A complete Lake Forest basement finish on Kimmer Court — playhouse, wet bar, maple floors.
A full basement transformation in Lake Forest — from raw, unfinished concrete to a finished family space with a custom-framed playhouse, a quartz wet bar, and maple hardwood running continuously through the entire floor. Demo to walkthrough in 12 weeks, delivered under a single design-build contract.
Project Details
- Project Type
- Complete Basement Finish — Design-Build
- Address
- Kimmer Court, Lake Forest
- Neighborhood
- Lake Forest · North Shore, 60045
- Scope
- Playhouse · Wet Bar · Floors · Finishes
- Flooring
- Maple Hardwood Throughout
- Duration
- 12 Weeks Demo to Walkthrough
- Investment
- $75K–$150K Range
- Client
- Lake Forest Homeowner
Scope Delivered
- Playhouse
- 7-Ft Custom-Framed Standalone Structure
- Wallpaper
- Whimsical · Walls + Ceiling Install
- Wet Bar
- Gray Cabinets · White Quartz Top
- Bar Sink
- Undermount · Full Plumbing Rough-In
- Flooring
- Maple Hardwood · Janka ~1450
- Subfloor
- Moisture Vapor Barrier + Plywood
- Drywall
- 100+ Sheets · Soffits + Bulkheads
- Lighting
- LED Recessed · Multi-Zone Dimmers
- Permits
- Lake Forest Building · Inspected
- Warranty
- 1-Year Workmanship
The Project
Kimmer Court sits in Lake Forest — one of the North Shore's most established communities, where homes are built for the long haul and basements often hold the most untapped square footage in the house. Our clients had a basement full of potential: raw concrete, solid ceiling height, good bones, and a clear wish list. A proper play area for the kids, a wet bar for the adults, and one continuous floor running through the whole space so it would read as part of the home rather than an afterthought downstairs.
Rather than line up separate framers, electricians, plumbers, flooring crews, and a wallpaper installer and coordinate them all themselves, they chose Assembly Squad's design-build approach: one team, one project manager, and one fixed-price contract from the design phase through the final walkthrough — including all City of Lake Forest permitting and inspections.
The scope was comprehensive: full demo and prep of the unfinished basement, a complete electrical rough-in with dedicated circuits and multi-zone dimmers, rough plumbing for the wet bar with provisions stubbed for a future bathroom, 100-plus sheets of drywall plus custom soffits and bulkheads to conceal ductwork, a moisture vapor barrier and plywood subfloor topped with maple hardwood throughout, a custom-framed seven-foot playhouse with whimsical wallpaper across the walls and ceiling, and a quartz wet bar with custom gray cabinetry, an undermount sink, and bar seating.
The result is a basement that works for a Sunday afternoon with the kids and a Saturday night without them — a finished family space delivered in 12 weeks, on schedule, permit to walkthrough. This is the kind of work at the center of our Lake Forest and North Shore basement portfolio: complete finishes where one team handles the framing, the floors, the custom builds, and the finishes together.
A finished family space, built as one.
A Custom-Framed Playhouse
Not a corner with decorations — a real standalone structure, framed about seven feet tall with an open entry so parents keep sightlines from the seating area. Our wallpaper team installed whimsical sky-and-nature patterns across the walls and the ceiling. The sky canopy overhead is the detail the kids won't forget.
A Quartz Wet Bar for Entertaining
Custom gray kitchen-grade cabinets with soft-close hardware, wine-rack inserts, and adjustable shelving, topped with white quartz. Undermount sink, full plumbing rough-in finished out with the faucet, and bar seating for three to four — the entertainment anchor of the space.
Maple Hardwood Through the Whole Floor
Maple at a Janka rating around 1450 — tough enough for a family basement where furniture slides and kids play hard, warm enough to soften the room. Nail-down over a plywood subfloor over a moisture vapor barrier, run continuously to tie the playhouse, bar, and lounge into one coherent space.
12 Weeks, Permits Handled
A complete basement finish of this scope — infrastructure, custom builds, flooring, and finishes — delivered start to finish in 12 weeks, with Assembly Squad submitting the full permit package on day one and running all City of Lake Forest approvals and inspections in parallel with material ordering.
What the basement looked like before we started.
The condition we inherited at Kimmer Court — an unfinished basement of raw concrete with decent ceiling height and solid bones, but no flooring, no walls, and no finished space. Documented before demolition and framing began.
What the basement looks like now.
The completed Lake Forest basement finish at Kimmer Court — a custom-framed playhouse with whimsical wallpaper, a quartz wet bar with gray cabinetry, and maple hardwood throughout. Delivered in 12 weeks under one design-build contract.
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Planning a basement finish in Lake Forest or the North Shore? Schedule a consultation → or call (312) 544-9150
What a full Lake Forest basement finish actually costs.
Most Lake Forest homeowners researching a basement finish get pricing that's either too vague to compare or quoted on partial scope. Here is the honest range for a complete finish of this caliber — playhouse, wet bar, maple hardwood throughout, and full infrastructure — with the line items that drive the number.
Where a project lands in this range depends on square footage and how much gets built in. This Kimmer Court finish sat in the mid-to-upper band because of the custom-framed playhouse with ceiling wallpaper, the quartz wet bar, and maple hardwood across the entire floor. A simpler finish without a wet bar or custom builds starts lower. Finished basements of this scope typically return roughly 60–75% of their cost at resale on the North Shore.
