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Plan a basement


Basement Floor Plans: Types, Examples, & Considerations

Cedreo’s online basement floor plan designer allows you to quickly create stunning layouts.


Key Basement Floor Plan Considerations

See Basement Floor Plan Examples

Basement Floor Plan FAQs

Draft a Professional Basement Floor Plan in No Time

Putting together an accurate basement floor plan has never been faster. With Cedreo, you can use simple drag-and-click controls to draw walls, place design elements, and specify exact dimensions of your floor plan. Your entire basement layout can be composed in a few clicks, ready to be converted into a professional 3D rendering and photorealistic visualization.

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2D Basement Floor Plans

Quickly draw basement blueprints with a top-down view. It’s simple to insert markers for doors and windows - all customizable to match your real-life scale and dimensions.

Add symbols for furnishing and appliances to enhance readability. The color coding, labeling, and importing of existing plans all serve to speed up your process and make it easier to develop polished 2D floor plans.

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3D Basement Floor Plans

2D basement blueprints can be quickly converted into lifelike 3D floor plans. As you draw in 2D, the 3D viewer will update in real-time.

Our online system does all the work, so there’s no need for your computer to have a high-end graphics card or powerful processor. Refine details such as lighting, decor, and materials to create the most realistic presentation of your proposed design.

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3D Basement Floor Plan Visualization

Take your finished basement floor plan a step further with Cedreo Software and create 3D renderings to immerse your client’s in their future space.

3D floor plans enable you to present your client’s basement construction project from a general overview. With our 3D rendering technology take your business proposal a step further and help your clients project themselves in their future homes.

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6 Key Basement Floor Plan Considerations

Basement floor plan design requires careful consideration of a few key factors. Going in with a firm idea of how you’ll approach each point will ensure that your layout meets client needs and provides maximum functionality.

Plan the Layout First

Basements can often be tight quarters. Making the most efficient use of the space available necessitates some thorough planning. Think about the way the client intends to use the space, what the most common traffic patterns will be, and what parts of the room should be most accessible. This will help you develop a functional layout. A few versions may need to be evaluated in order to find the layout that accommodates the best traffic flow. Cedreo’s quick editing makes it simple to change up your layout and figure out what works best.

Determine Your Ceiling Height

Ceiling height is an important consideration for basements, not only for building code compliance but also for comfort. When deciding upon the height of your ceiling, don’t forget any ductwork or piping that may run through and reduce the open vertical space. If these utility lines are meant to be covered by a drop ceiling, that extra space will need to be accounted for in the ceiling height.

Identify Open Space Requirements

Egress points are important safety features in basements. Check with your local building codes to determine how much space you’ll need to allot for a window that can be opened and climbed out of in the case of emergency evacuations. The codes will give you guidance on how far the bottom sill can be from the floor, how wide the window must be, and other critical measurements.

Factor in Storage Needs

Basements are often used as storage spaces, even when their primary function is something else. Ensure that your design facilitates all of the storage your client needs by considering the rest of the storage space available in the home, and whether or not the basement’s own mode of use will require any storage accommodations.

Consider Lighting

The submerged structure of basements often makes it difficult to access enough daylight. Your design will need to account for how to best leverage the natural lighting opportunities available via windows, and possibly even outdoor landscaping. The design plan will also need to provide artificial illumination in the form of recessed lighting or individual light fixtures. Because basement ceiling heights are often on the lower side, you may need to avoid hanging fixtures.

Choose an Interior Design Style

In order to bring all the previous key layout considerations together for your basement floor plan, having a general interior design style idea can help with these decisions. For instance, considering lighting goes with choosing the colors of the walls. The furniture used will depend on

the open space requirements and built-in storage if there is any. When drawing floor plans every detail of the construction project comes together, which is why they are so important.

Basement Floor Plan Examples

Cedreo empowers you to draw beautiful layouts for any type of basement design.

Walkout basement floor plans

Basement floor plan with stairs in the middle

Simple basement floor plan

Complete living space basement

Daylight basement floor plans

Rectangular basement floor plan

2 bedroom basement floorplan

3D basement rendering

Basement Floor Plan FAQs

Is there a difference between 2D and 3D floor plans?

2D floor plans enable you to communicate the more technical aspects of a construction project. This can include aspects such as dimensions, windows and doors, opening orientations, wall types, and load-bearing. 3D floor plans provide a more tangible view of a construction project with visible design elements and furniture placement.

Why do I need both 2D and 3D floor plans?

