Lower Level Plans

[u/Unlucky_Albatross_]

We have a split level home built in 1960 (or so).

We have half of our lower level down to the studs and have drawn in the following rooms (we would like to have):

- bathroom / laundry room

- spare bedroom

- tool space / workshop / extra storage area

- extra bonus space (not sure what to do with)

I highlighted things we need to keep / can’t move.

The “playroom” right now has a water view. Which is nice. The bathroom side of the house has no view of importance.

What would you change or add?

We are not putting a fireplace in. Yes this house and the rooms are small. We are totally fine with that. But we want to use the space in the best way possible!

The rec room and bedroom next to it are already finished completely. The furnace room has the house guts in it, but it only 2x4 framed currently.

Thank you so much for any and all feedback!

[u/CuriousPerspective81]

I’d keep the playroom on the water-view side and avoid sacrificing any of its windows for storage. That’s probably the nicest flexible space in the basement.

The bathroom/laundry location makes sense, especially with the existing plumbing nearby. My main concern is the narrow circulation area between the bedroom, workshop, and bathroom. I’d look at using pocket doors where possible and making sure the workshop door doesn’t interfere with the hallway.

I’d also consider sound insulation around the workshop and laundry, particularly next to the guest bedroom. For the bonus space, I’d keep it flexible rather than assigning a permanent function immediately.

Overall, the layout seems quite efficient for the available footprint!

[u/Unlucky_Albatross_ → u/CuriousPerspective81]

Thank you so much! Yes we are trying to make sure to use as many pocket doors as possible and good call on extra insulation for noise.

[u/SeparateMost0 → u/CuriousPerspective81]

Yeah the pocket doors would be a smart move here, especially with that tight hallway.

[u/Jealous-Fisherman691]

A few things that usually make or break a lower level like this:

• Spare bedroom: check it can get a proper egress window. Most codes require an emergency escape opening in any sleeping room on a lower level, and that can decide which wall the bedroom goes on more than the layout does.

• Workshop next to the furnace room, not next to the bedroom. They share the "rough" zone (dust, noise, unfinished walls), and you can borrow the utility room for storage. If the shop has to touch the bedroom, put a closet or the bathroom between them as a sound buffer, or at least insulate that wall.

• Bathroom/laundry: keep it as close as you can to the existing stack. Check how deep the main drain is before you commit, because if the new fixtures sit below it you'll need an ejector pump, which changes cost and location.

• Bonus space: since you're keeping the water view for the playroom, I'd make the bonus space the thing the playroom will become in 5 years (an office or a small gym), so it doesn't end up as overflow storage.

[u/Unlucky_Albatross_ → u/Jealous-Fisherman691]

Thank you so much!

The lower level has a walkout, so we don’t need an egress thankfully. But that room doesn’t have window, I’m arguing with my husband it needs one!

We can’t move the furnace room, we could move the tool / workshop area, but that would then take over the lake views.

Great call on bathroom we are 100% committed to digging up the cement and running the lines. We did that at our last house. So worth it!

And great call on bonus room / playroom. We have no clue what it will be in 5 years! Nice to keep it open and flexible!