Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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Before
AfterTrusted Basement Remodeling Nationwide
A basement is the biggest block of unused space in most homes, and most homeowners know it. What stops them is the fear of what’s down there: moisture that comes back, a ceiling that’s too low, a contractor who quotes one number and invoices another. Penhallow Remodeling was built to take that fear out of the job. Since 2004 we have put a written price in your hand before a single board is cut, shown up in the arrival window we gave you, and backed every project with a 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. Trevor Nash leads our team with one rule: say the price before the work, keep the promise after. Call (936) 259-2607 to talk through your basement.
Basement Remodeling Contractor
A Basement Remodeling Contractor is the general contractor who turns a bare concrete shell into finished living space, managing everything from moisture control and framing to electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, flooring, and trim. You need one because a basement is different from every other floor in the house. Water, cold concrete, low ceilings, and buried utilities all have to be solved before the pretty part begins. Penhallow Remodeling handles the full scope under one written contract. A finished basement typically runs $20,000 – $70,000 depending on square footage, whether a bathroom is added, and how much waterproofing the space needs. We don’t hand you a verbal ballpark. We hand you a written price before work starts, and the number on day one is the number on the invoice.
Full-Scope Project Management
We schedule every trade in sequence and confirm each one before they arrive. You get one point of contact, not five phone numbers. If a sub is delayed, we tell you and adjust the schedule. Nobody disappears mid-project.
Written Price and Written Guarantee
Before any work begins, you get a line-item written price. You also get a written guarantee covering the work for 365 days. If something fails inside that window, we return and fix it at no charge. No service call fee, no re-inspection fee.
Basement Finishing
Basement Finishing is the work that takes an unfinished space from studs and slab to a room you actually want to be in. It covers framing the walls, running wiring and plumbing, insulating, hanging and finishing drywall, installing a ceiling, laying floors, and setting doors and trim. You need it when the footprint is already sound and dry, and what you want is more usable square footage without moving or building an addition. Penhallow Remodeling finishes basements for families who want a playroom, a guest suite, a home office, or a place to watch the game. Most finishing projects land between $20,000 and $50,000 for an open layout with no bathroom. Every material choice comes with its price, so you can see what an upgrade costs before you commit.
Framing Against Concrete
We build walls off the foundation with a small air gap and treated bottom plates, so lumber never sits in direct contact with concrete. That one detail keeps the framing from wicking moisture for the life of the room.
Ceilings That Make Sense
Low ceilings are the most common complaint in a basement. We look at your ductwork, pipes, and beams before recommending drywall or a drop ceiling, and we box in obstructions so you gain headroom wherever the house allows it.
Basement Waterproofing and Moisture Control
No finish survives a wet basement, so moisture comes first. Before we frame anything, we check for cracks, efflorescence on the walls, floor drains that back up, and grading that sends rain toward the foundation. Basement Waterproofing is the work that stops liquid water from getting in: sealing cracks, adding or repairing drainage, installing a sump pump where the water table calls for one, and correcting the gutters and grade outside. Moisture control is the second layer. Vapor barriers, rigid foam on the walls, and a sealed, conditioned space keep humidity down once the room is finished. If a problem needs a specialist, we say so and put the cost in the written price. We will not finish over a leak and hope for the best.
Testing Before We Build
A simple moisture test on the slab and walls tells us what we’re dealing with. It takes a few days and it can save you from tearing out a new floor in two years.
Drainage and Sump Systems
Where a basement takes on water after heavy rain, we install interior drainage that carries it to a sump with a battery backup. You’ll know where the pump is, how it works, and how to check it.
Basement Renovation
A Basement Renovation is a deeper job than a fresh coat of paint on an old rec room. It usually means gutting a dated or damaged space and rebuilding it: pulling out old paneling and carpet, replacing failing insulation, rewiring to current code, and fixing the cause of whatever went wrong. You need it when the basement was finished decades ago and no longer works, or when water or mold damage means the existing finishes have to go. Penhallow Remodeling opens the walls, inspects what’s behind them, and tells you what we found and what it costs to fix before we proceed. Renovations of this kind typically run $25,000 – $70,000 depending on how much has to be torn out and rebuilt. Either way, the written price comes before the demo starts.
What We Check When Walls Come Open
Old basements hide old problems: undersized electrical, galvanized supply lines, and insulation that’s been wet. We photograph what we find and walk you through it so every decision is yours.
Permits and Inspections
Where permits are required, we pull them. The work gets inspected and the inspection gets passed. You don’t inherit a code violation because a shortcut saved somebody a day. That is part of the Kingswell standard and always has been.
