An unfinished basement is a terrible thing to waste and you might find that once you spruce yours up and spend a little more time down there, you don’t even want to finish it at all.

Insulating Basement Walls Start by gluing 3/4-inch extruded polystyrene foam insulation to fit against the rim joists and foundation walls. Note: Extruded polystyrene foam can be yellow, pink or ...

8. Pantry If you love a good deal and buying food items in bulk is your jam, use your basement as a pantry. Start with a few shelving units and extra lighting, if needed.

Watch this DIY warrior dig out his basement by hand and finish it. 80,000+ pounds of dirt and concrete out, 30,000+ pounds of concrete back in. Respect.

Plus, while you own the home, you can use the finished basement as a living space. On average, you can expect to pay between $4,700 and $41,000 to finish a basement, for an average of $22,850.

In just 12 hours, the "Fix It & Finish It" team of local contractors and designers gave the basement a makeover that took it from blah to livable, comfortable, colorful and fun.