This year was our Year of Finishing the Basement. We moved into our home a little more than three years ago, and from the beginning, we knew we wanted to turn half of the concrete block “cellar” into a finished “basement.” (Doesn’t “basement” sound so much nicer than “cellar”?)

2008 was the year to do just that. You can check out my boring, but picture-filled, progress updates at my Basement Remodel Blog.

Our basement is now thisclose to being 100% done, and as I look back over the last six months, I see a number of things that I know now that I didn’t know when we started.

Of course, there’s all the usual stuff — research thoroughly before choosing a contractor, make wise financing decisions, have a clear vision for your new space — but the advice I’m offering today consists of a few little practical things that you might not know about when you’re going into a project. If you’re thinking of remodeling, I hope these tips can help you along the way.

What to Expect When You’re Remodeling

1. Assume at the beginning that the project will take quite a bit longer than planned and cost quite a bit more than planned. Originally, we thought our basement would be done in 8 weeks. It’s now been six months and though the vast majority of the work was done in 5 months, there are still little things that aren’t done. As for the budget? We managed to stay within our budget, but only by cutting out some things that were in our original plan.

So keep your expectations reasonable, leave plenty of wiggle room in your budget, and you should be just fine. And if things happen to stay right on track for you, you can be pleasantly surprised!

2. Carry your digital camera with you at all times. My husband and I had a hard time getting out to stores together to look at cabinets, bathroom vanities, countertops, etc. So I started going out during the day, while he was at work, fully equipped with my camera.

I’m sure the people at Home Depot were amused while I walked up and down the Kitchen and Bath Section, snapping pictures of countertops, cabinets, ceramic tiles, and everything else. The pictures came in very handy, though. Chad and I could review the pictures on the computer after the kids went to bed, and narrow down our options. That way, when we did finally have time to get out to the store, we were far more efficient.

You could also use your camera to take pictures at friends’ houses (with their permission, of course) when you see a room, color scheme, or furniture set-up that inspires you as you plan your own project.

3. Find out what you can do to keep costs down if you’re working with a contractor. My husband and I are not handy at all, so we knew up front that we needed professionals to take the lead in this project. But we did talk to our contractor at the beginning of the process to find out what “little things” we could do to reduce our costs.

We ended up doing all the painting and finishing touches, and we also personally bought many of the materials and supplies. The contractor would have been happy to pick these things up, but we would have been charged the cost plus a premium for his time. So whether it was flooring, grout for the bathroom, or any of a number of other things, getting items ourselves saved valuable dollars.

4. Prepare for the noise, the people, and the complete lack of privacy. Logically, I knew remodeling would be loud. And I knew there would be people in my house. But honestly, I wasn’t prepared for how extensive it would be.

Complete strangers heard me discipline my toddler. Strange men showed up at my house every morning at 8:00, even when we were sick. And I can’t tell you how many times I escaped upstairs to use the bathroom, only to hear someone call from downstairs, “Um…ma’am? Could you come down and answer a few questions for us?” Yeah, sure. “Be right there!”

My toddler had some adjusting to do as well. The day the jackhammer ran all morning, preparing space for the new bathroom, was incredibly loud. Not to mention the fact that any toys he got out practically vibrated across the floor. If you have young kids at home, you might want to establish an “alternate location” — somewhere they can stay if there’s a particularly loud or stressful remodeling day. Ask a friend for a little help and then be sure to thank them with a plate of cookies or a gift certificate for a manicure!

We love our new basement and are so glad we finished it this year. I have to admit, though, it’ll be a while before I’m ready to take on another project. I’m ready to enjoy some quiet, relax in the basement, and use the bathroom without interruption. Well, except for interruptions from my 2-year-old. I guess I can’t escape from that…