WWYD: Yard or basement?

DH and I must be nuts. We finished a major renovation on our house and are now ready for more!! What would you do?

Option 1) Yard renovation. We have a small yard with an open porch. We have a sectional on the porch, and its covered, so it's great for sitting out a lot of the year, for drinks with friends, just relaxing. We love it but we don't have any place for a table/chair set. We're thinking about putting in a small patio and then having the rest of our grass torn up and re-planted, either seed or sod. We would also use the opportunity to widen our flower beds.

Option 2) finish our basement. Our house is technically only 2 BR and so finishing the basement would give us a lot more living space

Eventually we'd like to do both, but right now I'm leaning toward the yard because I feel like we'll enjoy it now! Thanks in advance!!

WWYD: Yard or basement?

I would go with whichever you think you will use more... which sounds like the yard for you guys.

You sound like me & DH, we're finishing up our Kitchen reno & are about to get ready to do our yard & fence over the summer!

WWYD: Yard or basement?

I think I'm being swayed by the low-cost / high reward of re-doing the yard since it is just the start of the summer. I know that we would get a ton of use out of the basement too though.

We went to visit friends in their new home a few weeks ago, it is basically a construction site, and I missed it! Crazy!!!

WWYD: Yard or basement?

you have to go wtih whatever you guys think you will get more use out of

for us, its definitely the basement as we can use it year round and having kids, it can become their playroom

WWYD: Yard or basement?

basement cause to me that's what will be used a lot more. and technically you could just put a table and chair set on the grass for now annoying yes cause you will have to move it for lawn mowing but its still an option

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

For me, I'd do the basement you get use out of it more year round. The summer could be washed out, and really only a few months. If you can swing it, next year, start the construction earlier so by the summer you get the full use out of the backyard.

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

I would do the yard for the same reasons as you--it's easier & you can use it this year. It's not going to rain the entire summer.

The basement, I feel like is going to take more planning & you will appreciate more it when you are spending mote time inside the house.

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

I'm a sucker for a backyard!! Now is the perfect time too!!

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

i would do the yard. i am currently giving my parents yard an added extension. it is a lot of work. but hopefully with some days off soon, overall time of project should be just under a week including shopping at home depot.

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

basement

WWYD: Yard or basement?

I would do the basement just seems more practical to me

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

We had to make this decision last year. We went with the yard. It was less expensive and much easier/faster. Last year we didn't bring in furniture until November. We got a lot of use out of the space.

Cost and time were factors in our decision.

Message edited 5/6/2014 8:10:35 AM.

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

If it were me I would definitely do the basement. The yard you can only use a few months out of the year and the basement you can use all year round.

WWYD: Yard or basement?

How long would the yard reno take? If it would take a few months, and therefore eat into the time you could be using it, I would do the basement now and do the yard at a later time. If it would take a couple weeks, and would be ready before you really wanted to use it, I would do the yard now.

WWYD: Yard or basement?

We moved into our new home last august and have completed many projects. We just finished our Kitchen and also redone 2 bathrooms. We are starting our yard and deck next I think. We have the basement to do but that can be done in winter months when DH has nothing better to do LOL. But we already have 4 Large Bedrooms so we don't really need the space.

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

1 of those things can be used 365 days a year (and 366 every four years). The other one, not so much.

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

Def the basement…it will get a lot more use all year long….I can't wait to do mine!!!!

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

In terms of adding value to the house, I'd finish the basement, hands down.

But if you are just renovating for your personal taste/needs, then it sounds like you want to do the yard.

A lot of people with kids want the basement done for a play room/hang out area. Even for people without kids, some styles of homes don't have as much "common living space" without having a finished basement, so people want more space to hang out, watch tv, entertain, etc. For example, some homes have a small living room, or a combined living room/dining room with no den/family room. In those homes, a finished basement definitely makes the home more liveable, especially for a family.

But I can also see the value of having a nicely done yard. We love to sit out on our back deck and patio all summer with a bottle of wine, etc. And it's nice to have friends over and entertain outside. So if that's more in the budget and the more desirable option for you now, I'd do the yard.

If you are going to do the basement, I'd probably wait until you can do it how you want to do it (e.g., if you want to add a bathroom, do an exterior entrance, etc.), rather than do a quick or half-version of what you really want (if you don't have the full budget to do the basement now, coming off your other projects).

WWYD: Yard or basement?

Depends on how long you would need to wait before you have the time and money to do the other project.

If we could afford to do the 2nd project within the net year then I would choose to do the yard now, since the summer is coming and we would enjoy the use of it.

I would then do the basement later on in the year when the weather changes over again.

Re: WWYD: Yard or basement?

Well, as suspected the basement finishing estimates are coming in high, between 20-30K so far. We could swing it, but I feel like this could also be a long-term project and I definitely want to get it right. I have Fernando coming next week for an estimate on the patio. I appreciate everyone's responses!!

ETA: I'd like to think we could get the basement done in the next year. But we are also TTC, so those plans could be de-railed as I'm sure we'll find other ways to use that money!!

Message edited 5/7/2014 10:13:42 AM.