If you bought new in Erie, you probably got a great house with one big empty room underneath it. Builders leave the basement to you. That's not a knock on them. It's just how new construction works around here.
So when's the right time to finish it, and what should you know before you start?
Why finish it early
A lot of new homeowners figure they'll get to the basement someday. Here's our take: the builder didn't finish the house, they delivered it. The basement, the backyard and the upgrade list were always going to be yours. Doing them early means you get to enjoy them the whole time you own the home, not just the last couple years before you sell.
What about my builder warranty?
This is the question we hear most from Erie new-build owners. Our work is permitted, inspected and carries its own 2-year workmanship warranty. Bring your builder's warranty terms to the estimate and we'll scope the project so everything stays clean.
What a full finish includes
Our base scope takes the basement from bare studs to finished rooms:
- Design and permits
- Framing and insulation
- Electrical, plumbing and HVAC
- Drywall, paint and trim
- Flooring like LVP, carpet or tile
- City inspection and a final walkthrough
Bedrooms and living areas are part of the base. Bathrooms are built in the same project but priced separately. Custom features like wet bars or built-ins get their own line in the estimate.
The bedroom question
If a bedroom is going downstairs, it needs an egress window. Every metro jurisdiction requires a bedroom to have an emergency escape opening, and below grade that means an egress window with a well. Ours go in as part of the finish, all under the same permit. One cut, one window, one well, one inspection, and the basement office becomes a real bedroom.
Permits in Erie
Erie straddles the Boulder/Weld county line, which confuses a lot of people. Inside town limits, it doesn't matter which county you're in. Home projects permit through the Town of Erie, and we file and manage that permit for you. We've been through Erie's process before, all the way to final inspection, and that permitted work is already in the public record.
Timeline
A typical full finish runs 6 to 10 weeks after permit approval, depending on scope. The town's review time is separate from the build schedule. You get a schedule up front and updates as each phase wraps.
What it costs
Our full basement finish averages about $80 per square foot. Each bathroom adds $12,000 and up, and a from-scratch egress window is $7,000. Those are planning numbers, not a quote. The basement finishing cost page on SawDog.net shows the math with a few example sizes, and your free written estimate sets the real price.
Old Town Erie
Not everything in Erie is new. Old Town Erie holds down the historic end of Briggs Street, and those houses ask for a gentler hand than a fresh build. If that's your place, the walkthrough is where we figure out what the house needs and how to work with it instead of against it.
We cover all of Erie
Vista Ridge, Colliers Hill, Flatiron Meadows, Canyon Creek, Erie Commons, Westerly, Compass, Erie Highlands, Kenosha Estates and the Erie Air Park. Old Town Erie too, where the houses ask for a gentler hand. Plus nearby Todd Creek.
Saw Dog Construction is based in Westminster, CO, and has been finishing basements across the Denver metro since 2015. We carry $1M in liability insurance and hold an A+ BBB rating.
Let's look at your basement
Call or text (720) 290-4077, or send the form on SawDog.net. Tell us the square footage and whether you want a bedroom or bathroom down there.