Hamilton Income Unit

New home owners wanted to subsidize their income with a basement rental unit. Being an old house we ran into a foundation issue. Once the issue was solved the couple were left with a modern feeling space that stayed on budget minus the foundation surprise which meant we needed to waterproof the home. With rent in their area on the rise, the couple is on their way to having this renovation paid for and then some. Smart decision.

Basement Interior

The previous owners had attempted to renovate the basement themselves, but there were glaring mistakes all over the place. From still wet glue beneath tiles to rotten wood on cement connection, we saw it all. This was a prime example that you are far better off avoiding these missteps and spending your money doing the job right and doing the job once.

The original layout was a little odd and needed a redesign that would include a basement entry door through the 'soon to be' shared laundry room. 

We eliminated the closets and changed a doorway into a wider angled archway which allowed for the required space to move furniture into the space. We also changed the bathroom door into a sliding door for space and modernization.

This new kitchen gets lots of natural light which carries into the rest of the unit now that we opened the door into a wide archway. The kitchen was made from up cycled cabinets and finished with clean finishes to keep the space bright and spacious feeling. Custom black birch ledges were made to mimic both the countertop, doorhandles, and microwave cabinet. The laundry room was relocated to a room that is accessible by the occupants of the main floor and the basement.

Waterproofing

After securing the A/C unit, we began to dig. The main issue ended up being the stairs. As you will see in the following pictures the cinder blocks were almost completely eroded and water was freely allowed to flow into the house.