Basement remodeling in MetroWest, MA

Basement finishing in Shrewsbury requires a building permit under 780 CMR, the Massachusetts State Building Code, and the Town's Building Inspector's Office handles applications through an online permitting system. We pull and manage every required permit, including electrical, plumbing, and egress permits, so inspections happen at each rough-in stage before walls are closed.

A finished basement from us covers design consultation, permitting, framing, insulation, drywall, electrical and lighting, basic plumbing rough-in, flooring, trim, and paint. Structural foundation repair, full waterproofing or sump system installation, egress window excavation, radon mitigation systems, and custom built-in cabinetry are typically scoped and priced separately.

Below-grade walls are framed at least a half inch off the foundation to prevent moisture wicking and insulated with Owens Corning or Johns Manville fiberglass batt or rigid foam board meeting Massachusetts energy code R-values. Finished walls use USG or National Gypsum moisture-resistant drywall, and floors are installed over DRIcore or Barricade subfloor panels with Shaw, COREtec, or Mohawk luxury vinyl plank.

We take moisture meter readings of the concrete slab and must confirm readings below 16 percent before any floor covering goes down. Walls are framed off the foundation and insulated with a code-compliant vapor strategy, and moisture-resistant drywall is applied with a minimum of two coats of joint compound. Radon and sump systems are tested and confirmed functioning before the final walkthrough.

Work begins with a site assessment and moisture and foundation inspection, followed by design layout and permit submission. We then complete framing, rough electrical, plumbing, and insulation with inspections at each stage before closing walls. Flooring, trim, paint, and fixtures follow, then final mechanical and HVAC commissioning, and the project closes with a final inspection and walkthrough.

Adding a bathroom or kitchenette to a basement triggers separate plumbing and electrical rough-in permits under 780 CMR, and each must be inspected before walls are closed. Egress window additions require their own permit as well. We handle the full permit set and coordinate each inspection so nothing is missed between trades.

Active water intrusion is identified during the site assessment and moisture inspection that opens every project. Full waterproofing systems, perimeter drain tile, and sump pump installation fall outside the standard finishing scope and are priced separately before framing begins. We will not frame and insulate over a foundation that has not been addressed, because trapping moisture behind finished walls creates a larger problem than the one you started with.

We stand behind our workmanship with a 3-year warranty. If an issue is caused by our work, we'll return promptly to inspect it and make it right at no additional cost during the warranty period. The warranty applies to the framing, insulation, drywall, flooring, and finish work we perform, and a dedicated project manager is your contact if a concern arises.