Est. 2003
Basement finishing in Sandy Springs, GA.
Sandy Springs basements are older than the ones north of the river, with lower ceilings, block walls and small original windows. Adding an egress window here usually means cutting the foundation wall, and we price that at the start.
Basement finishing contractor · Sandy Springs, GA
Basements finished for Sandy Springs' mid-century houses.
Most Sandy Springs houses were built between the 1950s and the early 1980s, and their basements were not designed as living space. The structure is usually sound and the space usually dry enough to finish. The layout, the ceiling height and the windows are what need the work.
We have finished basements since 2003. You get fixed line-by-line pricing, the city permit filed by us, a photo from your job site every working day, and a one-year written warranty.
Basement types
Three kinds of basement in Sandy Springs.
The ground slopes steeply toward the Chattahoochee on the north and west sides of Sandy Springs and is flatter in the middle of the city. The slope of your lot and the age of your house determine which of these basements you have.
Daylight or walkout
Houses on streets that drop toward the river often have one full wall open to grade. These are the easiest Sandy Springs basements to finish, because daylight and an exit are already in place.
Partial basement
Part living space below grade and part crawl space or mechanical room, typical of a 1960s or 1970s split-level. We measure the usable footprint first, because it is often smaller than homeowners expect.
Low buried basement
Block walls eight feet tall or less, small original windows and no exit to grade. These can be finished, but we design the ceiling height and the egress window before we price the job.
What we build
Basement finishing work for Sandy Springs homes.
Family Room & Wet Bar
In-Law & Teen Suites
Basement Bathrooms
Home Theaters
Home Gyms
Egress Windows
Included in every basement
One fixed price for every trade in the basement.
- Design & lower-level layout
- Permit application & inspections
- Exterior grade & drainage review
- Framing & moisture-smart wall assembly
- Electrical, recessed & accent lighting
- HVAC supply, return & balancing
- Plumbing, baths & wet bars
- Insulation & sound separation
- Flooring, ceilings, trim & paint
- Egress windows & wells where required
- Daily cleanup & job-site photos
- One-year written warranty
Local conditions
Basement finishing for Sandy Springs' 1960s and 1970s houses.
Many Sandy Springs basements were poured at eight feet or less, and the original ductwork hangs below the joists instead of between them. Six inches of ceiling height is often the difference between a room that feels finished and one that does not. We measure the clear height under the lowest duct, beam or pipe before we commit to a layout.
A basement bedroom needs a code-compliant escape opening. In a block or poured wall, that means cutting the foundation, supporting the structure above the opening and building a window well outside. Mature landscaping and tight side yards make the outside half of that work harder here than in a newer subdivision. A bid that leaves any of these steps out is not a complete price.
Panels, wiring and HVAC sized for a 1968 house may not carry a finished lower level with a bath and a media room. We check capacity during design, so any electrical and mechanical work is in the estimate instead of a change order.
Our process
The sequence for a Sandy Springs basement finish.
Measure clear height first
We measure under the lowest duct, beam and pipe. That measurement sets the layout and shows whether a duct trunk line has to move before other work starts.
Design and price egress first
If the plan includes a bedroom, we design and price the escape opening at the start. Cutting a foundation wall is structural work, so it is planned before any finishes.
Check panel and HVAC capacity
Original panels and HVAC systems often need upgrades to serve a finished lower level. We confirm what your electrical service and your HVAC system can carry.
Check trees near the window well
Sandy Springs requires a separate permit for tree removal. If a window well has to be dug near protected trees, we confirm what is allowed before design.
File the Interior Remodel permit
We file the city's Interior Remodel permit through the Build Sandy Springs portal. Only licensed residential contractors can register there and apply.
Build, inspect and send daily photos
We frame, run rough-ins, pass inspections, install finishes and walk through the space with you. The city then issues a Certificate of Completion for work in an occupied home.
Permits
Permitting a basement finish with the City of Sandy Springs.
Sandy Springs has issued its own permits since it incorporated in 2005. Residential work goes through Community Development at 1 Galambos Way, and applications are filed in Build Sandy Springs, the city's online permitting portal. A basement finish usually falls under the Interior Remodel permit type, unless the work changes an exterior wall.
