# Ideas for an easy to build @ home bar?



## will5 (Oct 26, 2005)

So my brother-n-law is putting his house on the market and he wants to build a bar for the basement. The only problem is we don't have a clue of where to start nor do we know what we are doing. He has a limited amount of money which is why we are going to build it. So any help on doing so would be great. He has been looking for some plans online and that is as far as we have come.

Thanks for the help in advance.


----------



## Cliff Mayes (Jan 29, 2007)

Check out kitchen cabinet construction. Tanks are heavy but not that heavy and wood if stresed properly can hold an incredible amount of weight. I recall there is a University that, as a project, has students build a bridge out of a couple pounds of macaroni just to show how strong mundane objects can be if put together properly.

Do not overbuild and not much is actually needed as tools either but the tools can help. A straight edge and utility knife work very well and 1 by boards can be ripped for free or for a very nominal cost wherever you buy them.

Just as with anything else in this Hobby go slow and think. Listen but run everything you read or hear through a system of logic first. Many thing are stated and get repeated so that the information becomes "common knowledge" and never checked again and sometimes it is wrong. This a very young Hobby and we are all still learning.

As with almost everything else the NET has exploded the information transfer process. The transfer of garbage has also exploded so beware.


----------



## JoyfulGirl (Nov 19, 2004)

i'd do a quick check on the returns for adding a bar to a finished basement.. investment versus returns. look at the location of the home.. if selling points are for a new family, school district and general kid/family oriented a bar might not be best return for money in modding home.. 
if you decide a bar is worth the investment and possible return decide wet bar or dry bar.. dry bar requires no sink and is easier to install.. some kitchen cabinets, mirroring, shelving, inexpensive shelf mounted wine glass holders, fridge/freezer, wine chiller.. all things to consider adding to dry bar.. if it's small granite salvage can be used, or scrap from a stone yard, an attractive and inexpensive though kind of a pain material is concrete for counter tops. if you make it yourself from non prefab items lowes or home depot will do most easy cuts for you, and you can modify alot of existing cabinetry/shelving plans for your needs and add inexpensive but custom floating shelves to walls. just remember alcohol=liquid=heavy. most people overengineer but you wouldn't want future owner to have hundreds of dollars in alcohol hitting the floor after move in :>


----------



## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

The short list of things you can do that will actually make money when selling a home are:

painting
minor landscaping
minor repar

other then those 3 things, your not going to see a return on your money. Even those things won't be big returns.


Having ben envolved in many house flips, these are by far the only 3 things you can really make money on, more so now days.


Don't beleave the bullshido you see on TV either. I kid you not the only reason to watch those shows is for its comedic content.


If your wondering I am a general contractor.


if your really intrested in doing this, PM me and we will talk a little bit about the project.


----------



## Zabman14u (Jun 20, 2009)

man tab you beat me to these post every time. but to add to his comments, think economical. price tag on a house is based on cosmetics and function. if it works and dont look ugly or appeal to a nitch market, it will hold some value. for an example a white house would hold a higher price tag than a pink house. a kitchen with hardwood cabinets and granet top will hold a higher price tag than one with concrete walls and cook surfaces. 

the place of biggest reward is your kitchen and baths. basements really dont hold much value. around here basements dont even count in Sq footage of a house, thats how valuable it is. id ask a realitor or appraiser how much one would raise the price of your house.


----------

