Basement finishing is priced per square foot: from $170 per sq ft for a basic open finish, from $200 for a full finish with a bedroom and bathroom, and from $250 for a legal suite or custom basement. Digging out or lowering the floor is quoted separately after a site visit and engineering review. After a free measurement and AI design, your Project Manager gives you one firm price before you sign. Materials are included in every price.

A basic open finish usually takes 3–5 weeks, a full finish with a bedroom and bathroom 6–10 weeks, and digging out or building a legal suite 3–6 months — including engineering and permit review. Your Project Manager gives you a real start-to-finish date before work begins.

Yes — first, every time. Before anything is framed we look at the foundation, drainage, grading and any past water intrusion. If there's a problem, it gets fixed first (drainage, waterproofing, a sump pump or a vapor barrier) and we tell you the cost up front. Finishing over a damp wall is the most common reason basements fail, so we don't do it.

Living and sleeping areas generally need about 7 feet of clear height under the building code (bathrooms and laundry rooms a little less, and beams or ducts can dip lower). We measure it on the free visit. If it's too low, the floor can be lowered — that is structural work, reviewed by an engineer and quoted separately. Exact code details vary by city and county.

Often yes, when the foundation allows it. A structural engineer reviews the foundation, soil and water conditions first — digging can mean underpinning the existing footings, shoring, and hauling away soil. Because every house and lot is different, we quote digging only after a site visit and engineering review, not before. To scope it we need your goal: final ceiling height, square footage, and how finished you want the space.

Yes. Finishing a basement, adding a bedroom, bathroom or egress window, and digging out all require permits. We pull and manage every permit, coordinate engineering where it's required, and schedule the inspections — you never deal with the city or the paperwork.

Yes. A legal bedroom needs an egress window or door and enough ceiling height. A bathroom or kitchenette needs plumbing — and if your basement is below the sewer line, often a sewage ejector pump. We plan all of this in the AI design so you see it before anything is built.

Often, depending on ceiling height, your lot and local zoning. A legal unit typically needs a separate entrance, a full bathroom and kitchen, egress windows, a fire-rated separation and hard-wired smoke and CO alarms, plus separate permits. Rules differ by city and county in Washington, so we check feasibility on the first visit.

Almost never for finishing — the work is below your living space and we protect the stairs and entry path. Power, water or heat may be off for short periods, which we schedule ahead. Digging out is more disruptive; we'll walk you through the plan and options before work starts.

Yes. We insulate and air-seal the slab and walls with materials suited to below-grade spaces, add a moisture barrier where needed, and extend or add heating and ventilation — electric, mini-split or ducted, depending on your house — so the space is comfortable year-round.

We build the space and supply the materials: framing, insulation, drywall, flooring, electrical, plumbing, lighting, paint, trim and doors, plus permits — all included in your price. Furniture and appliances aren't included; digging out the floor and any waterproofing or foundation repair are quoted separately once we've seen the basement.

That's normal, and it's exactly what the free AI visualization is for. We measure your basement, walk you through layout and finish options, and build an AI rendering of the finished space — so you can see it and make changes before anything is ordered.

Yes to both. We don't lend money ourselves, but we help you get financing — we work closely with banks and lenders and know this process well, so we move fast. We also work directly with insurance companies on covered claims, including water damage.