Hi Moms,
Back in September our finished basement had flooded. We had to rip out all the carpet and padding to throw out. My husband has given me the task of getting it recarpeted but with money being tight, I was wondering if there is a good alternative to carpet...some kind of flooring, of course. I do have young kids and think the carpet would keep it warmer as they play and watch TV down there. Should I just get very cheap carpeting?? Help! We are all missing the basement but I don't know how to proceed. Thanks in advance for your advice!
When we finished our basement the guy who did it suggested we get berber carpet and rubber padding. This way, if the basement floods all we have to do is suck the water out. The rubber padding is great! I think it is cushier that regular padding and it makes a huge difference in the basement.
S.,
I second Cathy's advice about berber. Our finished basement has a (cheap) berber with a very thin rubber padding. We have not had flooding but did have a water heater mis-hap as well as an ejector pit overflow (soapy water from washing machine over entire floor).
Both times my husband was able to just suck the water out with a shop vac and put a fan on it overnight and the carpet was fine. The berber seems to dry more easily then regular carpet. I also run a de-humidifier during the summer and it makes a big difference as far as the carpet not feeling like a basement floor.
Berber is going to be not as soft as a more dense carpet, but it's not as cold and hard as uncarpeted floor.
good luck
W
We had our basement finished a few years ago and had put it off because the basement had flooded in the past. we just didn't want to deal with the possibility again! We went with flooring instead of carpeting. We have Armstrong sheet vinyl flooring in a hardwood-look. Many who have seen it always ask if it is hardwood! We purchased a bound large carpet remnant for the main seating..tv viewing, video game area. We got this at Carpetville at one of their sales and the remnant was only $70. We figured that if something happened and it flooded again, easy to toss out!We don't have a pad under it, but you could always do that. My kids are big, so they aren't actually sitting on the floor to play.
S.,
As a builder I'll throw some ideas your way. First, does your basement get damp at all, not when its flooded obviously but just in general? If so, carpet can hold the moisture in and even mold eventually. Just something to think about. If it does you may want to put some of the cheap laminate in. Home Depot or Menards has some really cheap stuff that looks nice when its down and is even less the installed carpet to put in. Plus its water resistant and won't mold like carpet. Toss an area rug down where the kids play & you're all set.
If it doesn't get damp down there, your carpet options are endless. Again the hardware stores have pre padded carpet that is about 15 feet across (I think, lol, don't quote me on it exactly). You can get large pieces and put it down or have it installed, again for really cheap. Another nice option is indoor/outdoor type carpet. If the basement floods again, it can be picked up and dried off, and put back down. . . assuming the flood is not sewage water or something gross.
Carpet stores are always good to try, but sometimes take more leg work to find a really good price with a color you like. The hardware stores tend to have some very cheap options.
Good luck!
Just a thought, but why not tile and do some area rugs?
S.,
Have you checked out Coffman Carpet in Yorkville? They often have huge rolls of carpet that they discount. Jeff and I have used them many times and always found good deals.
Thanks
R.
Hi S.....I am in Naperville and had a similar thing with the September rains however, we ended up not losing our carpet. I am concerned that you might save a few bucks by doing an alternative to carpet only to have it be a waste of money because you might regret not having carpet down there. My family (5 kids) really loves laying around on the basement floor and just relaxing. We bought carpet from FCA in Naperville (from Mike Bell) and he gave us a very good deal. He also let us know that part of the high price of carpet as of late has been that it is tied to the price of gas as gasoline is used in the refining process of carpet. My point is that now that gas is coming down, the price of carpet might actually come down as well...although it takes time for the pricing structure to reset. We also have had good luck buying a medium grade carpet from Menards and given that it is a basement, they might have something that could work for you. Good luck. If you go to Mike Bell at FCA...tell him that Ken Carn sent you. Both my husband and I are real estate brokers and own a business in Naperville and we give Mike business from time to time as he is very honest and competitive on pricing for our clients. Oh...spend money first on a battery backup sump pump and on fixing any cracks or window leaks...or in our case....clean the gutters out so that they don' overflow onto the foundation. We did drain tiles (interior) at our business (which is in a 1917 stucco home in town) and that completely got rid of any and all moisture issues down there from seepage. If you need that referral, just e-mail me at ____@____.com. Thanks!
