This issue arises on many occasions when a basement development is in progress and there are differing view points on this topic and is dependant on the magnitude of the work. Any renovation will be intrusive on your day to day activities.

The most common thought process is the ‘economy of scales' debate. The idea that if we have all of the trades there already, why not just have them move up stairs to tackle those issues as well and save some money. This concept works on some smaller projects such as electrical and plumbing renovations. The areas where we do not recommend doing this are large scale renovations such as complete kitchen developments, bathroom projects or flooring. These three areas are all very intrusive as a regular renovation, but the inconvenience magnifies when there is no ‘safe haven' to get away from the dust, dirt, and clutter.

A basement development is relatively non intrusive to the home owner as the area can be effectively cut off from the main living space without interfering with day to day living and can be used as living space during main floor work.

Our recommendation is to complete the basement first then move up to the main floor living space. The extra dollars that you end up spending will help maintain your sanity.