Modern Basement

The first project Ashley and I worked on together was a secret mailbox, hidden half-way between her house and mine. To build our mailbox, first we found an old tree stump, then dug out the rotted wood, placed a metal coffee can inside, and covered the can back up with pine needles. We were destined to be successful architects.

Now, twenty years later, we are both in the process of building our first home. Ashley and Erik, much further along in the process than we are, offered this advice for first-time home-builders:

• Make your plans as detailed as possible
• Get as many prices for products from several different sources
• Establish a relationship with a reputable sales rep from local building suppliers.
• Limit your time running after supplies by making detailed lists

  

  “We just finished siding and now just have to finish grading in the front. As for the interior, the upstairs radiant is almost finished, then we can tape and paint and put a floor down and we’ll be ready to sell!”

What makes their situation unique is that they are living in the basement, while slowly building the rest of the house. Ashley said, “We are doing it all with cash, so it’s been slow, but we are almost there! We should have everything done in the next couple of months, and then we plan on putting it on the market and hopefully selling right away! And then we will do it all again…It has been a bit slower than planned, but it’s worth it!”

Two of my favorite design details about this basement are the mid-mod living room and the Edison-bulb pendants in the bathroom.

“We’ve been living down here for the past four years and plan to finish the upstairs by spring and then put the house on the market.”

“We both have basically the same taste, so we designed it together. I’ve helped as much as I can, where I can, when it comes to the building process, but it’s been pretty minimal! I built a few walls!”

“We found this house online years ago. We liked the exterior and then just laid the interior out together…We don’t actually have blueprints, Erik just went off of the outside dimensions and built away!”

 

Good luck, Ashley and Erik! Thank you for sharing pictures of your beautiful home!