"Since I had my basement insulated with spray foam, I've dropped my thermostat setting by five degrees from 23 C to 18 C and have still remained comfortable in all parts of my condo," said owner Brian when I visited his Birds Hill home Nov. 25.
Before the renovation started in the fall, his basement walls were insulated with traditional fibreglass batts covered with a 6-mil vapour barrier and drywall.
General contractor Tony Teunis recommended removing the fibreglass as he had experienced problems with the product in his own basement.
"Even though I insulated according to Hydro specifications, my basement remained drafty, and after a few years I noticed a musty smell," he said.
Teunis removed a section of drywall and discovered the studs were covered with black mould caused by moisture infiltration.
"I tore everything out, replaced the studs and had the entire area including the rim joist cavities spray-foamed," he said.
That was a decade ago, and since that time, he said, his basement has remained warm, draft-free and, most importantly, dry.
"Foam can be three to four times more expensive than other types of insulation, but its benefits more than exceed its extra cost. I recommend it for almost every basement reno I undertake," said Teunis.
Brian said he expects to save a lot of money on his heating and air conditioning bill, which currently costs about $170 per month.
"I'm going to monitor it closely. I expect to save about 30 per cent this year, which means the extra money I spent on foam will be recouped in a very short time," he said, adding by consuming less energy he is also shrinking his carbon footprint.
He said he and his wife left their home for about four hours while the foam was applied.
"When we returned, the windows were open and there was no noticeable smell inside the house," he said. "There have been no problems with fumes."
Though he had to replace an old 40-gallon water tank with a state-of-the-art 80-gallon model to provide sufficient hot water to fill a newly installed hot tub, the larger tank is so heavily insulated it is almost twice as efficient as the outdated smaller one.
Brian's wife, Donna, was a downhill skier who switched to cross-country because of knee problems.
Donna said she is looking forward to long soaks in the new hot tub to relieve nagging pain in one of her knee joints.
"Not many people know that I'm a gold medal skier," said Donna. "I could have taken silver and bronze, too, as I was the only participant in my age category. I guess pain is the price of glory," she laughed.
The basement bathroom will also include a custom-made glass shower stall with ceramic tiled walls in earth tones; the room's floor and walls will also be covered with ceramic tiles with similar hues.
The walls behind the tub and shower are constructed of cement board covered with a layer of Schluter System membrane, a waterproof product that prevents mould growth and protects cement and fibreglass backer boards from moisture damage.
"I use a product like Dens-Shield as a backer board for bathrooms, but because I do not want to hear a complaint from a customer 10 years down the road about rotting board, I also cover it with Schluter membrane to ensure there will never be a problem caused by moisture," said Teunis, adding the extra precaution allows him to sleep better at night.
His motto: Do the job right the first time as unhappy customers tend to talk to other people.
"It doesn't take long for a contractor to develop a bad reputation simply by word of mouth, and since my contracts are almost all by referral, I'll go the extra mile to make sure my work is first-rate from the start."
With most of the pipes hung and the wiring in place, Brian said one of the next steps will be to lay a vinyl plank floor, put in the doors and install LED pot lights in the ceiling.
"The area where my pool table will sit is going to be lit by a special fixture with lots of illumination," said Brian, whose beloved table must remain in storage "along with tons of other stuff that we had stored in the basement" until the reno is finished.
His advice: "People should be prepared to live out of boxes and to shuffle things around when they are in the midst of a renovation."
A piece de resistance will be an eight-foot screen hidden by an overhead bulkhead. At the push of a button, the screen will drop down from the ceiling, creating a home theatre with surround sound and a projector that plays the latest movies, TV shows and other media events.
The control centre for the overhead screen and sound equipment are stored in a niche next to the bar for easy access.
Brian said another aspect of the renovation he likes is the vast storage space available in closets specially designed to stockpile all the stuff currently in the garage.
He also has his own "man's room" in which there is a workbench, a wash-up sink, and, perhaps, a small fridge to keep beverages cold.
The fridge may be unnecessary, however, because a wet bar complete with a built-in cooling unit will be constructed along a wall close to the pool table.
When does Brian expect to play his first game of pool?
"The way things are moving, it will certainly be before Christmas," he said, chalking a cue in anticipation.
Added Donna: "The hot tub is my priority."
With the foam-insulated walls, the former basement will be a cosy family activity area.