Basement Bathroom Installation
Basement Bathroom Installation adds a full or half bath below grade, and it is the single biggest cost jump in most basement projects. You need it if the space will be a guest suite, a teen hangout, or a rental-ready apartment. The challenge is drainage. Your main sewer line sits higher than the basement floor in many homes, so the plumber either cuts into the slab to run a new drain below it or sets an upflush system that pumps waste up to the main line. Penhallow Remodeling lays out both options with prices so you can pick. Adding a bathroom usually adds $8,000 – $20,000 to a basement project, depending on size, fixtures, and how much concrete has to be broken.
Slab Cutting and Drain Lines
If the slab has to be cut, we mark the plan with you first, cut cleanly, set the new drain with the correct slope, and patch the concrete flat. The inspection happens before the floor is closed up.
Ventilation and Waterproof Finishes
A bathroom in a basement needs a real exhaust fan vented outdoors and moisture-resistant surfaces on the walls and floor. We build for steam from day one, not after the first mildew spot appears.
Basement Remodeling Company
A Basement Remodeling Company is only as good as its last job and its willingness to answer for it. You need one that puts both the price and the guarantee in writing before the work starts, which is exactly what Penhallow Remodeling does. We are a general contractor serving homeowners across the United States through local crews, and we operate under the Kingswell standard in place since 2004: written price up front, a defined arrival window, a clean job site, and a written guarantee on every project. Every technician who walks into your home is background-checked and in uniform, so you know exactly who you are letting in.
Who You’ll See at Your Door
The crew assigned to your basement is the crew doing the work, not a rotating cast of strangers. They carry ID, they know your project before they ring the bell, and they protect the stairs and the floors above on the way down.
What Happens If Something Fails
You call the same number you’ve had since day one. A real person answers, takes the details, and we schedule the return visit. No service call fee, no re-inspection fee, no argument. That’s the 365-Day Done Right Promise, and it’s in writing on every job.
Basement Flooring and Insulation
Floors and insulation decide whether a basement feels like a living room or a cellar. Concrete is cold and can hold moisture, so we do not lay ordinary hardwood or standard carpet straight on the slab. Instead we use a subfloor system with a moisture barrier, then finish with luxury vinyl plank, engineered flooring rated for below grade, or carpet over a proper pad. Walls get closed-cell spray foam or rigid foam board against the concrete, with batt insulation in the framed cavity where it makes sense. Flooring typically adds $4,000 – $12,000 to a basement project, and insulation $2,000 – $6,000, depending on the size of the space and the products you pick. The result is a room that stays warm in winter and dry all year.
Choosing a Floor That Belongs Below Grade
We show you samples that handle a little humidity and the occasional spill. A floor that looks great in a showroom but cups after one wet spring is not a bargain at any price.
Basement Remodeling Ideas That Work
Most families come to us with two or three uses in mind. The layouts that get used every day are the practical ones: a main family room with a built-in media wall, a separate guest bedroom with an egress window, a home office behind a real door, and a laundry or storage room kept near the stairs. Some owners add a wet bar, a home gym with rubber flooring, or a kids’ play zone with open sight lines from the stairs. We sketch the plan with you, mark the locations of the panel, the water heater, and the main shutoffs, and keep every one of them reachable. A good basement plan feels like it was always part of the house.
Egress Windows and Bedrooms
A legal bedroom below grade needs an egress window or door that meets code. We cut and frame the opening, install the window well, and handle the drainage so the well stays dry.
Brands We Service
We install KraftMaid cabinetry in basement wet bars, laundry rooms, and kitchenettes, and we know the product line well: the frame construction, the finish options, and the hardware that pairs cleanly with each door style. Cabinets arrive ready to assemble and hang, but the finished result still depends on the leveling and fastening behind them. We take the time to get that right.
We also work with James Hardie fiber cement on projects where a basement walkout, egress well, or exterior entry needs weather-resistant cladding. Whether your project includes KraftMaid, James Hardie, or any other make, we can help you plan and install it.
Signs You Need a Pro Right Now
- White, chalky residue on the foundation walls. That powder is efflorescence, and it means moisture is moving through the concrete. If it isn’t dealt with, it will push paint off the wall and eventually ruin any drywall you hang over it.
- A musty smell that doesn’t go away. Persistent odor usually points to hidden moisture or mold behind stored boxes, carpet, or old wall panels. The source has to be found before any finishing starts.
- Cracks in the floor or walls that are growing. A hairline crack is common. A crack that is widening, stepping along block joints, or leaking after rain needs a professional’s eye on the foundation.