From a technical perspective, you don’t need both 2D and 3D floor plans. However, presenting both of these floor plan types to your clients can add that wow factor to your business proposal and help them project themselves into their future homes.

Can I easily change a floor plan?

Just as you can easily draw a floor plan in minutes, you can easily change one at any given moment during the construction project process. Cedreo Software is there to help you bring your client’s vision to life.

Why are floor plans so important for my business?

Floor plans are the first step when conceptualizing a design. They encourage discussion between you and your client and help to align ideas, as well as respect the budget. Floor plans are the first thing you present in your client portfolio. First 2D, then 3D floor plans, and to top it all off the 3D renderings created with our software to really sell the dream.

A Step by Step Guide to Planning Your Basement Remodel

Remodeling your Basement will not only give you a relaxing space to spend time with family and friends, but it can also increase the value of your home. Just like any home renovation project, designing the perfect Basement is a process that requires careful thought and planning. 

This guide will walk you through every step of the process, from the visual planning to the hands-on labor, to help ensure you don’t overlook anything while planning your Basement Remodel project. Let’s get started:

 

Step 1: Evaluate your space

Before you can think about the placement of decorative items, paint colors, or flooring, you need to take a few moments to evaluate your existing space. Think of the elements you want in your basement and where you want them. Do you want to make it into a man cave? Will it be a game room? Think about how you would want yourself and others to use this space. 

Next, look over the items that you want to keep, you have to keep, and the items you want to donate or throw away. It may feel unnecessary, but it will save you a lot of headaches once the construction aspect of the project begins.  

Keep in mind the items that you will have to keep, no matter how much space they may take. These items include the heater/AC unit and associated ductwork, water heater, well pump, sump pump and pit, electrical panel and wiring, pipes, support columns, and beams. 

It’s important to remember while these items will still need to be part of your Basement, you may be able to move them to a new location during the construction process. Just be sure to work with a professional to make sure you choose a logical and realistic location if you decide to move these items. 

For example, you’ll need to account for minimum space requirements and for fresh air intake for heaters. Check with your local code officials and establish these requirements for all your units before finalizing your floor plan. 

Now that you have visualized your space and checked over items you’ll either keep or remove, you can move on to the next step of your Basement Remodel process.

Step 2: Beams and columns

The next step is to evaluate the fixed items in your Basement. These are items that can’t be moved and thus need to be incorporated into your planning. Home builders aren’t concerned with a basement’s feng shui when placing support beams and columns. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t make them look nice. 

Let’s take a look at some solutions for your existing beams and columns:

Support columns are generally unmovable, as they are supporting the weight from above. 

Here are some solutions to work around columns:

Beams usually need to stay in place as well, as they span openings and are weight-bearing just like columns. 

Here are some solutions to work around beams:

Now that you have covered solutions on how to work around the columns and beams, you can move on to the next step in planning out your Basement Remodel.

Step 3: Waterproofing your basement

The next step is to determine if your basement is waterproofed, i.e. dry. If it’s anything but a resounding “yes” you will need to address this prior to starting your Basement Remodel.

Major signs that indicate you may have a waterproofing issue:

If any of these signs are present, make sure to be diligent in remediating the issues prior to moving forward with your project. The most cost-effective and timely way to address water problems is before you start remodeling your Basement. 

It’s best to work with a professional when seeking help in addressing water problems in your basement. Don’t settle for subpar work. Remember, doing a thorough job now can prevent future issues from occurring down the road. Be smart in choosing the professional that fixes your water problems. 

Step 4: Developing a floor plan

Now you can start the exciting step of developing a new floor plan for your Basement. Two things that are important to address are your exterior walls and your stairwell walls. 

Exterior walls are what cover your foundation walls. The best thing to do is to keep them as far against the outside walls as it allows. This will maximize your usable floor space. Consider items like plumbing and water pipes, electrical wiring, and the need for access panels when planning for the walls. Keep in mind, one of the first interior walls that are generally placed is for the utility room since hiding utilities is typically a priority. Remember to take into account the code requirements for service space in front of and around the units.

Establishing your stairwell is an important aspect of your floor plan. You will need to decide a few things around your stairwell. First, do you want an enclosed or open staircase? Second, how will you utilize the space underneath the staircase? Would you want it to be a closet? Keep in mind, most codes require the underside of the staircase to be drywalled.

