Basements
Basement finishing
Dry first, then finished. Family rooms, guest suites, bathrooms, and egress windows that pass inspection the first time.
The short version
A finished basement is the cheapest square footage you will ever add to your house. It is also the easiest to get wrong, because the problems start below the drywall.
We check for water before we quote. Then we frame, insulate, and finish with materials that handle a basement's moisture, and we add the egress window, smoke alarms, and ceiling heights the code needs for a legal bedroom.
A good fit if
- You need a family room, guest room, or home gym
- Teenagers, grandparents, or guests need their own space
- You want a full bathroom on the lower level
- An unfinished basement is just storage and laundry right now
- You want a legal bedroom that counts when you sell
What's included
- Moisture check of walls and floor before we price the job
- Insulated, framed exterior walls with the right vapor control
- Egress window and well where a bedroom is planned
- Electrical, lighting, and smoke and CO alarms to code
- Bathroom plumbing tie-in or new rough-in when needed
- Permit, inspections, and a final walkthrough
If your basement leaks, we will tell you
Finishing over a wet wall is how mold starts. If we find active water during the moisture check, we will point you to a foundation and waterproofing specialist first and come back once it is fixed. We would rather lose the job than build over a problem.
What it costs in 2026
Ranges for Milwaukee County homes, not quotes. Your written ballpark comes within a week of the free site visit.
Open finish, 600 to 900 sq ft
Framing, insulation, drywall, flooring, lighting
$38,000 – $62,000
Finish with a full bathroom
Adds a bath with a shower, plumbing included
$62,000 – $98,000
Egress window and well
Required for a legal basement bedroom
$6,500 – $11,000
Wet bar or kitchenette
Cabinets, counter, sink, and a fridge space
$9,000 – $22,000
The honest part. Ranges assume a dry basement with at least 7 feet of clear height. Low ceilings, ductwork that has to move, or a bathroom far from the main stack cost more. We will show you where the money goes before you decide.
Typical timeline
About 14 weeks, first meeting to final
-
Design and moisture check
2 to 4 weeks
-
Permit
1 to 3 weeks
-
Framing and rough-ins
2 to 3 weeks
-
Insulation and drywall
2 weeks
-
Finishes and final
3 to 4 weeks
From the portfolio
Shorewood lower level
1952 colonial · Shorewood
An 850 sq ft basement turned into a family room, a guest bedroom with a legal egress window, and a full bathroom.
- Scope
-
- Moisture check, insulated and framed exterior walls
- Egress window and well for a legal guest bedroom
- Full bathroom with a tiled walk-in shower
- Media wall, recessed lighting, and vinyl plank flooring
- Ductwork rerouted to keep 7 foot 4 inch ceilings
- Timeline
-
Design 3 wk · Permits 2 wk · Build 9 wk. About 3 and a half months.
Total about 14 weeks. - Budget range
- $72,000 – $84,000
Questions people ask
All FAQsDoes a basement bedroom need an egress window?
Yes. A sleeping room in a basement needs an emergency escape opening. We size the window and well to code and include it in the permit.
What flooring works best in a basement?
Luxury vinyl plank or tile over a proper subfloor. Both handle moisture well. We steer most clients away from solid hardwood below grade.
Can we stay home during the work?
Yes. Basement work is the easiest project to live through. We seal the stairway, run dust control, and keep the laundry usable on most jobs.
Other work we do
Ready to finish the basement?
Five short steps, about four minutes. You'll hear back within two business days with next steps, and the site visit and ballpark range are free.
Rather talk? Call (414) 555-0142, weekdays 7:30 to 4:30.