Developing a basement... Interior Designer or Architect Required?

I am interested in developing my basement. Our house is about 1250 sq ft. The basement is already framed but I want to make a few changes. I would like to remove a bedroom and make a large family room/games room with a fireplace. I also need to add some storage area. I have some ideas but I would like some additional input/ideas on how best to use the space to meet our current and future needs. I do not want this to look like a do-it yourself job.

So my question is this: who can help me with this task: an interior designer, an architect, or someone else? Also, about how much money do I need for these services. I see this as a very small project and my objective is to keep things simple.

I have detailed drawings of the house the existing framing and my new

I went with a contractor who gave some general ideas but he deferred to an architect for some of the things I wanted done (ex removing a bearing wall in the basement which required new footings, posts, etc). I also took the drawings to the city for a permit and they had their own suggestions to make. This kind of made sure I had someone to name in the lawsuit if my house came tumbling down! I mention this because you raised the point about removing of a wall.

I also started the project by listing what I wanted out of the space and doing a lot of research like looking at books on basement remodelling and the like. I probably spent the better part of a year thinking about the project. Plan out things like storage, closets, incorporating the furnace/hot water area, lighting, do you want a washroom, computer area, etc. Wire for more than less, add cable, etc. A lot will fall into place once you know what you want down there.

'Rick'> wrote

An Interior Designer, an Architect, a Drafter or a Contractor might help you with your project. Or, people in this group, if you can frame your specific concerns. Rather than look at the whole 1250 s.f. footprint and get overwhelmed, break the space up into the individual compartments and decide what you need. Make a list of all of the rooms you'd like to have in the basement, and then figure out how much space is necessary in each room. Consider how you'd like to use each of the spaces, furniture placement and traffic patterns. Will you need additional plumbing for a bathroom, wet bar, or spa? Will you need extra electrical for a home theater, kitchenette or other equipment? Will you need doors or windows to the outside? How does your stairway play into all of this? Do you have structural considerations, ie. 3' Lolly columns down the middle of the space, or pilaster blocks on the outseide walls? Evaluate your present concepts for the space while thinking about what your future needs may be. (In other words, rather than getting rid of the bedroom, can it be used as a storage space then in the future be used as a bedroom for a mother in law?) There are many issues to consider and I have only touched on a few. You still have to work with budget, codes, standard building practices, materials and did I mention budget? Hopefully I have provided a pallet for which you can fine tune your focus. If you had a website that you could upload a drawing of the floorplan, it would be helpful. Designers are very a *visual* species, ya know.

You know, a lot of this really depends on several factors, including existing type of structure, the size of the new opening you are trying to make (in the load bearing wall), and last but not least, local (building code) requirements.

In MY town, any time structural changes are to occur (especially to an existing load bearing wall), the City wants you to have a licensed architect (and/or a lic. structural engineer) design and detail all the necessary elements. That legal requirement varies by jurisdiction, but is common enough nonetheless.

Also, as a licensed architect, I can't tell you the number of times I've seen so-called experienced licensed contractors COMPLETELY mis-engineer some structural system ( projects where I was not the AOR.) I shudder to think how many disasters are out there waiting to collapse. Oh, the nightmares I've seen...

And I suppose if you (as Owner) have an agreement w/ a licensed architect and the A/E makes a major design/calculation error, there may be grounds for a lawsuit.

However, the reality is MOST construction errors (something like over 80%) are a result of Contractor errors