Personally I would never finish a basement with drywall and studs. I will prefer the nice look of the concrete walls and just paint it with waterproofing paint or sealer. To put wood and drywall in a moist basement to cover the beautiful stone up or concrete t up is just stupid to me. Too much work for no reason
This is exactly the problem my boyfriend and I are facing in our new house. The house was built in the 60's, and the basement started leaking for the previous owners. They cut the bottom half of the walls–ALL of the walls, including partitions–and the concrete is exposed. They did the insulation against the walls, too. Ick. I so want to knock everything down, and fix it. It's gonna be so costly, though. Gotta install exterior french drains, and seal up the outside walls first.
for the record everyone, I purchased the home at a foreclosure auction and got it like this. I tore everything out (1000 trips up and down the stairs) and returned the basement to a regular empty basement, theres a couple orher vids on my channel of it
The plastic barrier and fiberglass batts is not exactly a fail, since that's how contractors were doing things for decades. The problem is that it only takes a pin hole of air leakage to cause a problem…which is why they don't do this method anymore. Plus you have a block wall foundation which apparently has an issue with moisture from the outside. Today there's solid foam being put on the walls, but I'm sure some people will screw that method up from time to time also….and in your case you still have to deal with that block wall first. The only true way to insulate a basement wall and floor is when the house was being built in the first place and have used solid foam under the floor and outside the walls. Of course you can't get under the basement floor in a house already built, but you can dig down the walls and fix that part at least.
House needed to have a proper waterproof membrane installed outside with a drainage system to prevent water from migrating through the block. There should have been an air gap between the block and insulation and the vapor barrier was installed on the correct side. You still could ad a drainage system from the inside by digging up the perimeter of the rooms floor and adding a drainage system with a sump pump and plastic drainage membrane on the walls.
You mentioned you had vids of 'fixing' the basement. However, I can't find those vids. I did subscribe to your channel, you are an excellent videographer and DIY'er. If you could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it. Thanks.
Studwall needs to come off the wall 4" so there is a pocket of air that moves behind it to move vapor/ moisture… and a serious dehumidifier for the Hot Tub Time Machine in the basement.
Boy, do you have your work cut out for you, Alex.
borrow a pro press dude lol
Thanks for the vid…
That's my company's basement remodel I charged him 43000 for that work thank you
How NOT to grow a beard, EPIC Neckbeard FAIL.
Just joking bud. Nice video and I hope the remodel goes well.
Yet another "know it all" video.
You have to waterproof before you can finish it off.
THE BASEMENT IS FUCK UP AS SAME AS THE OWNER FACE WITH LONG HAIR AND LONG BEARD LOOK ,LIKE A HOMELESS MAN…HAHA
Personally I would never finish a basement with drywall and studs. I will prefer the nice look of the concrete walls and just paint it with waterproofing paint or sealer. To put wood and drywall in a moist basement to cover the beautiful stone up or concrete t up is just stupid to me. Too much work for no reason
This is exactly the problem my boyfriend and I are facing in our new house. The house was built in the 60's, and the basement started leaking for the previous owners. They cut the bottom half of the walls–ALL of the walls, including partitions–and the concrete is exposed. They did the insulation against the walls, too. Ick. I so want to knock everything down, and fix it. It's gonna be so costly, though. Gotta install exterior french drains, and seal up the outside walls first.
I would have loved to see how it was fixed and then what it looked like finished
for the record everyone, I purchased the home at a foreclosure auction and got it like this. I tore everything out (1000 trips up and down the stairs) and returned the basement to a regular empty basement, theres a couple orher vids on my channel of it
The plastic barrier and fiberglass batts is not exactly a fail, since that's how contractors were doing things for decades. The problem is that it only takes a pin hole of air leakage to cause a problem…which is why they don't do this method anymore. Plus you have a block wall foundation which apparently has an issue with moisture from the outside. Today there's solid foam being put on the walls, but I'm sure some people will screw that method up from time to time also….and in your case you still have to deal with that block wall first. The only true way to insulate a basement wall and floor is when the house was being built in the first place and have used solid foam under the floor and outside the walls. Of course you can't get under the basement floor in a house already built, but you can dig down the walls and fix that part at least.
Please be careful in that house 🏡. Mold can do a number on your health. Sorry the home was left in such a bad state before you got it.
I shut it off after the vapor barrier comment …hes just as clued out as the original owner
I'm working on a basement conversion project similar to this one here .
House needed to have a proper waterproof membrane installed outside with a drainage system to prevent water from migrating through the block. There should have been an air gap between the block and insulation and the vapor barrier was installed on the correct side. You still could ad a drainage system from the inside by digging up the perimeter of the rooms floor and adding a drainage system with a sump pump and plastic drainage membrane on the walls.
You mentioned you had vids of 'fixing' the basement. However, I can't find those vids. I did subscribe to your channel, you are an excellent videographer and DIY'er. If you could point me in the right direction I would appreciate it. Thanks.
Studwall needs to come off the wall 4" so there is a pocket of air that moves behind it to move vapor/ moisture… and a serious dehumidifier for the Hot Tub Time Machine in the basement.
when was it built?
What a MESS!
I'm an electrician. Although not shown in this video, I'd hate to think what a hack job they did on the electrical.
Alex, thanks for showing this.