After the walls have been placed, take a step back and look at the remaining space. Try not to put up more walls than you need, since too many of them can restrict the usage of the space. Use a roll of masking tape and layout the placement of the interior walls to give you a feel for how the walls will impact your layout. You might also consider hiring a professional interior designer for a professional opinion on how to best utilize the space.

Step 5: Egress

For modern homes, this isn’t an issue since newer homes have a second entryway. This step applies more to older homes that never built a secondary entryway. Depending on the use of your space, you may be required to provide more egress than just two exit points. 

If you add a Bedroom to your Basement, it will require its own source of egress to the outside. It could be a door or a window, but this would be an Addition to the main egress points in other parts of the Basement

Many clients ask the question “How can we get out of complying with the code?” and this comes up when we discuss the budget. An additional means of egress to your basement can easily add $5,000 or more to the cost of the project. 

In response, we recommend that our clients instead ask “Why would I not want to comply with the code?” These regulations are intended to keep you and your family safe. 

Let’s say you are in a situation where you and your family need to get out of the Basement quickly but two of the exits are blocked. Wouldn’t investing in the extra egress make sense? Your family’s protection is a priority and with the addition of egress, it will ensure that your family can get to safety and be protected in case of an emergency.   

Step 6: Enjoy your new space!

So there you are relaxing in your Kitchen on a Monday morning when you notice that something seems off. You don’t hear hammers, power saws or drills. None of the workers came up to grab some coffee and the fresh batch of cookies you left out is untouched. Then it finally hits you that the carpenters and painters finished the project up on Friday afternoon. Your new Basement is ready to be enjoyed!

Hopefully, the project has been completed just the way you envisioned it would look. After the contractor has handed the project over to you, make sure to take the time and do the following:

  1. Take a walk through the new Basement with your contract in hand, along with any and all additional work orders. Make sure to note any discrepancies or deviations that need to be addressed. 
  2. Look over any outstanding items that need to be completed at a time yet to be determined. You should receive this detailed list in writing, accompanied by a financial commitment and a timeframe for completion, as well as who is responsible for the completion of each of the outstanding items.
  3. Visit and look over each space to make sure it’s similar to what you envisioned.
  4. Enjoy and embrace your beautiful new space! Enjoy the time you spend there, as that’s why you did the project in the first place.
  5. Throw a grand opening party. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing guests enjoying the environment that you created.

Does this guide have you feeling ready for a Basement Remodel of your own? Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll be there for you every step of the way so you can be enjoying your beautiful new basement in no time. 

Layout and drawings of the basement of a private house

Such a room as a basement is an indispensable thing for a private house, because no refrigerator can accommodate so many cans with canned food, pickles, jam, vegetables, and other supplies. Almost every person who has his own housing can make himself such a structure.

Layout of a basement with a swimming pool, a sauna and a bathroom

To do this, you can use the basement of an existing residential building, whether it is a house or an apartment, or a self-built small basement on a plot near the house. In addition, by drawing up the layout of the basement, you can make it original and beautiful. 9Ol000 such a cellar

A room such as a cellar has its own definition. Basically, they call the basement a large room located on the ground floor of the building and occupying its entire area. Thus, many other buildings can be placed in this room, such as a garage, a workshop, an additional room, a swimming pool, a laundry room, a boiler room, or a swimming pool. In addition, it can accommodate a pantry. This is the main difference between a basement and a cellar.

In the basement of the house there can be rooms of different purposes, and in the cellar - only one for storing seasonal products or conservation.

Basement layout with sauna, laundry and gym

Now let's look at the nuances of planning a scheme and building a basement on a private lot. Of course, you need to take into account the fact that a high-quality and good foundation in a spacious house has great requirements in terms of labor intensity and finances. Therefore, it is necessary to consider all the pros and cons of building basements in the foundation of the house.

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Minuses of cellars in the foundation of the house

The first big drawback, which is a problem for most owners, is the financial side. In order to make a good quality and reliable basement, you will need to spend almost half the cost of the entire house. But it is worth considering that the price directly depends on the conditions of construction, namely, groundwater, soil composition and terrain.

The second drawback is the need for large labor costs for work that, when building with your own hands, will be very difficult.

Basement layout 7x9 with furnace and kitchen

And, nevertheless, on most summer cottages and ordinary private plots, construction is carried out independently, as this helps to avoid unnecessary costs.

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Advantages of a basement in the foundation

Of course, there are much more advantages to having a basement in the ground floor of your house than disadvantages. The first plus is that you have a huge plot at your disposal, where you can locate the necessary premises, and everything you want, from the greenhouses of utility blocks to the boiler room.

