Basement Finishing Cost in Myerstown and Lebanon County, PA: Per Square Foot, by Tier, and What Can Go Wrong

Finishing a basement is the cheapest square footage you will ever add to a house, and also the easiest place to waste money by doing things in the wrong order. In Lebanon County a finished basement runs from about $25 per square foot for a straightforward drywall-and-flooring job to $100 or more per square foot when a bathroom, an egress window and real waterproofing are involved. Most projects land between $20,000 and $65,000.

Those are typical regional ranges from industry sources and our own jobs, not a quote. Here is what decides where your basement lands.

Cost by tier

An 800-square-foot basement is a common size under a ranch or a small colonial. A rowhome basement in Lebanon city is often 500 to 600 square feet and lands lower.

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The order of work, which is not negotiable

Every basement we finish goes in this sequence. Skipping a step is how basements get mold behind the drywall two winters later.

1. Moisture first. Before anything is priced, we check the walls and the slab. A plastic-sheet test taped to the floor for two days tells us if the slab is pushing moisture up. Efflorescence, the white powder on block walls, tells us water is coming through. A damp basement can be finished, but only after the water is handled, by grading and gutters outside, a sealed crack, or a drainage system from a waterproofing company.
2. Plumbing and electrical rough-in. New lines for a future bathroom or laundry go in while the ceiling is open. Cutting the slab for a drain is the messiest job in the house; it has to happen before anything is finished.
3. Framing. Walls framed off the block with a gap behind, so the drywall never touches masonry. Steel columns and mechanical equipment get boxed so they can still be reached.
4. Insulation and drywall. Foam board or mineral wool on exterior walls, then drywall, taped and finished.
5. Ceiling. A drop ceiling keeps every valve and junction box reachable. A drywall ceiling looks better and costs about the same, but access to anything above it is gone. We talk this through with every owner.
6. Floor. Vinyl plank, tile or carpet, each with a reason. Our basement flooring guide compares them with prices.
7. Trim, doors, paint, fixtures.

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What drives the price up

• A bathroom. Add $10,000 to $20,000 for a full bath, more if the drain has to be below the sewer line and needs an ejector pump.
• An egress window. Required by code if the basement will have a bedroom. Cutting a block wall, a window well and the window itself typically add $5,000 to $10,000.
• Ceiling height. Code wants 7 feet in finished rooms. Under 7 feet, a basement can still be finished as storage or a rec room, but not as a bedroom, and ductwork that drops below that height has to be rerouted or boxed.
• Water. Drainage systems and sump pumps from a waterproofing contractor can add $5,000 to $15,000 before we touch a stud. We will tell you if we see the signs.
• Old houses. Stone foundations in Lebanon County farmhouses, low joists, a coal chute, knob-and-tube wiring. Each one is a conversation at the walkthrough, not a surprise on the invoice.

What drives it down

• Keep the ceiling as a drop ceiling. It is cheaper to install and cheaper to repair.
• Put the bathroom near the existing stack, if you want one at all.
• Keep the layout open. Every extra wall is framing, drywall, trim and paint.
• Use vinyl plank or carpet unless the basement is wet, in which case tile earns its money.

Permits in Lebanon County

Every municipality we work in requires a permit for framing, electrical and plumbing in a basement finish. The inspector will look at egress, ceiling height, outlet spacing, smoke detectors and the plumbing. We pull the permit and schedule the inspections. A finished basement done without a permit is a problem when you sell, because the square footage cannot be counted and the buyer's inspector will find it.

Two basements we have built

Under a South Philadelphia rowhome we finished the basement last in a whole-house renovation: drywall, a drop ceiling with flush lights, carpet over a dry slab, louvered closet doors and carpeted stairs. In Warwick Township near Lititz we opened up an older basement, ran new plumbing lines for a future bath, framed around the steel columns and laid a marble-look porcelain floor that does not care about the humidity a slab gives off.

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Does a finished basement add value?

In Central Pennsylvania a finished basement typically returns 60 to 70 percent of its cost at resale, and more than that in use: a family room, an office or a guest suite for a fraction of what an addition costs. It is the lowest cost per square foot of living space in the house because the foundation, the roof and the slab already exist.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a basement finish take? An open basement with one room, three to four weeks once framing starts. With a bathroom and several rooms, six to eight weeks. Waterproofing beforehand adds to that.

Can I finish a basement that gets damp in spring? After the water is dealt with, yes. Not before. We would rather lose the job than finish a wet basement.

Do I need an egress window? Only if a room will be a bedroom. A family room or office does not require one, though a second way out is never a bad idea.

Carpet or vinyl plank? Carpet is warmer and quieter; vinyl plank is waterproof. In a dry basement with kids, carpet. In a basement with a laundry or any history of water, vinyl plank or tile.

Get a real number for your basement

Our basement finishing page explains what is included. Send us the rough size and what you want the space to be, and we will come look at the walls and the slab before anyone talks money.

Get a Free Estimate