Services · Free written estimates
Basement finishing contractor in Lebanon and Lancaster County, PA
Finished basements that feel like the rest of the house
A basement is the cheapest square footage you will ever add to a house, as long as it is dry and the ceiling height works. We start every basement job by checking moisture, headroom, the electrical panel and where the plumbing can go.
South Philadelphia, PAAug 2025afterWhy Amazing Builders
Why homeowners call us for basement finishing
We test the slab before we quote
A plastic-sheet moisture test and a look at the walls come before any number. We will not finish a wet basement, and we tell you what the water needs first.
Built so the house can still be serviced
Drop ceilings or access panels at every valve and cleanout, a full door to the furnace, framed walls off the block with a gap behind.
The right floor for a slab
Vinyl plank in a dry basement, porcelain where there is a laundry or a bath, carpet only over a slab that passed the test. We do not put wood on concrete.
Bathrooms and egress included
A basement bath with an ejector pump if the drain is below the sewer line, and a code egress window if a room will be a bedroom. Both are things we do, not things we send you elsewhere for.
What is included
Everything from the first day to the last coat of paint
From there it is framing, insulation, drywall, flooring and finish carpentry, done to the same standard as the floors above.
- Moisture check and vapor barrier
- Framing around posts, pipes and ductwork
- Insulation and drywall
- Drop ceilings or drywall ceilings
- Vinyl plank, tile or carpet flooring
- Basement bathrooms and wet bars
- Stairs, railings and closet doors
Our work
Basement finishing we have done
Every photo is from our own jobs. The stamp shows where and when it was taken.
Warwick Township (Lititz), PASep 2025duringBasement remodel in Warwick Township, Lititz: plumbing, drywall and a porcelain tile floor
Lititz, PA · September 2025
- South Philadelphia, PAAug 2025after
Finishing a rowhome basement: carpet, drop ceiling and closets, South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, PA · August 2025
South Philadelphia, PAAug 2025after
South Philadelphia, PAAug 2025duringWarwick Township (Lititz), PASep 2025during
Warwick Township (Lititz), PASep 2025during
Warwick Township (Lititz), PASep 2025beforeHow we do it
Basement finishing, step by step
- 1
Moisture check and walkthrough
The slab test, the walls, the ceiling height, the panel, where the sewer line runs. You get a written estimate with a bathroom and an egress window as separate lines if you want them.
- 2
Permit
Framing, electrical and plumbing in a basement need a permit in every municipality we work in. We draw it and file it; one to three weeks.
- 3
Rough-in
Plumbing lines and any slab cut for a drain, new circuits, outlets at code spacing, recessed lights. Inspection before anything is covered.
- 4
Framing and insulation
Walls framed off the block, columns and mechanicals boxed with access, foam board or mineral wool on exterior walls.
- 5
Drywall and ceiling
Hung, taped, three coats, primed. Drop ceiling with flush LED panels or a drywall ceiling, your choice, discussed before framing.
- 6
Floor, trim, doors, paint, walkthrough
The floor goes down last so it is never a work surface. Trim, closet doors, paint, final inspection and the walkthrough.
Options
Ceilings and floors for a basement
| Drop ceiling with LED panels | Every pipe and valve stays reachable. Costs about the same as drywall and we recommend it for most basements. |
|---|---|
| Drywall ceiling | Looks like upstairs. Access to anything above it is gone, so we add panels at valves. |
| Vinyl plank floor | Waterproof, warm, floating. The default for a dry basement. |
| Porcelain tile floor | For basements with a laundry, a bath or any water history. Cold underfoot; a rug fixes it. |
| Carpet with pad | Warmest and quietest. Only over a slab that passed the moisture test. |
| Egress window | Required for a bedroom. Cut through block, a window well, a code-size window. |
What it costs
Typical ranges
Typical ranges for Lebanon County per square foot of finished space, not a quote. A bathroom, an egress window and waterproofing are the big add-ons.
- Basic finish
- $25 to $40 per sq. ft.
- Mid-range with a bath rough-in, trim, better floor
- $40 to $65 per sq. ft.
- Full custom with bathroom and egress
- $65 to $100 and up per sq. ft.
Pennsylvania requires a written contract for any home improvement job over $500. Every estimate we send is itemized.
About Amazing Builders
A small crew that does the whole job
Amazing Builders is a remodeling and painting company based at 3564 S 5th Ave, Myerstown, PA 17067, run by Dennis Drahni. Our crew does the carpentry, tile, floors, drywall and paint; licensed electricians and plumbers handle the rough-in. 5.0 stars from 30 Google reviews, monday to friday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm. PA Home Improvement Contractor #T002681.
Where we do this
Basements are a big part of our work in the ranches and colonials of Myerstown, Palmyra, Annville, Hershey, Lititz, Ephrata and Manheim, and in the older houses of Lebanon city, where the slab and the stone walls get a careful look first.
Basement finishing: questions people ask us
My basement ceiling is low. Can it still be finished?
Code wants 7 feet in finished rooms. Below that, the space can still be finished as a rec room or storage, not a bedroom, and ducts that drop lower have to be rerouted or boxed. We measure at the walkthrough.
Can you add a bathroom if there is no drain in the floor?
Yes. Either we cut the slab and tie into the sewer line, or if the line is above the floor, we install an ejector pump system. Both are common; the ejector costs more.
What about the sump pump and the water heater?
They stay accessible. We frame a utility room with a real door around the mechanicals and keep the sump pit reachable under a panel.
Do you insulate basement walls?
Yes, foam board against the block or mineral wool in the framed wall, with a gap so the drywall never touches masonry.
How long will the basement be a construction site?
Three to four weeks for an open basement with one room, six to eight with a bathroom and several rooms. The permit and the inspections set the pace.
Can you update a basement that was finished badly years ago?
That is half of our basement work: paneling and old drop ceilings out, moisture checked, new drywall, lighting and floor. Often cheaper than you expect because the framing is already there.
Related services
Free estimate
Planning basement finishing? Tell us about it.
Send a few lines or call. We will set a time to walk through the house and you will have a written, itemized estimate a few days later.
Monday to Friday, 7:00 am to 5:00 pm