On the right, you'll see our starting point: an average, everyday basement with block walls, concrete flooring, and lots and lots of space which could easily be put to better use, accessed by a reasonably standard stairwell covered in what looks to be kitchen tile. This home's owner has decided that a better use for this basement would be a very large office/den area. As we get ready to start, we see the first step of preparation: the work area has been cleared of debris/boxes/loose materials and has been swept clean. We've also taken care of one other important factor: we've gotten the necessary permits. (Too many times people thinking to save a few bucks ignore this step, only to find that before the home can be sold, their 'improvements' done without permits have to be removed. Permits are an absolute necessity.)

We'll start by framing up the walls for the new room, defining the space for what will become a beautiful office and recreation area. The electrical/breaker box is located under the stairwell within the area to be claimed by the office; however, we don't need to have it mar the appearance of an interior wall to a functional room. To solve this while still keeping the box accessible (as well as maximizing utility of space beneath the stairwell), we'll turn this area into a walk-in closet. While the future walls and ceiling are still accessible, preparations will also be made for any new electrical connections which may be necessary, such as running lines for overhead lighting, wall outlets, and switches.

Slowly, it starts to look like a room. After putting a vapor shield against the exterior facing concrete block (this is only done for underground areas; above ground use of a plastic vapor barrier can contribute to major moisture problems), we put faced insulation in between the wall studs. The purpose here can be twofold. First, the insulation will help keep the new room at a steady temperature, banishing the 'cold, clammy' basement environment in favor of a new, livable room regulated by the home thermostat. Insulation in all of the wall cavities can help act as soundproofing, which few rec room conversions are complete without. (Or for an office, it can help keep it less obvious that you're traded your all night session with Excel for a round of "Unreal".)

Once the insulation is in place and all of the necessary wiring has been run for the outlets and switches, we're ready to start with the drywall work. The drywall sheets are put into place using durable drywall screws instead of nails, assuring the best, most durable installation. Once the drywall installation is finished, we can move on to the next step of our project.

With our drywall work complete, we can move forward to what will become the actual visible wall coverings, in this case, paneling selected by the homeowner. A simulated brick panel has been chosen for the exterior wall, while a traditional dark simulated woodgrain panel has been chosen for the interior walls. We've also decided to make this room look even less like it's in a basement by enclosing the red steel pipe within a column surrounded by the same panel material used for the walls. We're also putting in the room's new sub-floor; you wouldn't want a nice new office (or rec room, or guest bedroom, or whatever) to have a cold, concrete floor, would you?