In addition, if you are a sports enthusiast and want to keep your body in shape, you can locate a gym in the basement. In another case, this room will serve as an excellent place to build a billiard room or a winter garden, in which, by installing natural light, you can even be surrounded by green plants in winter.

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Basement in a monolithic foundation

Before starting the marking work, you must create a drawing in paper or computer form, according to which it will be clear exactly how your basement looks both inside and out. For example, consider options for a partial basement under a building. More than half of the house has been allocated for our needs, but if it is possible to use the entire area, then it will be even better.

The total floor-to-ceiling height of the basement we use will be 150 centimeters, with a height above ground of 80 centimeters.

Such a small height is due to the need to install waterproofing and also to carry out concreting of the floor. Each of them takes an average of 20-30 centimeters. The entire structure will occupy a height of up to 2.2 meters.

If your site where the house is located has a high level of soil freezing, and it reaches a level below 1.5 meters, then there is a need for a trench or excavation dug at this level. After that, the surface is covered with a sand cushion, which should not exceed 60 centimeters in height. Basically, the level of effort applied depends directly on the density of the soil and its compliance.

If soil is available, the best options are to provide additional reinforcement by laying out bricks, formworking the walls and digging an additional pit. If you have more finances at your disposal, then it would be nice to lay out concrete blocks under the foundation.

If the soil is hard and consists of stone, earth, and the like, then a steep trench is dug. But you should be careful in the place where the doors should be located: there the soil is not dug out and remains, after which it is reinforced. Further, the entire base is strengthened with formwork. The last part of the base of 10–15 centimeters should be heavily reinforced, especially in those places where windows and doors will be located.

If there is already a ready-made load-bearing structure on the first floors of buildings, it must be used for further planning and drawing up basement or ground floor drawings. This is especially important if you want to freely and creatively arrange the elements as you wish, as they can be coordinated with an already designed residential structure.

Basement ventilation scheme

Typically, such a floor or basement can be equipped not only for the location of the cellar or other technical rooms. In some cases, it is allowed to build a place for the temporary location of people. The main condition in such situations is the presence of good ventilation and thermal insulation.

Example of a basement layout of a private house with a gym and a sauna

If the dwelling under which the basement is located is individual, then access to the lower room of the house can be facilitated using the external entrance through the house and house stairs. If in your basement there will be complexes such as sports and recreation or household premises and the like, you will need to worry about having a separate exit.

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Basement Design Precautions

  1. Do not place containers with flammable liquids in basements. This also applies to furnace, gas or boiler rooms.
  2. The location of the garage in the basement is undesirable, although it is allowed by the rules of operation. Such precautions are explained by the fact that such an arrangement of the premises may pose a danger to the life and health of people living above such a structure. This is mainly due to the danger of collecting exhaust gases in the upper rooms of the building. If you still decide to locate a garage under your residential building, then you must follow the operating rules that oblige you to install good ventilation with an electric or mechanized hood. Of course, this rule does not apply to the location of electric vehicles in the underground garage.

    3D basement layout with garage and utility rooms

  3. If your basement does not contain any flammable materials, the exit can also be made through the vestibule of the building.
  4. If you wish to locate the residential level in the basement, you must pay attention to the rules specified by the relevant authorities. The norms specified in this document define a residential basement: these are rooms or a system of rooms, the purpose of which is year-round and permanent residence of a person, and at the same time meeting all sanitary requirements; it also includes a suitable microclimate and a sufficient level of air ventilation.
Basement layout option 8x13

If you use the tips in this article, you can make a basement in a private house that will be both durable and reliable.

best solutions for basement construction and insulation

No modern country house can do without a cellar or cellar. The cellar was built traditionally in every village house. It was a separate building and rather resembled a dugout, where food was mainly stored. Now these facilities have a wider application. Here is a place to store food supplies, technical rooms, a workshop, and of course a pantry for old things.

Each owner tries to turn this utility room into the most convenient part of the house. Sometimes the space under the house turns into a comfortable seating area. And if everything is done with your own hands, then the photo of the basement in a private house becomes the pride of the owners and the subject of discussion in your favorite social networks.

Brief content of the article:

How to make basements comfortable

Even before construction begins, the question arises of how to make the basement in a private house the most convenient. This will require significant construction costs, but over time everything will pay off in full.

Your home will receive additional spacious rooms for household needs and food storage. It is always best to plan ahead and draw up an accurate plan of the location of the premises even before construction begins.


