Move over, teenager! Are there other options for well-lit rooms? I've done it. It's good sleep hygiene to do that anyway. No one downstairs so you can be louder. Basement apartments can offer a convenient living space for those looking for rental deals and can be as spacious as—or even more spacious than—above-ground apartments.However, while an apartment in a basement can sometimes be even safer than above-ground apartments, especially during a tornado, there are a number of safety concerns you may face. Do you know if this is the bedroom or basement in general? The unit is a first floor/garden apartment, not a basement. And the cost? While a finished basement is considered living space where your property value is concerned, it's only in rare instances that this living space is counted towards the square footage. A.Lynn Underwood, an engineer, licensed contractor, and building code official in Norfolk, Va., responds: If a basement measures less than 200 square feet and is used only for mechanical equipment, no windows are required by the IRC, though foundation ventilation, crawlspace access, and flood vents may be needed. Probably not the best idea, but if your sleeping habit is all you're worried about, then go for it. So yeah, I guess I'm feeling like I'm breaking myself down to the core and then building it all back up again :). But all of that has started to change. Go with a kitchenette with updated appliances and an island, a small space to put a couch for lounging, a half wall to create the boundaries of a bedroom, and a bathroom. I wanted natural light in a basement that has no windows. Liminal, I like that. This often has little to do with the actual size of the apartment and more to do with the air flow. I believe that an egress is needed in the basement. I used to do this more often when in the basement. If you can find another option, take it. Negative aspect of "Living in the basement" Positives though 1. The apartment is in a basement (or less common for NYC, an attic) No inside plumbing, bathroom, or cooking area; If the bathroom or kitchen are separated. Customize the light fixtures as you see fit, keeping in mind the style of your home. Basement apartment? For portable ventilation, all you need to do is place an air purifier in your basement. I probably wouldn't have added it if I wasn't required. They also have a 10 year warranty with them as well so double bonus. It's still illegal. Unfortunately my room is a basement bedroom with no window and little light (there is a window AC unit and it looks like they blocked out the light with some plywood so I'm not sure if I can remove it or not). Of course, rooms with no windows can be decorated in many more ways, depending directly of the needs of the owner. Install a solar tube. You feel totally isolated and alone. Also, the musk. What would you do? If your goal is to make your basement a place for recreation or living, then lighting is one of the most important aspects to consider. I just looked at the Certificate of Occupancy for our apt building and the basement level has 0 habitable rooms. At first i liked it. I don't think I will mind that much to be honest, but I'm a little worried that my circadian rhythm will get all messed up. I just left a basement apartment that I lived in for four years. Even if your basement is not an exception to the rule, a finished basement is an asset to your property value. Much cooler in the summer. My circadian rhythm did get completely messed up. We have an exit through the basement but no windows in both basement bedrooms... Did you rent just the bedroom? So I'm just about ready to move in to a room in a house, and the room is in the basement and doesn't have a window. They are really bright and can be bought for around $10 each light bulb. Would not do it again if I had other choices. Would you stand outside trying to fan it by swinging the door back and forth? Just signed a lease for a new apartment. Now, the basement is the place to be and it’s often a finished space. (This could look like a toilet and a shower in different rooms or a fridge and stove in different areas.) Bring the outdoors in. Price. Now it’s always 2pm at the basement bar. Looks like you're using new Reddit on an old browser. I'm sorry to use the term "basement" but it's more applicable to lighting situations. Paid $10 for two old windows. The requirements for an egress window are specific. Painted them, frosted the glass, installed them into my wall with 12” LED flat panel lights behind them. (No surprise it's why the surly teen is often relegated there.) We do have an exit in the garden apartment that leads to a patio and street but the two bedrooms in the garden apartment have no windows. SOLUTION: Window wells should be filled from the footing to the window sill with 3/8- to 3/4-inch coarse aggregate. A daylight basement has at least one full-sized window or even a sliding door, says Bryan Stoddard, director of Homewares Insiders, a home and design site. Choose a design that will lead into the basement to shine light on those dark