On Jan 19, 8:44*pm, KD wrote:
Greetings:
We have a finished basement with pine floors, one fairly small bedroom
down there and a main room. There's a laundry room down there too, as
well as a two piece bathroom (sink/toilet).
We're looking at my mother coming to live with us later this year, the
idea is that Mom is going to mostly take over the basement. The
bedroom isn't going to be enough space for her, so we'd like for her
to be able to have a little sitting room down there too, in the main
room, but allow her privacy in there to watch TV, talk on the phone or
whatever without being interrupted by us as we go to the laundry room,
etc.
We aren't handy enough to build a wall ourselves. Is there anything
that is easy and fairly inexpensive to put up that could make a little
room down there? It doesn't need to be soundproof or anything, just a
separate space. The ceiling down there is, hmm, a dropped ceiling
maybe? It has tiles in the ceiling, behind them is the bare wood.
Thanks for any assistance!
KD
Wow, thanks for all the responses! I haven't checked out all the links
yet, but much to think about. Even just curtains in the short term
could be the answer for now.
We're not completely non-handy, I can do basic plumbing, adequately
use a hammer and a screwdriver, own a drill and have used table saws
and such in the past although I don't own one. My Dad was a handyman
and I *helped* a lot while I was a kid, learned a lot. My husband, not
quite so handy.
I have no clue on how to build a wall though, and
was thinking of not really wanting to make permanent walls down there.
But on the other hand, our son is four right now, but someday HE would
likely enjoy having his own little space down there, or even us,
having a cool space in the summer to use as a rec room. So permanent
or semi-permanent walls are not such a bad idea. Not the first time
I've wished we still had Dad here to help us out.
As for escape in case of fire, I'll have to check on local code, but
there is a bedroom in the basement already, currently used as storage/
junk room. We have a basement, main floor and an upstairs. Three
bedrooms are upstairs (two used as bedrooms, one a kid's playroom) but
all exits are on the main floor, so you're either going down or up to
get out. Windows are new in the last few years and are wide though,
easily hopped through in case of emergency. DerbyDad, what did you do
to 'modify' the window? I'm thinking if we just had a stepstool there,
she could manage to get out.
The living space we're making for Mom is only a sleeping/visiting/TV
area, no kitchen or anything, and thank GOD she does not smoke. My
husband and I work all day and our son is in daycare (school come
September), so the rest of the house is hers to use while we're gone.
But we would like to have her own space to watch TV, etc. and keep out
of our hair (she wants that as much as we do).
No doubt about it, this is going to be challenging (not just the wall
part). It's great to have a live-in cook, babysitter and part time
housekeeper, but living with someone who has some memory loss going
on, I'm gonna have to find some patience somewhere!
Thanks again everyone !
KD