One question that generally seems to always come up before the final decision is enabled to commence a cellar finishing project is:

How much of my cellar finishing costs can i recoup if i sell my home sometime?

This is a difficult question to answer and depends on a number of factors, including where you live, economic factors, whether you under- or overpaid for your cellar, and the standard of your cellar finish. We'll discuss some general $$ figures in a moment, but first let's explore one of the biggest factors that will contribute to the value of your project.

The standard of the construction and finishes in your cellar finishing project plays a significant role in the value you can expect to recoup. Take a look at "For Sale" advertisements in your area. One thing you'll start to notice is words like: "Professionally Finished Cellar, inch or "Professionally Redesigned Kitchen, inch or "Professionally Updated. inch

It doesn't take a genius to see the existing message in those statements... The work done here is: "Professional. inch

Buyers want a professional finish basement renovations. Simple as that. If and as it pertains time to sell your home, the cellar finishing efforts you undertook will be undermined by sloppy work.

In many building sectors, sloppy construction has become known as "the handyman special. inch This is not to put down several qualified handymen, but it does point out a problem in this business.

Many handymen begin doing handyman work and eventually decide that they can tackle several more difficult jobs. This includes remodels, new homes, and perhaps even your cellar finishing project!

The biggest difference between the cellar finishing pro and the handyman is just how they're going about construction. A handyman figures he can do just about everything on your project. From mounting to drywall, to domestic plumbing and paint, he will tackle most any the main cellar -- convinced he can do just as good a job as the professional electrician, or the professional drywaller.

Problem is, no one who tapes drywall or sets tile a couple times a year is as good as the professional who it five or six times a week, 52 weeks out of the year.

In my simple experience, you will obtain a lot more value (both in your satisfaction and in potential resale) from a cellar finishing professional who focuses on construction management. As a construction manager he won't be the jack-of-all-trades, rather he will orchestrate the job as work is completed by specialized tradespeople who are experts in their respective fields.

In terms of resale value, you maximize your potential for recovering construction costs if your finish is a top-notch professional job. The 2009-2010 Cost versus. Value report identifies the average resale for all types of remodeling projects. Just last year, they reported that a 640 sq foot cellar with a wet bar and bathroom would demand $46, 825 in resale value, or approximately $71 per sq foot.

You might wish to extrapolate this information to fit your own particular situation. If you have a 900 sq foot cellar with bathroom and wet bar, it might be reasonable to assume that resale could be as much as $63, 900. From there, determine what your cellar finishing costs will be if you hire a professional to do the work and use these two numbers to determine whether or not you can recoup your costs.

At the end of the day many factors will play into your cost versus. sale investigation, but a professional finish is one factor that you should control before it starts.