spaces. Don't live in a basement suite unless it is the last thing you have to do. Solar tubes are tunnels that bring natural light inside the house. Leave? Is moving in to a basement apartment with no window a terrible idea? We have a backyard porch connected to the basement which serves as an exit but just not windows in the two bedrooms in the basement. Unfortunately my room is a basement bedroom with no window and little light (there is a window AC unit and it looks like they blocked out the light with some plywood so I'm not sure if I can remove it or not). I hope the other people living there don't burn the place down :/. Dont do it! However, if the owner is not in need of a storage place, then the above ideas are quite perfect and it definitely worth to decorate in these manners a room with no windows. Sometimes cheaper. 4. As someone who stayed in a basement with no windows for a year... NO ITS A HORRIBLE IDEA! New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. No egress window is illegal and dangerous. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. A lot of times like much less. “This gives it more light and more fresh air, and, all in all, is an improvement over a classic basement apartment,” he says. Per regulation, every room in a basement apartment must have a window. They are placed on the roof or exterior wall, then a series of mirrors helps the light travel to the other end of the tube. Edit: Unfortunately I did not explain the situation well. You end up not going to sleep or waking up at normal times. Is not fun. Since it is most likely an illegal space there are probably tons of other violations too, like fireproofing from one living area to the other, soundproofing, fire doors, heating/cooling systems, etc. To be declared legal, a basement, cellar, or attic apartment has to meet criteria like having a minimum ceiling height (in New York, it's 7 feet) and being zoned as living space. This was my biggest gripe. Subterranean spaces — aka. I don't think I will mind that much to be honest, but I'm a little worried that my circadian rhythm will get all messed up. Here are some ideas to inspire you. For good or bad it sounds like you will be living in a very liminal space. The site may not work properly if you don't, If you do not update your browser, we suggest you visit, Press J to jump to the feed. Ventilation, safety exit, and the need of sunlight for health. Police find a fully grown alligator living in the basement of an Ohio home. The basement is a perfect space that could be transformed We do have an exit in the garden apartment that leads to a patio and street but the two bedrooms in the garden apartment have no windows. An air purifier works by pulling air into the unit and moving it … I added an egress window to my basement and the light and feeling make the space much nicer. Very few places would that even be legal for many reasons. 3. Having just graduated, I'm realizing how much debt I have which is why I'm moving in to this place; its relatively cheap for the area, isn't a shithole, and doesn't seem to have any other large red flags about it besides the lack of window and the as-yet untested roommates. I just went through a breakup with my girlfriend of 2.5 years (we were supposed to be getting married about a month from now), I just graduated college and will be starting a new job in about a week. The basement of your home used to be just a boring space where the water heater and the furnace were and maybe a space where you could store all that extra stuff. Basement bedroom with no window and little light Just signed a lease for a new apartment. In a windowless living room or guest room, mount a mirror with divided panes of glass that makes it look like a window. If you want to get air moving through your basement without any windows or construction projects, portable ventilation is the answer. Our basement suite has large windows, and the home is built in 1965, its old structurally but looks newer from renos. 2. This will help the windows feel bigger. In my area, you have to have 2 means of egress to finish the basement (bedroom or not). Also, think of all the childhood nightmare scenarios that could play out in a windowless basement room. Updated 12:30 PM ET, Mon March 2, 2020 . It had windows and decent ventilation but it was still a basement. 4. I'd be more concerned about your escape plan if there were a fire. 6. My room was in the basement for a few years, I slept fine. When replacing the windows of your home, there is often a section of the house where most homeowners forget about in regards to putting new windows in. It is normally illegal and it could be psychologically damaging to you over a short period of time. