Cheap basement flooring options?

Question

This is a buy and hold rental I just closed on and I am looking for basement upgrade tips

This basement just had a full mold remediation done. The old tiles and drywall were taken out and this is what I am left with. I havnt seen any water but I am afraid to do anything like carpet until I know if there is moisture. Any benefit of trying to make this nice or should I just leave it as a grungy basement with a washer/dryer.

I will be paying a contractor approx $25/hour for work. So please tell me the most bang for your buck upgrades you would do.

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Sandy Uhlmann · Answer

The previous owners had already painted some of the walls in the same color as they did a drywalled wall.  I just finished the job on that particular (concrete) wall.  I was short on time so on wall that I drylocked, I just left it the drylock white and it contrasted with the blue really well.  (Lets face it, anything looks better than old concrete with patches!)

Steve Babiak · Answer

I would NOT recommend using paint on a basement floor that gets wet; use a stain in that application instead.  Or you will find that paint peeling away if the floor ever gets wet again ...

Adam Craig · Answer

Thanks for the tip Sandy - Did you go white on the walls?

Sandy Uhlmann · Answer

I just purchased my first buy and hold property.  The basement is unfinished (for the most part) but they did use the paint with flecks floor paint that is mostly seen in garages.  This gave the basement a very cleAn, unbasement-like look.  I think the price of this product is under $200 and gives a much nicer look then the grey typical basement paint/stain.  The walls were also painted a color to complement the floor which helped to give this unfinished older basement an almost finished look for a minimum investment.

Adam Craig · Answer

I guess I am just not sure if making it a "livable space" is worth the cost VS making it a laundry/storage room. I think I will start with paint until I find out how much if any moisture is coming in.

Fran Flanagan · Answer

I had a similar basement. Turned the corner toilet into a half bath, drywalled walls and put down carpet. I would have tiled if I had water issues. In older houses it seems the basement is often the largest contiguous space. I was amazed how excited it made nearly all prospective tenants. Probably let me get more rent, definitely let me select from better applicants.

James Vermillion · Answer

It really depends what you are planning to do with the rest of the basement.  What are the comps telling you?  As Steve said, if you are just trying to make it less "basement chamber" like, gray floors and painting the walls will go along way.  This will make the basement more of a storage / laundry area.  Do you plan on finishing out the wall as Steve asked?

Steve Babiak · Answer

A related thread:

http://www.biggerpockets.com/forums/67/topics/90083-what-spiffing-up-do-you-do-for-an-unfinished-basement

As far as what I saw in your four pictures:  First question - there are framing studs visible; are those going to be left exposed, or will they have some kind of wallcovering?

The floor will probably be OK stained a nice gray color.  If you want to go a little more, then carpet is next in price - but i wouldn't do carpet in a wet basement (I took carpet out of basements that had gotten wet myself).  I have used glue-down vinyl plank flooring in basements that get wet; one recently got a couple of inches of water due to a drain stoppage, and the floor survived just fine.

The walls - just paint with dry-lok after scraping loose stuff off.  You might consider adding any more surface wiring to make the basement more useful.

The corner toilet is quite common in older houses, where one full bath was considered sufficient, but that spare toilet saved the day for many.

Looks like it had ceiling tiles too; is it your plan to replace them?

EDIT - almost forgot about the plastic being used for the dryer exhaust - that has to go and you should replace with either rigid metal or aluminum flex foil exhaust ducting.

Steve Babiak · Answer

Fixing the photo links here: