A lot of Westminster houses in Hyland Greens, Northpark and Westminster Hills were built well in the 80s and 90s. Plenty of them still have a basement that nobody ever got around to finishing. Maybe it's storage. Maybe it's the laundry and a treadmill. Either way, it's the biggest room in the house you aren't really using.
Saw Dog Construction is based in Westminster, so this is home turf for us. Here's how finishing one of these basements actually goes.
Why it's usually worth it
Finishing a basement is usually the most economical way to add living space. The structure, roof and foundation are already there, so your budget goes into the rooms themselves. In an older Westminster house you keep the location, the established lot and the good bones, and you pick up a family room, a bedroom or both.
What's in a full finish
Our base scope takes the space from bare studs to a room you'd want to spend time in:
- Design and the city permit
- Framing and insulation
- Electrical, plumbing and HVAC
- Drywall, paint and finish trim
- Flooring like luxury vinyl plank, carpet or tile
- City inspection and a final walkthrough
Bedrooms and living areas are part of that scope. A bathroom gets built in the same project but is priced on its own, since it brings fixtures, tile and ventilation.
Who handles the permit
Westminster spans the Adams and Jefferson county line. Building permits for homes inside the city still run through the City of Westminster either way. We file and manage that permit as part of the job, and the work gets inspected before we call it done.
Planning a bedroom down there?
Building codes generally require a basement sleeping room to have an emergency escape opening, and an egress window with a well outside is the most common way to get there. The best time to add one is during the finish, so we plan the bedroom and the window as one permitted project.
How long it takes
A typical full finish runs 6 to 10 weeks after the permit is approved, depending on scope. The city's review time comes first and sits outside that build schedule. You get a schedule up front and updates along the way.
What it costs
Once you know you want it, the next question is money. 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 has the full breakdown.
Get a real number
Call or text (720) 290-4077, or use the form on SawDog.net. Tell us roughly how big the basement is and whether you want a bedroom or bathroom down there. We'll walk it with you and send a written, itemized estimate. It's free, with no commitment.