People are finding new uses for all of that unused space in their basement and have come up with great, new ideas previously never considered for that area before. There are a lot of new ways to finish a basement, but this article is going to concentrate on the advantages and disadvantages of finishing a cellar as an in-law suite.
This is something that was seldom heard of twenty or thirty years ago, but an aging boomer population has meant that there are a number of them who can’t afford senior care or discover that there aren’t any suites available at the local retirement homes. The former occurs to many people who are members of the middle class, but the latter is also occurring at a much more frequent rate due to the boomer bulge in the population. There are simply not enough existing retirement homes for the number of them coming in and the number of boomers that will continue to drop-in over the next ten to twenty years.
The fallout of this problem is that a lot of generation Xers and Millennials have parents who are in need of a place to live and there are few options available to them because they can no longer live on their own.
This has led to many people taking a hard, long look at their unfinished basements, knowing that a parent has to live somewhere. And, so came the increase of in-law suites across the country!
The major disadvantage of this is that relatives are moving in and they’re not going away anytime soon! It’s a great advantage for many, however, as this is a great way to keep grandkids in close contact with their grandparents while they’re still here. It’s ideal for close families where everyone prefers multiple generations to be able to gather around the dinner table every night. One must keep in mind, however, if they’re not close to their family members, it might be uncomfortable for them to have parents or in-laws nearby.
The prime reasons for having an in-law suite is that the parents or in-laws are afforded their own living space, and their own privacy, but they also have the back-up, should they need it, of kids and grandkids available if they experience any issues at home. The main disadvantage of all of this is that these conversions do cost money. Estimates are that a professionally done in-law suite can cost anywhere from forty to one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. The upper end of that estimate, however, is for palaces in the basement!
Overall, the advantages of having an in-law suite are the security of knowing that, if something should happen to a member of the family living in one, help is not far away. It also allows a happier family environment for everyone while a member of the family enjoys their golden years. The only real drawback is the question of whether or not a person wants the in-laws around all the time!
