The scope
A previously unfinished basement converted to a media room, home office, and full bathroom, with a new sump and vapour barrier.
Portland basements fail for one of two reasons: moisture or ceiling height. This one had both — a slow seasonal seep along the north wall and a duct run that left six foot two inches of headroom in the worst spot.
We rerouted the ductwork tight to the joists, added a sump pump and a full vapour barrier system behind new framing, and gained four inches of headroom in the process. The bathroom required a sewage ejector pump, since the basement floor sits below the main sewer line — a detail that changes the budget of almost every basement bathroom and is worth confirming before you fall in love with a floor plan.