You need to plan everything in advance

There are various schemes of basements. Even at the stage of designing a house, it is necessary to accurately determine the number and purpose of each room in the basement. If everything is planned in advance, then you will not have to start alterations immediately after construction is completed.

Don't leave these questions for later. After the completion of construction work, it may turn out that the entrance to the basement is inconveniently made. Or something is not provided by the builders at all. And just completed construction will have to continue.

What can be done with your own hands

Of course, the construction of a house and all basements can only be entrusted to specialists. Professionals will always offer a variety of cellar schemes for a private house and, of course, take into account your wishes.

The basement space must be correctly calculated and securely built so that over time there will be no problems with the house itself. This is one of the most time-consuming stages of construction work. Here you need to take into account many factors that affect how the house will behave for many years after construction is completed.

Errors can cause the house to crack if the basement space and ceilings are built incorrectly and without taking into account all the features of the soil on which the house stands.

After the completion of construction work, you can independently deal with the decoration of the premises and the construction of non-bearing, additional partitions. All major work on load-bearing structures should only be carried out by highly qualified professionals.


How to finish

It is possible to finish the basement in a private house with your own hands. As a rule, these are ordinary painting works, which each of us can do. Do not finish with wallpaper and multilayer coatings. Moisture can accumulate in the basement and such a finish will not be durable and reliable. It is best to perform plaster work for painting.

But the walls and floor of the vegetable storage room are best finished with wood. Inexpensive pine is quite suitable. Be sure to make additional ventilation in the home vegetable store. This will keep homemade apples and potatoes until spring.

Ventilation is everything

Ventilation is always worth paying special attention to. Humidity levels are usually higher here. Ventilation in the basement of a private house can be natural or forced. Natural - this is when the exchange of air occurs naturally. In forced - electric fans of various capacities are used.

In basements, it is better to use both systems at the same time and turn on forced air exchange if necessary.

There are automatic adjustment systems, when the ventilation of the premises occurs depending on the changing parameters of temperature, gas content and air humidity. It should be noted that proximity to the ground can lead to the accumulation of harmful gases in the basement, which only good ventilation will help get rid of.

Basement accessibility

An important factor is the entrance to the basement. It is best to make it closer to the main entrance to the house, say, on the veranda. It is not uncommon for large items to be brought into the basement. Therefore, the entrance must be easily accessible.

If you need to go down to the basement directly from the living area of ​​the house, the kitchen or a common corridor, then you need to think separately how to arrange the entrance to the basement. It should not stand out from the general interiors. The door to the basement in this case will be decorative.

Additional precautions

Do not forget that the durability of the house itself depends on the safety of the basement. Dampness and eternal smudges on the walls will lead to the gradual destruction of the foundation. The safety of the walls must be monitored constantly and prevent any damage.

It is not necessary to alter the supporting basement structures. They have a big burden on them. Therefore, the decision to demolish the interfering wall for more space can lead to irreparable consequences.

What can a basement be used for

Usually all heating equipment and water supply are installed here. It is not necessary to place the main regulating electrical equipment in the basement. In the event of an emergency, the basement may flood, leaving the entire house without electricity for an indefinite period of time. This is the ideal place to store vegetables and long-term food.


If space permits, this is the ideal place for a pool. A billiard room, a recreation area, a favorite bar where you can spend time with friends are also conveniently placed in the lower part of the house.

How to keep warm

Along with humidity, special attention should be paid to the temperature in the basement. It is desirable to maintain a positive constant temperature throughout the year. The basement must not be allowed to freeze in the winter, and excessive heating in the summer. Insulation of the basement of a private house is recommended to be done.

At the construction stage, all work with the foundation, and, accordingly, with the basement, must be carried out in accordance with temperature fluctuations in your area. Complete freezing of basement walls is unacceptable. This problem is solved by small heaters that will maintain the set temperature.

In summer, the temperature balance is maintained by ventilation. It is best to install control equipment that will provide a constant set temperature.

Digging a basement on your own is not a good idea

If your house did not originally have a basement built, and you decide to dig it under the house, then you need to consider several important factors. In any case, in no case should you do it yourself.

Not every specialist will undertake to dig a hole under the built house. The price of even the smallest mistake can be a warp of the foundation or the destruction of the house. Cracks may appear in the hay of a brick house.

If the house is wooden, of course it will not crack, but it can sink to one side due to improper earthworks. Restoration work will be very expensive.

The construction of a basement in a residential building is one of the most difficult jobs.

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