Construction Service · Central Minnesota
Basement Finishing & Renovation
Turn unused square footage into real living space. Family room, bedroom, home office, bar: designed by Valerie, built by Rick.
An unfinished basement is square footage you're already paying for and not using. Turning it into a family room, guest bedroom, home office, or bar means planning around the things basements need that upstairs rooms don't: egress, moisture control, ceiling height, and lighting that doesn't rely on windows that aren't there. Valerie designs around those constraints from the start, and Rick builds to them as your licensed Minnesota General Contractor.
Before & After
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After 
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After 
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After What We Handle
- Framing and layout planning
- Egress window installation (required for bedrooms)
- Insulation and moisture barriers
- Drywall installation and finishing
- Flooring (LVP, carpet, tile)
- Lighting design and installation coordination
- Bathroom addition (with licensed plumber coordination)
- Bar or wet bar construction
- Interior design: colors, materials, furniture layout
- Permit management (MN GC License BC807593)
How a Basement Project Runs
Design comes first. Valerie lays out the room configuration: where a bedroom, bar, or office fits, how traffic flows around mechanicals and support posts, and a lighting plan that layers ambient, task, and accent light so the space doesn't feel like a basement. Ceiling height and any existing moisture issues get accounted for before framing starts, not discovered mid-project.
Rick then manages construction: framing, insulation and moisture barriers, egress if the plan includes a bedroom, and drywall. Basement bathrooms and bars need plumbing, and Rick coordinates with licensed plumbers and other trade specialists to get the rough-in and fixtures in place as part of the overall schedule. You deal with one team from the first sketch to the final coat of paint.
Who This Is For
Homeowners with an unfinished or partially finished basement who want real usable square footage. Also homeowners with worn and dated finished basements who want to freshen up the lower level and make it more enjoyable to use. We have constructed guest suites for visiting family, home offices & craft rooms, media or family rooms, entertaining spaces complete with a wet bar. It's also a practical option for households that have outgrown their current living space but don't want the cost or disruption of an addition.
See it in a real project: in our High Drive Project House we turned an old basement bar into a wet bar with wine storage and a beverage fridge, and our Summit Project House included a new basement wood slat stair wall.
Basement transformations we've crafted together:
A few of our basement finishing projects from around Central Minnesota.
Basement: wet bar with wine storage and beverage fridge
Basement: wood slat stair wallAfter · Pantown Project House: Opened up stairwell and added a slat and panel detail. Drywalled the walls and ceiling. Added LED recessed lighting to brighten the space.
Trenching needed for plumbing in the new bathroom and laundry room.
Reframed the wall, centered a new fireplace with a wood mantle, and painted the trim, walls and ceilings a creamy white.
Basement wet bar with new quartz countertops, hardware, sink and faucet. Blue backsplash tile adds a ton of personality, and it's lit up with LED undercabinet lighting.Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to finish a basement in Central Minnesota?
Basement finishing runs approximately $25-$50 per square foot for a standard finish. A full custom finish with a bathroom can run $40,000-$80,000+. Contact us for an estimate based on your space.
Do I need a permit to finish my basement?
Yes. Minnesota requires permits for framing, electrical, and egress windows. Rick holds MN GC License BC807593 and manages all permit requirements.
Can you add an egress window?
Yes, and it's required if you want a legal bedroom in the basement. Rick handles egress installation as part of the project.
Can you add a bathroom?
Yes. Adding a basement bathroom requires a plumbing rough-in. Because this usually involves breaking up the concrete floor to run the plumbing, Rick coordinates with licensed plumbers to handle the digging and pipe-laying, and then he fills the trenches back in with new concrete. We've done this on numerous projects to help our clients create a much more functional lower level.
What makes a basement feel less like a basement?
Lighting design, ceiling height planning, and finish choices make the biggest difference. Valerie plans layered lighting and material choices that keep a below-grade space from feeling dark or low.
Serving Saint Joseph, St. Cloud & Central Minnesota
We finish basements for homeowners throughout Saint Joseph, St. Cloud, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, Waite Park, Cold Spring, and the surrounding Central Minnesota communities.
Call Rick: (320) 250-7523