The nice thing about hiring someone over doing it yourself is that it actually gets finished. My bf owns a home building company, knows how to do a basement and started ours....5 years ago....still not finished. Last thing he wants to do after 12-15 hour days. The hard part is he doesn't want to pay someone to finish it either....even though it seriously should only take a couple of weekends to wrap up. We've brought in electricians and plumbers, he did the drywalling himself and it looks like it...if you can do some yourself, great, get the family to help.

I doubt it, but it would have the benefit of spreading the cost out somewhat rather than a lump sum.

The last few times I renovated (two basements and a total kitchen reno) it was cheaper for me to part it out. I think it all boils down to who you contact and what contractors you hire. Some of them will try to do the whole thing themselves which may be a good or a bad thing I dunno. Some of them will part out and if they part out they will either give you the cost of the sub-contracted labour or mark it up to make a few bucks out of it themselves.

I guess you won't really know unless you add up all the numbers.

got any good contact for me? So to break it down, here is what i need?


1) framing + dry wall guy

2) plumber

3) electrician

4) muding / taping

5) painting

6) flooring guy

Does this sounds right?

Insulation. Duct work if you have a furnace/forced air.

My dad is a contractor and him and I used to do a lot of jobs. I would give you his contact but he's really busy these days and typically doesn't like to work in Airdrie :lol: sorry.

Your list looks right, minus a lot of the details, like doors, trim, etc.. I would agree with Tony in that it probably wouldn't be cost effective if you hire individual contractors to do ALL the projects. However, if you can say, do the framing, flooring and painting yourself, then you stand to save a lot of money by just hiring a mudder and taper, an electrician and plumber, etc.

Need a finisher (trims, hanging doors)

& that would just about cover it.

24K without flooring is probably very close if you get someone to take care of everything. You might be 5K less if you act as your own general contractor.

I did my entire basement myself for under 15K (closer to 10K I think, never added the $$ up) It took me 3 years to do though. But my bacground is construction/design, the only thing I didn't do myself is electrcial (friend is an journyman) & the drywall. Oh, carpet in 2 bedrooms & floor tile in the bathroom was hired out. I did everything else, including a tiled shower.

Being your own general contractor is not that difficult, but you will need some time to follow up on subs.

HVAC too, depending on how the duct work is to begin with.

Hmm, last time i checked my house address, it is in Calgary and property tax mailed to be is by City of Calgary so not sure why you keep saying i live in Airdrie so maybe he will give me an estimate?

hehe, i'm just kidding (sort of), but he doesn't like driving north to work. He has enough jobs in the south to keep him busy so he typically doesn't take any jobs up north, sorry :(