Entertainment Kitchen And Island
A substantial gathering space with approximately 14 linear feet of cabinetry, countertop workspace, storage, and a large island planned with a quartz waterfall feature.
Urban Construction Case Study
Project In Progress
A walkout basement designed for entertaining, wellness, and everyday living.
Urban Construction is transforming an unfinished walkout basement in Apex into a thoughtfully connected extension of the home. The approximately 2,021-square-foot project brings together entertaining, fitness, relaxation, guest, and everyday living spaces under one coordinated construction plan.
The design includes an entertainment kitchen with a large island, an enclosed theater, a glass-front gym, a spa-inspired bathroom with a sauna, flexible guest space, dedicated heating and cooling, sound-control improvements, and carefully coordinated interior finishes.
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Project Snapshot
The details behind the work.
- Project
- Hawthorne Basement Remodel
- Location
- Apex, North Carolina
- Property Type
- Residential walkout basement
- Project Status
- In progress
- Construction Start
- June 22, 2026
- Planned Construction Window
- Approximately four months, subject to inspections, selections, product availability, and approved scope changes
- Finished Area
- Approximately 2,021 square feet, including 96 square feet added during construction
- Current Contracted Investment
- $229,873
- Primary Spaces
- Entertainment kitchen and bar, theater, gym, guest space, full bathroom, sauna, recreation and living areas
- Major Systems
- Dedicated HVAC, electrical improvements, plumbing, insulation, sound control, lighting, and finish carpentry
The current contracted investment includes the original $210,000 construction agreement and a $19,873 approved change order. This represents the current contracted scope and should not be interpreted as the final project cost until construction is complete.
The Vision
More than a finished basement.
The homeowners wanted the lower level to feel like a natural continuation of the home, not a collection of disconnected rooms. The plan needed to support movie nights, entertaining, exercise, wellness, guests, and everyday family use while maintaining comfortable circulation and access to the walkout exterior.
Urban Construction organized the project around an inviting entertainment kitchen, dedicated theater, open gym with glass separation, spa-oriented bathroom and sauna, flexible guest accommodations, and comfortable living space.
The project required careful coordination among framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, insulation, drywall, flooring, cabinetry, tile, painting, doors, trim, and specialty features.
Design Priorities
One lower level with several ways to live.
Dedicated Theater
An enclosed media space with carpet, planned audiovisual wiring, controlled lighting, and sound-conscious separation.
Glass-Front Fitness Area
A visually connected wellness space with a glass wall, extensive mirrors, durable finishes, and electrical provisions for specialty equipment.
Spa-Inspired Bathroom And Sauna
A full bathroom with a linear-drain shower, coordinated tile, waterproofing, and a sauna upgraded for 240-volt operation.
Guest And Flexible Living Space
A flexible room for guests, work, relaxation, or changing household needs. Legal-bedroom status remains subject to applicable plans, inspections, egress requirements, and final approval.
Dedicated Heating And Cooling
A dedicated HVAC system planned to help the finished lower level maintain comfort independently from the primary floors.
Sound Control
Rockwool insulation added throughout the basement ceiling to improve sound control between the lower level and the floor above.
Coordinated Lighting And Electrical
Recessed lighting, dedicated circuits, smart-control planning, audiovisual provisions, sauna power, and specialty capacity coordinated within one scope.
The Construction Challenge
Coordinating a highly programmed basement around existing conditions.
The project combines several technically different environments within one basement. Kitchens, bathrooms, saunas, theaters, gyms, guest rooms, mechanical areas, and open living spaces each place different demands on the structure and building systems.
The construction plan coordinates plumbing routes, electrical capacity, dedicated HVAC, insulation, sound control, lighting, cabinetry, tile layouts, waterproofing, doors, flooring transitions, and inspection requirements without losing the visual connection between spaces.
Scope Evolution
Documented changes as the vision developed.
As construction progressed, the homeowners identified additional improvements that would strengthen the final result. Urban Construction documented these items through a formal change order so the added work, pricing, and responsibilities remained clear.
- Finishing approximately 96 additional square feet
- Rockwool sound insulation throughout the basement ceiling
- Upgrading sauna electrical from 120 volts to 240 volts
- Adding dedicated electrical circuits and panel capacity
- Providing electrical accommodations for specialty equipment
- Adding exterior electrical and water improvements
- Improving plumbing control and accessibility
The approved change order totaled $19,873 and increased the current contracted project value from $210,000 to $229,873.
Construction Progress
From an unfinished shell to clearly defined living spaces.
Planning And Drawings
The design and approved drawings established the room arrangement, construction requirements, and major building systems.
Construction Start, June 22, 2026
Site preparation and construction began.
Framing
Walls, rooms, soffits, openings, and major interior divisions were established.
Mechanical, Electrical And Plumbing
HVAC, electrical, plumbing, specialty circuits, sauna power, and associated rough work were coordinated.
Rough Inspections
Framing, electrical rough-in, plumbing rough-in, HVAC rough-in, and insulation inspections were successfully completed.
Insulation And Sound Control
Required insulation was installed, along with Rockwool throughout the ceiling for enhanced sound control.
Drywall
Drywall hanging, finishing, taping, mudding, and sanding established the finished form of the interior.
Primer And Ceiling Paint
The drywall was primed and the ceilings were painted in preparation for finish stages.
Bathroom Waterproofing
The shower system and wet-area preparation were completed for tile installation.
Current Finish Phase
Doors, trim, flooring, tile, cabinetry, fixtures, painting, and specialty finishes are being coordinated as the project moves toward completion.
This timeline reflects progress at the time of publication and will be updated as the project advances.
Materials And Finish Direction
Durability, comfort, and a cohesive visual language.
The material plan balances daily durability with a refined residential finish. Luxury vinyl plank flooring is planned through most of the basement, while carpet adds acoustic comfort inside the theater. Tile selections define the bathroom and shower areas, and coordinated doors, trim, cabinetry, countertops, lighting, and paint connect the separate rooms into one overall design.
- Luxury vinyl plank flooring throughout primary living areas
- Carpet within the dedicated theater
- Coordinated bathroom floor and shower-wall tile
- Linear shower drain and waterproofing
- Quartz countertops with a planned waterfall-island detail
- Custom cabinetry, storage, doors, and finish trim
- Gym mirrors, planned glass separation, and specialty lighting
- Smart-control planning and sauna fixtures
Investment Perspective
What a project of this scope includes.
The current contracted investment is $229,873 for approximately 2,021 square feet of finished basement space and the approved project features.
This is not a basic open-room basement finish. The investment reflects a multi-room transformation involving a substantial entertainment kitchen, full bathroom, sauna, dedicated theater, gym, guest and living spaces, dedicated HVAC, extensive electrical and plumbing work, sound insulation, cabinetry, tile, flooring, waterproofing, doors, trim, lighting, permits, inspections, and coordinated project management.
Every basement has different existing conditions and construction requirements. This project is a real-world reference, not a fixed price for other homes. Explore basement remodeling and pricing guidance.
Why This Project Matters
A lower level planned as part of the whole home.
The Hawthorne Basement Remodel demonstrates how unfinished square footage can support several parts of daily life when the project is planned as one connected environment.
The value is not simply in adding rooms. It comes from coordinating circulation, comfort, building systems, materials, lighting, sound, and specialized features so that the finished lower level feels intentional and belongs within the home.
Project Gallery
Construction progress to date.
These photographs document the current construction stages. Final completed-space photography will be added when the project is complete.
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What could your unfinished basement become?
Urban Construction plans and manages complete basement transformations throughout Apex, Cary, Raleigh, Durham, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina, and surrounding Triangle communities.