Arlington Heights, Illinois
Basement Remodeling in Arlington Heights
Postwar Arlington Heights basements were built as utility space, not living space, and that shows up in the ceiling height and the drainage.
The two things that decide an Arlington Heights basement
Height comes first. A lot of the housing stock here dates from the fifties and sixties, when a seven-foot basement was normal and the ductwork was run wherever it was convenient. By the time you lose a few inches to a dropped soffit under a main trunk, the room can be legally fine and still feel wrong. We measure to the underside of every obstruction before promising anything, and we will tell you when the honest answer is that the ceiling is too low to do well.
Water comes second. Houses of this age frequently have original drain tile, a sump that has been replaced once, and a sanitary line that can back up when the street surcharges in a heavy storm. Finishing over that is how people lose a basement twice. We look at all three before framing, and we raise the overhead sewer question when it is relevant rather than when it is too late.
Not sure what you have?
We will check ceiling height at every obstruction, look at the sump and tell you whether the room you want is realistic in that space. Straight answer, including no.
Call (847) 380-8212What we do here
The rest of the work in Arlington Heights
Same builder, same crew, whichever of these you need.
Custom Home Building in Arlington Heights
Custom homes and teardown rebuilds in Arlington Heights. Lot coverage, FAR and village review handled before design is locked. Call (847) 380-8212.
Read the pageRemodeling & Additions in Arlington Heights
Whole-house remodels and additions in Arlington Heights. Ranches and split-levels reworked and expanded properly. Call Skycrest at (847) 380-8212.
Read the pageKitchen Remodeling in Arlington Heights
Kitchen remodels in Arlington Heights. Walls opened, old wiring and plumbing brought up to code, cabinetry that fits. Call (847) 380-8212.
Read the pageBasement Remodeling
Buying back headroom where it matters
There is usually more height available than it looks. Trunk lines can sometimes be rerouted, a staircase can be reframed to open the landing, and lighting that sits inside the joist bay rather than below it buys back real inches. None of that is glamorous and all of it is the difference between a room people use and a room people avoid.
- Height measured under ducts and beams before any design is agreed
- Sump, drain tile and sewer backup risk assessed before framing
- Duct rerouting priced honestly where it buys usable headroom
Nearby
The closest finished work
We have not photographed a project in Arlington Heights yet, so these are the nearest ones rather than local ones.
Questions
Asked in Arlington Heights
Something not answered here? Call (847) 380-8212 and ask us directly.
My ceiling is seven feet. Is that a problem?
It is workable, and it is tight. Code minimums allow less than most people expect, with reduced clearance permitted under beams and ducts. The question is not whether it passes, it is whether you will enjoy the room. We would rather tell you it will feel low than take the job and have you find out.
What is an overhead sewer and do I need one?
It reroutes your drains above the basement floor and pumps waste up to the main, so a backup in the street cannot come up through your basement fixtures. It is worth asking about in older Arlington Heights neighbourhoods with a surcharge history. We will tell you if your situation warrants it.
Can you dig the basement deeper?
Underpinning or benching can gain height, and it is major structural work with a price to match. On most Arlington Heights houses it does not pay. On a few, where the rest of the house is excellent and the basement is the only problem, it can. We will run the comparison rather than assuming.
On the map
Where Arlington Heights is
Cook County. Close enough that a site visit is a drive, not a trip.
Building or remodeling in Arlington Heights
Tell us the address and what you are thinking about. You will get a straight answer on whether it works, what it costs and how long it takes, including when the answer is no.