Renovating and Remodeling My 101 Year Old Row House by Kevin – Weekend 1: Framing and Drywall

Read Kevin’s previous post here.

We officially started finishing the basement! After thinking and planning for more than three years, it is exciting to see things start to come together. Framing and electrical started on Friday, and my father and our contractor friend Ron got all of the exterior walls framed, all the rough wiring run and hooked up all 15 recessed lights. Because the ceilings are only seven feet in the basement, and the AC duct lines run through the middle of the room, there was some interesting soffit work done, but we were able to maximize every space possible. I left the common wall on the side with the stairs as exposed brick, which saves on materials, and I love exposed brick.

Continues after the jump.

On Saturday we began hanging drywall, and we also ran wires from the back of the house to the electric panel for the big addition in the fall while the ceilings were still open. We pulled seven new circuits for the new kitchen and bathroom, and while they are not hooked up to the electric panel, we won’t have to fish wire through the new basement ceiling when we start the big addition.

To be kind to my neighbors on the non-exposed brick side of the room where the TV will be, I used sound proofing insulation to help keep things quiet. I also put insulation on the front exterior wall, which is required by code, as well as in parts of the ceiling where heavy foot traffic happens on the main level to help reduce sound. I also used special sound proofing drywall on the part of the ceiling directly below the half bath off the foyer. While that drywall is outrageously expensive (more than $40 per 4’ x8’ sheet), the end result is worth it and now it doesn’t sound like you’re standing next to the person when they use the bathroom above.

Sunday was dedicated to a couple small sections of drywall and odd framing pieces around pipes we didn’t get to Saturday, and then we installed all of the corner beads and taped and got the first coat of mud on the drywall. Even though it is just the first coat, it really makes the room feel more “finished.”

In just three long days we turned an unfinished basement into an unfinished room that is well on its way to becoming my Gentlemen’s Pallor. During this week I will work on sanding and getting the walls ready to be primed, and next weekend we will start working on some of the finishing details.

What do you think so far? I’m trying (unsuccessfully) to keep these posts shorter, so what have I left out that you want to know?

Additional photos are here.