What are the pros and cons of finishing a basement?

• <div><p>When considering finishing your basement, take into account a few pros and cons:</p><p>Pros</p><ul><li><p>Can increase the value of your home</p></li><li><p>Separate space from the rest of the house </p></li><li><p>Customize and personalize the basement to suit your needs and style</p></li><li><p>Increase the amount of living space in your home</p></li></ul><p>Cons</p><ul><li><p>May not regain enough value to cover the cost of finishing</p></li><li><p>Lack of natural light if it’s below ground level</p></li><li><p>Moisture or flooding can cause costly damage</p></li><li><p>Installing plumbing and electrical can be messy and costly</p></li></ul><p></p></div>

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Q: What's the difference between remodeling a basement and finishing a basement?

• <div><p>Although homeowners often use the terms basement remodeling and basement finishing interchangeably, they are quite different terms. </p><p><b>Finishing a basement</b> is the process of taking a basement space that is not habitable and adding elements to make it usable. This includes adding plumbing, flooring, and insulation.</p><p><b>Remodeling a basement</b> means taking an already existing finished basement and changing it, often by adding or removing walls, adding plumbing, or changing the existing flooring. </p></div>

Q: What is the cheapest way to renovate a basement?

• <div><p>There are several small, inexpensive upgrades you can make to upgrade your basement. Although you still need to adhere to building codes and obtain permits when necessary, you can complete small but mighty tasks like painting the masonry walls and installing entertainment devices to make the space more usable. </p></div>

Q: Does a finished basement count as square footage?

• <div><p>A finished basement does not always count as square footage, though this varies by state regulations. You may live in an area that allows for below-grade spaces to be considered in a home's official square footage. In those cases, the basement must meet certain conditions, like having a functional egress and being a livable space with flooring, finished walls, and temperature control. Your local assessor can confirm your area's policies regarding basement square footage.</p></div>

Q: Does a bar in the basement add value?

• <div><p>Building a bar in the basement will likely add value to your home, although it&rsquo;s unlikely that you&rsquo;ll see a significant return on investment (ROI) unless you plan on using the space for you and your guests. If you think you&rsquo;ll use the area frequently, though, it&rsquo;s probably worth the investment, and you should see a bump in value if or when you sell your property.</p></div>

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*The Angi rating for Basement Remodel companies in Lee, FL is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Basement Remodel needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Basement Remodel companies in Lee, FL is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Basement Remodel needs.

Last update on November 02, 2025

Reviewed in September 2024
Jon & Debbie were incredibly helpful and friendly, plus they did an awesome job finishing our drywall. Can’t wait to have them help finish more of our remodeling job!!
Integrity Drywall of Palm Coast
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Reviewed in August 2023
The project was for condo Second Bedroom Remodeling, including major Drywall Repair; Ceiling Repair and Resurfacing; and complete Ceiling and Walls Painting. Both Gabriel and Johan were extremely steady, thorough, and professional craftsmen. I would not hesitate to hire them again, and both have...
Best Of Us Five
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Reviewed in August 2023
Chase gave me a more than fair price on the work he completed in my basement! He is also a very skilled electrician!
Voltage Brothers Electric, LLC
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Reviewed in July 2022
Stan does a great job. We have used him for many home projects - interior and exterior painting, fencing, inside barn door installation, building garage storage loft and work bench, electrical, plumbing, ceiling fan and light fixture install, etc etc. Will definitely hire him again. We plan to...
Stan Stockdale Contractor LLC
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Reviewed in March 2022
The men phoned prior to the visit, arrived on time, answered all my questions, and had a very polite but professional attitude. They worked very hard the entire day and took very little breaks. I'm very pleased with the work they did and would recommend them to anyone else needing remodeling...
West Shore Home Tampa
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Reviewed in January 2016
I installed Windows 10. Kept getting the pop-ups for it, it was free...what a mistake. I don't have a smart phone, don't Skype, twitter, text, run a business out of my basement, so Windows 10 was wasted on me. I had purchased Windows 7 a few years ago, Star Tech installed it for about $50.00. ...
StarTech Computer Center
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Reviewed in June 2015
Summitt Building and Development recently finished a remodel for us and we are super happy with the results. We had new wood flooring installed a kitchen remodel done, bathroom, painting and new fireplace mantle; Also new blinds installed and quartzite countertops. From managing the...
Summit Building & Development, Inc
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Reviewed in August 2014
.All our plumbing issues have always been resolved the first tim with no call back each time we have needed a plumber. We do not have any complaints with this company. I don't remember the cost from the times we have called because we needed a plumber and as I said the cost of the plumbing...
DEPENDABLE PLUMBING CO
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Reviewed in July 2013
Great. I had these leaks for a while. I had a couple of plumbers come out but they wanted me to remodel my upstairs bathroom to fix the leaks. They would not address the actual problems i was having. I then found Sun Plumbing on Angies List website. I was thrilled to find someone that would...
Sun Plumbing
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Reviewed in June 2013
Paul Spicer and his excellent helper worked for 3 days on my leaking metal roof project. Not only did they stop the leak, they made the huge wooden chimney look 100% better than before. They removed metal roof panels, designed and installed a cricket to stop the leak. They removed most...
Spicer Construction Inc
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R&M Building and Remodeling

R&M Building and Remodeling

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Kings Crest Construction

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Georgia Cabinet Co.

Quality Property Services

Quality Property Services

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Iga Construction

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Atlantic Property Damage Adjusters Inc

CBC Construction LLC

CBC Construction LLC

North Florida Home Improvement Center LLC

North Florida Home Improvement Center LLC

Premier Reconstruction Inc

Premier Reconstruction Inc

Mainstreet Property Services Inc.

Mainstreet Property Services Inc.

The Lee, FL homeowners’ guide to basement remodels

How Much Does a Basement Remodel Cost? [2025 Data]

How Much Does a Wine Cellar Cost?

How Much Does It Cost to Build a Bar in a Basement? [2025 Data]

Finished vs. Unfinished Basement: What’s the Difference?

Do You Need a Permit to Finish a Basement?

What You Need to Know Before Refinishing a Basement

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