Jamie Nicholas watches home renovation shows religiously and loves tackling home-improvement projects. She designed and built a backyard pond with waterfalls and populated it with koi. But this successful do-it-yourselfer realized she was in over her head when it came to finishing the basement in her Arlington home, so she hired Manthey Construction Services, a handyman company, to turn an ugly unfinished basement into a stylish family room retreat with an office nook and spa bath.
“I do some small stuff, but I wouldn’t try something huge,” said Nicholas. “I’m not going to mess up my house if I build a fish pond wrong.”
Less expensive than an architect or design/build firm, a handyman service company offers do-it-yourselfers the tools and muscle to complete dream projects.
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“When you know what you want, a handyman service can help you implement your plans,” said Don Manthey, owner of Manthey Construction Services. “It’s not just about remodeling. You have to build things to code.”
When Nicholas and her partner purchased the home 18 years ago, the previous owners promised a finished basement. What they got instead was an unfinished basement hidden behind drywall.
“There was no insulation, no outlets. I don’t know why they even bothered,” Nicholas said.
Manthey ripped out the existing drywall and brought in Select Heating and Cooling of Burke to reposition the furnace and water heater and to improve airflow in the space.
Later they removed a narrow staircase that led from the kitchen into the basement. The stairs were only 8 inches wide.
“Before, I had to actually turn sideways to come downstairs,” Nicholas said.
The new stairs are “the maximum width of tread we can have, which is 11? inches,” said Manthey.
To bring more natural light into the basement, Manthey and crew created an egress window well. They dug the well by hand in winter to avoid disturbing mature trees in the yard.
“Having the window makes it feel less like a basement,” he said.
On the largest wall, they combined stock kitchen cabinetry with custom-designed shelving and storage to create a custom built-in look.
“By ordering stock cabinets you save on labor and it can cost about 30 percent less than having it totally custom-built,” Manthey added.
Cabinetry, doors, drawers, parts of the walls and ceiling were painted in Snail Shell green, a Martha Stewart favorite.
Under the stairs, Manthey custom-built deep, sturdy drawers with four heavy-duty glides. So sturdy are these drawers that Nicholas can use them to store 5-gallon paint buckets and power tools.
“I’ve always wanted to do that with stairs,” Manthey said. “I hate it when there is a door to storage underneath stairs but the space is so deep you can’t reach anything.”
Earth-toned tile on the floor and in the shower of a spa bath complement the earthy green cabinetry and wheat-colored sofa sectional in the living area. A wall-mounted gas fireplace, as well as heated floors in the bath and living areas, prevent that cold dampness often associated with below-grade basements.
Nicholas did manage to get her do-it-yourself fix during the renovation. She and her partner helped pour and mix the cement floor and did all the painting.
“It’s a matter of tools. If I had the right tools to do stuff, I’d do more,” she said. “As much as I stood over their shoulders watching how to do it, I think I learned how to. If somebody asked me how to do it, I could help them with it. It won’t be my house that’s messed up,” she laughed.
