5 Things You Should Know When You Flip a Basement Into a Mother in Law Apartment

When you are ready to convert a basement into a mother-in-law apartment, there are several things that you must do to create a great place to live. Use these five tips for changing an unused basement into an apartment.

Create a Fantastic Kitchen

While upgrading the basement, you should design and add a fantastic kitchen that makes it possible for the tenant to cook healthy meals three times a day. Renters want to prepare meals at home with a complete kitchen that includes a full-size refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and microwave. In addition to having appliances, you should have cabinet space with countertops and a large sink. This renovation will require adding electrical wiring, gas lines and water pipes.

Additional Lighting

Your tenant won’t want to live in a dark basement that has no windows or light fixtures. A contractor can determine where to add windows along the top area of the walls so that the apartment has natural light and so that it is possible to open the windows for air circulation. While adding these windows, keep safety features in mind that make it easier for the tenant to open the item to use it as an exit during an emergency. In addition, install lighting fixtures on the ceilings and the walls.

A New Entranceway

Rather than needing to enter the basement apartment from inside your home, you should create a new entranceway through the brick by using masonry saws . These tools will cut through thick brick to create a doorway where you can install stairs so that the new tenant can enter the apartment from outside, giving you more privacy.

Wall Partitions

It is easy to add wall partitions to a basement to make multiple rooms that include a bedroom, living room and kitchen. Make sure to follow the proper guidelines for the different sizes of rooms, and also, you can use the space between the partitions for electrical wiring and water pipes. The partitions will need to have doorways with hanging doors so that the tenant in the basement apartment can close and open the doors.

Accessible Bathroom

If you want to rent a converted basement apartment to an older tenant, then an accessible bathroom is essential. You should have a bathroom that is easy for a senior citizen to walk into with a wider doorway, slip-proof flooring and handrails for safety. Having a safe bathroom can prevent some of the accidents that often occur when an elderly individual is living in an apartment.

Hire a Designer to Help You

When you want to convert a basement, make sure to hire a designer to help you with the process so that the space will comply with local building and safety codes.