When a Mason family came to us last spring, they had a problem we hear about often: their home felt too small, but moving wasn't an option. Their unfinished basement—roughly 800 square feet of poured concrete walls and exposed joists—had been collecting holiday decorations and old furniture for years. They wanted something usable.
After walking through the space with them, we put together a plan that would give them a proper family room, a dedicated office nook, and enough storage to keep things organized. Here's how the project came together.
Basement renovations aren't like other remodels. You're working below grade, which means moisture management comes first. Before we framed a single wall, we addressed the concrete floor with a moisture barrier and checked the existing sump pump system. The homeowners had noticed some dampness along the east wall after heavy rains, so we installed an interior drain tile system in that section.
We also upgraded the electrical panel capacity. The original home was built in 1998 with a 150-amp service, which was fine then but wouldn't support the additional circuits we needed for the new space. Adding a subpanel gave us room for recessed lighting throughout, dedicated circuits for a future wet bar, and plenty of outlets along every wall.
We framed the walls with pressure-treated bottom plates—standard practice for any concrete contact—and insulated with closed-cell spray foam. This approach handles both thermal insulation and acts as a secondary vapor barrier. The homeowners noticed the difference in their heating bills that first winter.
For flooring, we recommended luxury vinyl plank. It handles the slight temperature and humidity fluctuations you get in a basement better than hardwood, and today's products look remarkably close to the real thing. We installed a click-lock system over a foam underlayer, which adds some cushion underfoot and a bit of sound dampening.
The ceiling posed an interesting choice. Drywall gives you that finished look, but it also means cutting access panels for any future plumbing or electrical work. We went with a suspended ceiling system that uses larger tiles with a clean, modern profile—not the old drop-ceiling look from the 1980s. The homeowners can still reach the mechanicals when needed.
Along one wall, we built floor-to-ceiling cabinetry with adjustable shelving. This replaced the need for freestanding storage units and gave them a place for board games, extra linens, and seasonal items. The cabinets match the trim work upstairs, so the basement feels connected to the rest of the house.
Scheffer Construction has been handling projects like this across Warren and Hamilton counties for over 30 years. Matt Scheffer oversees every job personally, from the initial walkthrough to the final inspection. We've completed more than 465 renovations in communities like Loveland, Lebanon, Montgomery, Blue Ash, and Indian Hill—and every project comes with our 15-year warranty.
If you've got an unfinished basement that's just collecting dust, we'd be happy to take a look and talk through your options. No pressure, just honest advice from people who've been doing this work for three decades.
