Whether you have recently moved into a home with an unfinished or atrocious basement or you are looking to upgrade or remodel your downstairs living space, you now have a variety of options to navigate. First, before remodeling, make sure that you don’t need a gas line repair service. Leaking pipes and sump pumps should be fixed beforehand; you don’t want to invest thousands of dollars on a home theater or game room and have it all washed away. Once everything is fixed and you are ready for the upgrade, here are some ideas for what you can do with the space:

Media Room

One of the most popular ways to transform your basement is to turn it into a home theater or media room. Consider investing in a projector or flat screen television and install theater-style seats to enhance the atmosphere. Some even go so far as to purchase movie lighting to dim the room, much like an actual theater.

Office

If you work from home and are tired of sharing your desk with your children or spouse, turn your basement into a private office. Basements are excellent for work spaces as they are away from the rest of the house; unless your children are stomping around like tribes, you are sure to get the peace and quiet you need.

Playroom

On the other hand, if you find yourself tripping over Tonka trucks and Legos as you move from your living room to your kitchen, you may want your basement to become a playroom specifically for your children. Children often enjoy having their “own” space to play, leaving Mom and Dad with a mostly-organized upstairs. However, with some families, “cleaning the home while the kids are growing is like shoveling a walk while it’s still snowing.”

Man Cave

This is the dream of many husbands: Their own space to watch sports and hang out with their friends. Some spouses beg for the chance to transform basements into “man caves,” or lounge areas complete with wet bars, flat screen televisions, oversized couches and refrigerators. If you are tired of your husband hogging the television or are disgusted when he and his friends make a bet to see who can eat the most pork rinds, a man cave may be the answer.

While basements often get a bad rap at times for being cold, dirty and unwelcoming, if remodeled or built out later on, they actually offer extra living space for activities and functions. Should you need a sump pump installation Los Angeles DIYers often require, contact a Ritz Plumbing professional before turning your basement into your dream space.