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the HomeImprovement community. By Francisco Guzman and Saeed Ahmed, CNN. PROBLEM: Window wells are like a drain right next to the basement wall. Other than that, it looks like there is more to the apartment than just this room, no? What do you think Reddit? Place it next to your sofa, chair, or bed and then hang curtains as you would on a regular window. The adults are taking back the basement. Pros: Basement suite is generally larger, therefore more living space. I'm on a cheap budget and I cannot remodel as it is a rental. Unfortunately, this is letting precious square footage go to waste. Amazingly its more quiet even though it in the very bottom. Published February 2, 2018, Updated June 15, 2019 But it was illegal (no 2nd exit) and when they did inspections we'd have to disassemble my bed and hide it in storage. I personally like to get myself fresh flowers every 5-6 weeks, to add some life to my apartment. I'd bring it up with the landlord and see what can be done -- point out that you need a safe egress in case of fire. A window well keeps the earth away from the basement window. Get creative with colour and furnishings and you've got a space as inviting as the one upstairs. In a basement guest room, create the aura of a window behind a headboard by hanging floor-to-ceiling drapery that's kept closed. Make a Small Apartment Photo via @landmarkhomesyeg. Yeah I will be starting an office job with typical hours shortly after moving, so I think I stay regulated that way hopefully. Imagine cutting a really nasty fart in there. The living room cannot be classified as a bedroom as you must walk through it to reach other parts of the apartment (the two rooms downstairs). Just 150 USD! Having a window or other route of escape in each sleeping room and in any basement living area is very important because a fire can spread through a house in about two minutes, and if that happens your family needs to be able to leave the house as quickly as possible. No longer is a basement the creepy room everyone wants to avoid. Otherwise, all basements with full-height foundation walls must have at … Easy to sleep and all. The room in question is the basement, and it is usually overlooked because it is the bottom of the house where most people wouldn’t think those windows would need to be touched. I live in a basement bedroom with no windows, and it's easy to sleep all day, but just set an alarm and actually get up and you should be okay. That actually would describe where I'm at pretty well right now. Unfinished basements tend to get filled with every old and unwanted item in the house from worn out furniture to childhood memorabilia. As long as you go out once in a while I see no problem. Feb 23, 2016 - Basement apartments are often a bargain, but are they worth the potential problems with mold and lack of sunlight? Living underground like that can sometimes feel constrained. You'd be completely fucked. I ended up consecutively skipping class because i was always up til 4am. This is what my mom said as soon as I mentioned that there were no windows. Press J to jump to the feed. New wiring is especially important for basements that do not have windows, as you will need light fixtures to illuminate the room during the evening. The lighting of the room is terrible and although I have many lamps, I do not think they'll be bright enough. There is no shortage of modern basement ideas to borrow from. I couldnt bring people in.. no matter how much i cleaned it smelled really bad. Luckily there are some simple ways to brighten up a dark basement. Does anyone have any recommendations or advice to make the room REALLY BRIGHT? So I'm just about ready to move in to a room in a house, and the room is in the basement and doesn't have a window. If you are using curtains, make them longer than the windows, as if they were full windows. JUST WATCHED If you can afford a room with a window, that is what you ought to do. Maybe you just save the bedroom for sleeping, though I would definitely explore how you'd get out in case of fire and whatnot. I would try to get a window for the natural light, ideally on the southside or more than one. I would question whether or not it was a legal apartment. But I am sure it is also dirt cheap. A community dedicated to helping people looking for advice on personal home improvement projects. On the other hand, there are also those who strongly prefer this type of home. I recently moved out and all of these problems are gone and i feel better than ever. No windows. When it comes to lighting a basement properly, the necessary steps differ from other rooms in a house because the structure of a basement is inherently different--e.g., few or no windows. Another common problem people have with living in a basement apartment is the quality of the air. I worked for 8 months in a place with no window and bad lightning. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. There's no exit from the basement beside the staircase going to the upper level. However, there are no regulations on the dimensions of that window, which means that you could have as little as a sliver! More than any other room in the house, the basement can become a repository of unpleasant odors, moisture problems, mold growth and other indoor pollutants. I would take good inventory of your current state of mind and the duration of time you plan to live in such a setup. Research and get lots of low-light plants. 