- Standing water or damp spots after storms. Water that shows up after heavy rain is a drainage problem, and it will return every time unless the grade, gutters, or drain system are corrected.
- An old finished basement with warm outlets or flickering lights. Dated wiring behind old paneling is a fire risk. The panel and the circuits need a licensed professional before any remodel continues.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Written estimate and scope review. We walk the basement with you, measure everything, check for moisture, and talk through what you want and what it costs. You leave with a written price, not a verbal range. The number on day one is the number on the invoice.
- 2
Material selection and design freeze. You pick your flooring, lighting, fixtures, and finishes. Once the selections are final, the price doesn’t move unless you change the scope. Changes you request get priced in writing before they’re added.
- 3
Moisture control and rough-in. We fix drainage and moisture first, then frame the walls and do the rough plumbing and electrical. If we find something that wasn’t in the original plan, we stop, show you, and get a written sign-off before proceeding.
- 4
Insulation, drywall, and finish installation. Insulation goes in, drywall gets hung and finished, floors are laid, and trim, doors, and fixtures go in last. The job site stays clean through every phase, and we leave it cleaner than we found it.
- 5
Walkthrough and written guarantee. We walk the finished basement with you, show you what was done, and hand you the written 365-Day Done Right Promise. If anything fails inside that year, we return and make it right at no charge.
How Much Does Basement Remodeling Cost?
A typical finished basement runs $20,000 – $70,000. A simple open-plan finish with no bathroom sits at the lower end, usually $20,000 – $50,000. Adding a basement bathroom typically adds $8,000 – $20,000, flooring adds $4,000 – $12,000, and insulation adds $2,000 – $6,000. What moves the number most: square footage, how much waterproofing is needed, whether we are cutting the slab for plumbing, ceiling height, and the finishes you choose. A dry basement with a clean layout and standard finishes will land at the lower end. A full renovation with a bathroom, wet bar, egress window, and custom built-ins will land at the upper end. The way to avoid overpaying is to get a written price that lists the work line by line, and to hold the contractor to that number. That’s what we do. Call (936) 259-2607 and we’ll give you a written estimate built the same way.
Related Remodeling Services
Many basement projects connect to other work in the house. If you are planning a larger update, see our home renovation service for whole-house projects, our room addition contractor page when you need to add square footage outside the current footprint, or our kitchen remodeling service if the upstairs kitchen is next. You can also start from our home page to see everything Penhallow Remodeling offers.
Where We Work
Penhallow Remodeling serves homeowners across the United States through local crews. Each location is independently owned and operated as part of the Kingswell family of companies, which has been operating to the Kingswell Way since 2004. Wherever your basement is, the standard is the same: a written price before work starts, a defined arrival window, a clean job site, and a written guarantee on every project.
Frequently Asked Questions About Basement Remodeling
Basement remodeling is the process of turning an unfinished or outdated basement into comfortable living space. It covers moisture control, framing, insulation, electrical, plumbing, drywall, flooring, and trim. Penhallow Remodeling handles the full scope under one written contract and one written guarantee.
Most basement remodels take 6 to 12 weeks depending on size, waterproofing needs, and whether a bathroom is added. A simple open-plan finish can move faster. We give you a defined arrival window and tell you right away if anything shifts.
A finished basement typically runs $20,000 – $70,000. Adding a bathroom usually adds $8,000 – $20,000, flooring adds $4,000 – $12,000, and insulation adds $2,000 – $6,000. Call (936) 259-2607 for a written estimate built on your specific basement.
Yes, but the water problem gets solved first. We test for moisture, correct drainage and grade, and add a sump system if needed before any framing goes up. We will not finish over a leak. If a specialist is needed, it goes into the written price.
In most areas, yes. Finishing a basement, adding a bathroom, or cutting an egress window usually requires permits and inspections. Where permits are required, we pull them and make sure the work passes, so you don’t inherit a code problem when you sell.
Every basement remodel carries our 365-Day Done Right Promise: if the work fails inside the guarantee period, we come back and fix it at no charge. That includes a free return visit with no service call fee and no re-inspection fee. The promise is in writing on every project, alongside any manufacturer warranties on the products we install.
Schedule Your Basement Remodeling Service Today
Call (936) 259-2607 to schedule your free written estimate. Trevor Nash and the Penhallow Remodeling team will walk your basement with you, talk through the options, and hand you a written price before any work starts. No pressure, no vague ranges, no surprise invoices. Just a real number, a real plan, and a 365-day written guarantee behind it.
Written by Trevor Nash, Owner at Penhallow Remodeling, serving homeowners nationwide under the Kingswell standard since 2004.