Only licensed residential contractors can register an account and submit a residential permit application, so a homeowner cannot file this one. When the home stays occupied during construction, the job closes with a Certificate of Completion instead of a Certificate of Occupancy. Cutting a new window opening changes the exterior wall and can move the project into a different permit category. We confirm the category at the start.
Who issues it
City of Sandy Springs Community Development, 1 Galambos Way. Phone 770-730-5600. sandyspringsga.gov
Build Sandy Springs
The city online permitting portal. Registration is required, and only licensed residential contractors can submit residential applications.
Interior Remodel permit
The named permit type most basement finishes fall under. Work that alters an exterior wall is categorized differently.
Tree removal permit
Tree removal needs its own permit in Sandy Springs. We check for protected trees before designing an exterior window well on a wooded lot.
Budget
What a finished basement costs in Sandy Springs.
Artistic Construction finishes basements at $75 to $125 per square foot, priced at our own finish standard. A dry, standard basement lands inside that band; moisture correction, a new egress opening and structural work are what move it.
Ceiling height and egress drive the price of a Sandy Springs basement. A lower level with enough clear height and a compliant window already in place costs less to finish. One that needs a duct trunk line rerouted and a foundation wall cut for a bedroom costs considerably more.
We price duct rerouting and egress as separate line items. Those are the two items a low bid most often leaves out, and the missing work then shows up at inspection.
What costs the most
Egress window cuts in block or poured walls, ceiling and duct rerouting, panel upgrades, and bathrooms.
Budget for the unknowns
Walls in a sixty-year-old house can hide problems that only show once they are opened. A contingency in the contract covers that cost up front.
Planning guides
Basement finishing guides to read first.
Basement finishing cost in Georgia
Every line in a basement bid, explained in order.
Read the guide →Basement ceiling design options
Ways to finish a basement ceiling around ducts, beams and pipes.
Read the guide →The most expensive parts of finishing a basement
The basement line items that cost the most, and why.
Read the guide →How to compare basement quotes
What to compare when the numbers are far apart.
Read the guide →Basement remodel cost calculator
Enter your square footage and scope to get a price range.
Open the tool →Where we work
Basement finishing in Sandy Springs and inside the Perimeter.
All remodeling services in Sandy Springs · Areas we serve · Basement finishing overview
In their words
Reviews from finished basements.
A whopping amount of ZERO stress. You are in truly good hands from start to finish.
Very responsive, patient with our questions, and made suggestions that improved our project.
Exceptional professionalism, expertise, and a genuine commitment to delivering quality service.
Sandy Springs questions
Questions about basement finishing in Sandy Springs.
Our ceiling is only eight feet. Can the basement still be finished?+
Usually, yes. We measure the clear height under the lowest duct, beam and pipe, then decide what gets rerouted and what gets boxed into a soffit. Soffits go where lost height does not matter, such as over a hallway, and stay off the seating area.
How hard is it to add an egress window to an older foundation?+
It is more work than in a newer house, but it can be done. Cutting a block or poured wall is structural work that needs a proper header over the opening, then a window well and drainage outside. Tight side yards and mature landscaping make the exterior work the slower part in Sandy Springs.
Can I pull the permit myself?+
Not for residential work in Sandy Springs. The city allows only licensed residential contractors to register an account and submit residential permit applications through its portal. We hold that registration and file the Interior Remodel package for you.
Will our old electrical panel handle a finished basement?+
Often not. A 1960s or 1970s electrical service was not sized for a lower level with a bath, a media room and added HVAC load. We check capacity during design, so any panel or service work is priced with everything else instead of appearing later.
What paperwork do we get at the end?+
A Certificate of Completion, issued by the city once final inspection passes on an alteration to a house you lived in during construction. Keep it with your closing documents, because it shows the work was permitted and inspected.
Is it worth finishing a basement in a house this old?+
Usually, yes. Finishing a basement adds usable space at a fraction of what an addition costs on an inside-the-Perimeter lot. Our guide is finishing a basement worth it walks through the numbers.
Sandy Springs & nearby
What will your Sandy Springs basement cost?
Tell us about your Sandy Springs basement and we will come back with clear costs and a realistic timeline, line by line.
- ✓ Walkout & daylight basements
- ✓ In-law suites & guest baths
- ✓ Egress, drainage & permits
- ✓ Fixed pricing, line by line