In Vancouver, many homes built in the early 20th century were designed with basements that served primarily as storage spaces or to house the furnace and water heater. These areas represent a significant amount of untapped living space!

Transforming Storage Space into New Living Space

JSP Construction has extensive expertise in converting half-basements into full, functional living spaces, adding significant value and usability to older homes.

This transformation is achieved by excavating the existing basement to a greater depth and extending the foundation walls downward to rest on new footings, creating a structurally sound and expanded basement.

Minimal Disruption to Your Daily Life

One of the advantages of this type of renovation is that you don’t need to vacate your home. All work is conducted from the basement, allowing you to continue living comfortably on the upper floors with minimal disruption.

Additionally, the exterior of your home remains untouched. The required perimeter drainage adjustments can be made internally, avoiding any need to dig up the outside landscaping or disturb existing flower beds and shrubs.

Upon completion, you gain an entirely new floor of prime living space, seamlessly extending your lifestyle into a revitalized area of your home.

Alternative for Homes with Height Restrictions

This type of renovation isn’t only for homes with low basement ceilings. If your home is in an area with height restrictions, deepening your basement provides a great option for expansion. When building up isn’t possible, going down is the solution!

The technical term for the process of adding new, lower foundation walls is “underpinning.”

A Technique for Foundation Repairs

Underpinning is not only for enhancing basement spaces but is also essential for foundation repairs. Many older Vancouver homes were built without proper footings, leading some to shift or settle over time. Underpinning addresses this by lowering foundation walls and adding new, stable footings to reinforce the home’s base.

This technique is also used when foundation walls have developed cracks or when the concrete begins to deteriorate.

Selecting an Experienced Contractor

Selecting the right contractor for this type of work is crucial. A poorly executed job could lead to structural issues, such as sinking, and if drainage for the new walls is not properly managed, it could result in leaks and water damage in your newly renovated basement.

JSP Construction has extensive experience with these projects. Over the past several years, we have successfully transformed more than a dozen basements into beautiful living spaces for homeowners throughout Vancouver and surrounding areas.

We can bring the same expertise to your home.