Basement finishing in Elk Ridge, Utah

Basements in Elk Ridge

Elk Ridge is a residential city on the slope of Loafer Mountain, so many homes sit on grade changes. Walkout and daylight basements are common, which means more natural light downstairs and more opportunity for a legal bedroom without a window well. Homes range from 1990s builds in the older part of the city to new construction at the top of the bench with large unfinished lower levels.

Elk Ridge lots are bigger than the typical Salem subdivision lot and the homes are larger with them, so basement finishes here run toward the upper end of the square footage examples on the cost guide. The city has no commercial district, so materials and crews come up the hill from Salem and Payson.

What it costs to finish a basement in Elk Ridge

Roots prices every basement from a line item proposal at $40 to $55 per square foot. The company puts the typical rate from other Utah basement finishing contractors at $55 to $75 per square foot. On a 1,200 square foot Elk Ridge basement that is $48,000 to $66,000 with Roots against $66,000 to $90,000 at the market rate. A bathroom, a kitchenette, egress windows and the finish level move a job within the range. The cost guide shows three worked examples and what pushes a number up or down.

Permits and inspections in Elk Ridge

Finishing a basement in Elk Ridge requires a building permit, and Roots pulls it. Elk Ridge City, 80 E Park Drive, Elk Ridge, UT 84651, 801-423-2300. Permit applications go through the city office, and the city publishes its permit requirements on elkridgeutah.gov. The company schedules the rough inspections and the final with the city and builds the inspection lead time into the 7 to 8 week schedule.

Bedrooms need an egress window or walkout door, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are required, and the city inspects framing, plumbing, electrical and HVAC before drywall goes up. A contractor who proposes skipping the permit is proposing a problem for the homeowner at resale.

Driving distance from Salem

Elk Ridge sits on the bench directly above Salem. The drive from the Roots office is about ten minutes.

Because the city is small and residential, inspections are scheduled through the city office rather than a large department, and the schedule page explains how Roots builds inspection lead time into the plan.

How a Elk Ridge basement project runs

1. Site visitThe company walks the basement, notes the rough ins, the furnace and water heater location, the ductwork and beams, and asks what the family wants down there.
2. Written proposalA line item proposal at $40 to $55 per square foot, a layout drawn around the rough ins, and a signed agreement. The deposit is 10 percent of the contract.
3. PermitRoots submits plans to Elk Ridge and waits for the permit before any work starts.
4. BuildFraming, rough plumbing, electrical and HVAC, the four way inspection, insulation, drywall, paint, doors and trim, cabinets, tile, flooring and finish work, in that order.
5. FinalCity final inspection and a written punch list walked with the homeowner.

The full sequence is on the process page. Every review the company has received is on the reviews page, and several of them describe projects in Elk Ridge or the next town over.