placed between them.

homegymfortcollins3. Make It Your Own

A home gym can be a simple as a floor mat and some headphones in the living room, or as complex as a brand new walk-out home addition with professional equipment. It’s up to you to do what you need to do to make your space a space that you’ll enjoy using in the long term, allowing you to cultivate healthy habits without heading out into public.

Some other elements and features you should consider including are:

  • Oversize mirrors for you to watch your form and track your progress
  • Audio/visual solutions so you can follow along with online classes or listen to music
  • Tough, non-slip, easy-to-clean hard flooring
  • Easy-clean rubber or foam floor pads and mats
  • Wall racks, hangers, and other accessible storage options
  • Ventilation, heating, or cooling to keep the air comfortable and remove stale odors
  • Lighting (preferably plenty of natural lighting as well)
  • Personal touches and décor to make you feel comfortable and at-home
Professional Basement and Home Remodeling

Remember, most home gyms pay for themselves surprisingly fast compared to a monthly gym membership. They’re an investment—an investment in your own health and convenience. 

If you’re interested designing and building your own home exercise center, contact Artisan Remodeling & Design at 970-691-6995 today. We’re an expert, local Fort Collins home remodeling company, and we would love to do what we can to help you get healthy and stay healthy right where you are.

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