For many homeowners there comes the inevitable time when there is just too little space in his or her home.  Maybe there are more family members than there used to be, maybe the homeowner has taken on one too many hobbies, or maybe an adult child has decided to move back in.  There are a number of solutions to this problem which can be a drastic as moving to a new house, or as  (relatively) simple as knocking down or putting up a wall.  The addition of a 'back room' may seem an obvious solution, but it brings along its own issues.  Any home renovation project that expands the footprint of the original structure will be subject to city and counting zoning laws, and it may be contrary to the goals of the home improvement project to decrease valuable yard space.  A home renovation that goes up, adding a room or an entire upper story might be a tempting project, but can also have its fair share of downsides.  One such con is that going up is an awfully big project just to add a studio or rec room. 

What many people are discovering is that the not-so-obvious but extremely practical and economical solution is to go underground.  With many basements sitting cold, dark, and unused many people are sitting right on the extra space they've always dreamed of, which could be very useable with a relatively quick and painless home renovation project. 

There are some quick questions to ask oneself before committing to a home renovation project like finishing the basement, such as how much it is currently used, and how much it will be used?  For what will the finished basement be used?  What is the spending limit for finishing the basement?  Who will do the actual home repairs, will it be you, or will you hire someone?  Once these basics have been worked out, there is a world of possibility for what that basement  space could be.  If hosting frequent guests, it may be a great area to house a spare bedroom and bathroom.  For those with lots of kids and their friends running around, basements make great big playrooms in the winter, and nice cool gathering spots in the summer.  Some households go the luxury route and add a home theater, exercise room, or hot tub under the house, while others just use the finished basement as more efficient storage or a laundry facility. 

Whatever the finished basement is to be used for, before getting started on this home renovation project homeowners will want to consider a basement window replacement.  Letting lots of natural light down into a finished basement is really what changes it from a basement into another room of the home.  Homeowners may choose an awning windows window replacement, where windows crank out, slider windows which simply slide back and forth, or hopper windows, which tilt inside.  To make the house seem like it has an extra floor, some homeowners work with landscaping to add patio doors with lead right out of the basement.  However each individual homeowner decides to do it, finishing the basement is a home improvement project that will multiply the size of his or her home.