Home Office

These days many people are able to work from home rather than enduring the daily commute to an office and having to deal with traffic and all that goes with it. Computers and the internet have made this possible, of course. Today people can work just about anywhere if they have a laptop or tablet, as we see so often when visiting coffee shops. Yet if you’re planning to work in your own residence on a permanent basis, you need to have a home office, not just be able to take your portable office to your local Starbucks. At Basement Builders we provide the very best advice for those wanting to install a comfortable and efficient home office in a basement.

There are naturally many distractions at home, especially for those people with small children. A dedicated space downstairs is what you need if you’re going to stay sane while running a business from the place where you also live.

You probably don’t want to use the entire downstairs area for a home office so you have to decide how much room you’re going to need. You might want to use part of the basement for storage, a fitness area, or a family room, in which case you’ll need to consider installing walls to separate the office area. You’ll also need storage. Even in the digital age, there’s always something to store in a home office, whether it’s copier and printer paper, ink cartridges, or files that are still hard copies. Depending on whether you want the storage space to be hidden or easily accessible, you can add bookcases, walls shelves, or closets. In terms of a desk, if it doesn’t need to be moved you can create your own work area with countertops that are usually installed in kitchens.

Many basements have few if any windows so in the absence of natural light it’s important to have adequate lighting in your office. You also need to make sure the home office has sufficient power outlets. Unlike the rest of the house, the home office will need power for computers, printers, scanners, and so on, as well as devices that need to be recharged on a regular basis. If you’re designing your basement office from scratch you can ensure that you include enough outlets for your requirements.

Soundproofing is also worthy of consideration. You might be able to easily take care of routine matters in your home office, but if you’re trying to focus, the sound of kids playing or merely people walking around upstairs can be a distraction. You might also be able to hear the TV or a conversation from an adjoining room. Placing appropriate insulation in the interior walls and in the ceiling can make all the difference.

Finally, if you have a home office where you meet clients, you’ll need an entrance that’s separate to the one used by family members to reach the basement. If you’re working alone and meet clients elsewhere, this doesn’t matter. However, if the office is where you do business with others, you need to make a good impression when they come to visit.