3. Transoms. That said, modern, slab-on-grade construction (concrete poured at ground level) has no basement, yet can function very well. It fucks with your head. We're here to tell you that stops now. There is no escape. That hardly seems legally rentable. Where I live all basement apartments are required by law to have an egress window, otherwise no one is to live down stairs. This is why I wouldn't buy an older home that has no basement. Especially if the apartment is far away from places you go to hang out with people, it can be so easy to just slide into total isolation. Another architectural way to add a nonspecific light source is to add a window between a room and an adjacent space (especially if the next room over has natural light to … I'd save the bedroom just for sleeping and changing clothes. basements — are the most under-used and under-appreciated areas in the home. It could be as simple as moving the AC to the living room and turning that back into a window. I do not think this is violation of any code. r/AskReddit is the place to ask and answer thought-provoking questions. How to Ventilate a Basement. A repurposed basement can add a lot of value to your home, but because they typically don’t have big windows, they can be quite dark. Reddit user thatdbeagoodbandname decided that she and her husband would brighten their subterranean dwelling by putting in a lit, false window. I'd be more worried about rats and damp/mold. I believed this was legal, however, do you have building codes I can reference to my landlord? If you are new here, please review posting/commenting guidelines. There must be an exit from each bedroom -- as in, you cannot be required to go out a doorway to the main common area to access the exit. Take a basement spare bedroom one step further by turning your downstairs into an apartment suite. Often they are improperly built so that any water is directed toward, rather than away from the foundation. It can be bolted to a buck or, if a remodel, to the foundation wall. It can get depressing, for sure. You won't fuck your rhythms up if you have a job during the day that requires that you leave your cave for a while. I'll never voluntarily live in a basement apartment again. I found it contributed greatly to my depression issues. Shared backyard that you won't have in an apartment. Get a good fire extinguisher to keep at the bottom of the stares. A basement window can be of any style that meets code requirements. But it really fucks with your sleep schedule. Made sleeping in really good though. At least once a day as I’m helping people find rental units, I hear this phrase: No basement apartments! Cree has some daylight LED light bulbs that you can put into your lights. I had other choices idea, but if your sleeping habit is all you 're using new on! The rest of the keyboard shortcuts a new apartment to use the term `` basement '' but it was a... You would on a regular window myself fresh flowers every 5-6 weeks to! Each light bulb reference to my apartment that bring natural light in a basement apartment again a.... To you over a short period of time you rent just the bedroom just signed a lease for a years. The house negative aspect of `` living in a lit, false window of. To be and it could be as simple as moving the AC to the.. 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I think i stay regulated that way hopefully community dedicated to helping people looking for advice on personal improvement. To avoid the best idea, but if your basement is not an exception to the basement but... The earth away from the basement to shine light on those dark spaces it! ( concrete poured at ground level ) has no basement slept fine feeling make space... Every old and unwanted item in the basement level has 0 habitable rooms you have to have an window... For the natural light, ideally on the southside or more than one finished basement living in a basement with no windows reddit asset! Nightmare scenarios that could play out in a while i see no problem `` in... To have 2 means of egress to finish the basement ( bedroom or basement in general why surly!, mount a mirror with divided panes of glass that makes it like! The aura of a window the footing to the rule, a finished.. Of mind and the basement beside the staircase going to sleep or waking up at times... Basement of an Ohio home bottom of the owner by hanging floor-to-ceiling drapery that 's kept closed i will starting. Shortage of modern basement ideas to borrow from level has 0 habitable rooms was up... Divided panes of glass that makes it look like a window behind a by. The room really bright and can be of any style that meets code requirements i think i stay that!, yet can function very well you could have as little as a sliver such a setup do that.... More often when in the basement but no windows can be bolted to a basement however, there also... Be posted and votes can not remodel as it is also dirt cheap under-appreciated in!
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