Everything delivered in 12 weeks.
Consolidated from the signed contract — every line item completed, all permits pulled, all City of Lake Forest inspections passed. One-year workmanship warranty on all labor and installation.
Phase 1 — Infrastructure & Rough-In
- Full basement demo and site preparation
- Complete electrical rough-in with dedicated circuits for bar and playhouse
- Rough plumbing for the wet bar — supply and drainage
- Future-bathroom provisions stubbed in for a later add
- Multi-zone dimmer wiring for recessed and pendant lighting
- All City of Lake Forest permits and rough inspections
Phase 2 — Drywall, Floor & Structure
- 100+ sheets of drywall across walls and ceilings
- Custom soffits and bulkheads to conceal ductwork while preserving height
- Moisture vapor barrier installed directly on the concrete slab
- Plywood subfloor with proper expansion gaps
- Maple hardwood nail-down throughout the finished area
- Continuous floor run across playhouse, bar, and lounge zones
Phase 3 — Custom Builds
- Seven-foot custom-framed playhouse as a standalone structure
- Open entry to maintain parent sightlines from the seating area
- Standard drywall, electrical, and paint inside the playhouse
- Professional wallpaper install — whimsical patterns on walls and ceiling
- Custom gray kitchen-grade wet-bar cabinets with soft-close hardware
- Wine-rack inserts and adjustable shelving
- White quartz countertop, undermount sink, and bar faucet finished out
Phase 4 — Finishes, Lighting & Services
- Premium paint throughout — walls, ceilings, and trim
- LED recessed lighting on dimmer controls in multiple zones
- Pendant lighting over the bar on a separate dimmer
- Complete design package — drawings, layouts, and 3D
- Full-time dedicated project manager
- Daily site cleanup and weekly photo updates
- Final inspections and 1-year workmanship warranty
Why Lake Forest homeowners choose Assembly Squad
Questions about Lake Forest basement finishing
How much does a basement finish cost in Lake Forest?
A complete basement finish of this scope in Lake Forest typically runs $75,000–$150,000+, depending on square footage and what gets built in. The Kimmer Court project shown here landed in the mid-to-upper band because of the custom-framed playhouse with ceiling wallpaper, the quartz wet bar, and maple hardwood across the whole floor. As a rough breakdown: framing and drywall run $15K–$25K, electrical and plumbing rough-in $12K–$20K, maple hardwood and subfloor $18K–$27K, and the wet bar cabinets and quartz $12K–$20K. Simpler finishes without a wet bar or custom builds start lower.
How long does a basement finish take in Lake Forest?
Eight to fourteen weeks is the typical range for a complete basement finish with a wet bar, custom features, and full flooring. The Kimmer Court project was delivered in 12 weeks: roughly 3 weeks of design, 2 weeks for permit approval, and 7 weeks of construction. We submit the full permit package on day one and run demo, rough-in, and material ordering concurrently to keep the schedule tight.
Can you really install hardwood floors in a basement?
Yes — with proper moisture management, and the sequence matters. At Kimmer Court we installed a moisture vapor barrier directly on the concrete slab, then a plywood subfloor with expansion gaps, then maple hardwood nail-down on top. Maple at a Janka rating around 1450 holds up well to the foot traffic and furniture movement a family basement gets. We've done hundreds of basement hardwood installs since 2013 without issues when it's done in that order. Where moisture is a concern, we'll recommend engineered or luxury vinyl instead.
Do I need permits for a basement finish in Lake Forest?
Yes. The City of Lake Forest requires permits for any basement work that touches electrical, plumbing, or structural framing. On the Kimmer Court project we submitted the full permit package on day one — with drawings and plans — so approval ran in parallel with material ordering, then handled all inspections through to final. Permit costs are included in the fixed-price proposal, and homeowners don't need to pull permits themselves.
How do you build a custom playhouse and install ceiling wallpaper?
The playhouse at Kimmer Court was a full framed structure — about seven feet tall, built like a small room within the basement, with an open entry so parents keep sightlines. We roughed it in during the main framing phase so it got standard drywall, electrical, and paint like the rest of the space. The wallpaper went on last, installed by a dedicated crew on both the walls and the ceiling. Ceiling wallpaper is the trickiest part — it's why most people skip it, and why this one looks the way it does.
Can you add a wet bar to a finished basement?
Yes — a wet bar is one of the most popular basement add-ons we build. The Kimmer Court bar included custom gray kitchen-grade cabinets with soft-close hardware, a white quartz countertop, an undermount sink with a full plumbing rough-in, and bar seating for three to four, with pendant lighting overhead on its own dimmer. We rough in the supply and drainage during the plumbing phase, so the bar is fully functional, not just decorative.
What does an all-inclusive design-build basement contract include?
Everything from the design phase to the final cleaning. For Kimmer Court that meant: a complete design package with drawings, layouts, and 3D; a full-time project manager; all labor and the materials specified in the contract (drywall, maple hardwood, custom cabinets, quartz, fixtures, paint, wallpaper); all electrical and plumbing rough-in; City of Lake Forest permits and inspections; daily cleanup; weekly photo updates; and a 1-year workmanship warranty — all under one fixed price.
Planning a basement finish in Lake Forest?
Free in-home consultation throughout Lake Forest and the North Shore. Licensed Illinois GC, EPA Lead-Safe certified, fully insured. Permits, inspections, and fixed-price proposals all standard.
Book a Consultation 312-544-9150