How much does it cost to finish a basement in the Twin Cities? (2026)
Most Twin Cities basements cost about $47,000 to $83,000 to finish at a standard finish level with luxury vinyl plank floors. Where you land depends on the size and on what goes in it.
A 900 sq ft basement finished as one open family room runs about $51,000–$60,000. Add a bedroom and it is about $57,000–$66,000. Add a bedroom and a full bathroom and it is about $64,000–$74,000.
Basement finishing cost by size and scope
| Finished area | Open family room | + Bedroom | + Bedroom & bath |
|---|---|---|---|
| About 700 sq ft | $47K–$55K | $53K–$61K | $60K–$69K |
| About 900 sq ft | $51K–$60K | $57K–$66K | $64K–$74K |
| About 1,100 sq ft | $55K–$64K | $60K–$70K | $67K–$78K |
| About 1,300 sq ft | $58K–$69K | $64K–$75K | $71K–$83K |
Where these numbers come from: BuildFlow's own pricing engine, the same one Emma uses to price a homeowner's basement, run on October 10, 2026 for a standard finish level, luxury vinyl plank floors and a partitioned storage/mechanical room. They are ballpark ranges for the scope described, before anyone has measured your space. Higher-end finishes, a kitchenette, a second bathroom or structural and moisture work cost more.
What the numbers tell you
- The rooms drive the price more than the square footage. Plumbing, electrical, heating and project overhead depend mostly on what you add. Going from 700 to 1,300 sq ft of open space adds about $11,000–$14,000, while one bedroom and one bathroom add about $13,000–$14,000 at the same size.
- A full bathroom adds roughly $7,000–$8,000 to a basement that already has a bedroom.
- A bedroom adds roughly $5,000–$6,000. It also needs an egress window to be a legal bedroom, which is part of why it costs more than open space.
- Bars and built-ins are priced on top, as allowances. In BuildFlow's pricing a dry bar starts around $5,000, a wet bar with a stone counter and sink is about $8,500, and a floating media console with shelves is about $4,500. Full-height built-in walls and bar cabinetry go well above that.
Where the money goes: one basement, line by line
Here is the same pricing engine's breakdown for one example: a 900 sq ft basement finished as a family room, a bedroom and a full bathroom, standard finish, luxury vinyl plank floors. It comes to $67,580, the middle of the $64,000–$74,000 range above. The "works out to" column is each line divided by how much of it this basement has, so you can scale it to yours.
| Part of the job | In this basement | Price | Works out to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Framing the walls | 285 linear ft of wall | $7,750 | about $27 / linear ft |
| Insulation, outside walls | 984 sq ft | $1,880 | about $1.90 / sq ft |
| Drywall, hung, taped and finished | 2,870 sq ft of wall and ceiling | $7,840 | about $2.75 / sq ft |
| Paint | 2,870 sq ft | $6,850 | about $2.40 / sq ft |
| Luxury vinyl plank floor, installed | 900 sq ft | $5,380 | about $6 / sq ft |
| Baseboard trim | 223 linear ft | $2,510 | about $11 / linear ft |
| Interior doors with hardware | 4 doors | $2,490 | about $620 / door |
| Stairs: carpet, skirt boards, railing | 14 steps | $3,000 | about $215 / step |
| Electrical, by a licensed electrician | whole basement | $7,830 | — |
| Bathroom plumbing, by a licensed plumber | 1 full bathroom | $9,250 | — |
| Bathroom fixtures (vanity, toilet, shower pan, surround, faucet, glass door, mirror, fan, lights) | 1 full bathroom | $3,810 | — |
| Heating: extending the ductwork | whole basement | $2,140 | — |
| Project management | about 50 hours | $3,920 | — |
| Cleanup, dumpster and closeout | whole project | $2,930 | — |
| Total | $67,580 |
The fixture lines are allowances: a budgeted amount that moves up or down with the products you pick. City permit fees aren't included in these prices; each city sets its own and they're paid separately. Every price includes the share of overhead and margin that line carries, so the lines add up to the price you'd pay.
What can push your price up or down
- Water and moisture. Any dampness, efflorescence or past water has to be fixed before walls go up.
- Where the drains are. A bathroom below the main sewer line may need an ejector pump.
- Egress windows. Every basement bedroom needs one, and cutting a new opening in a foundation wall is real work.
- Ceiling height, ducts and beams. Low ductwork, posts and beams take more framing and soffits.
- Your finish choices. Flooring, lighting, trim, built-ins and bar or kitchen cabinetry are where two similar basements drift thousands apart.
How BuildFlow does it
BuildFlow Basements designs and prices your finished basement, and licensed, insured local contractors build it — one fixed price, agreed before work starts.
It starts with Emma, BuildFlow's free AI designer. In about five minutes she designs your own basement: renderings of your space, real products you pick, and a real price range for your project. The design is yours to keep, even if you never hire us.
See yours designed and priced in about 5 minutesQuestions people ask
How much does it cost to finish a basement in the Twin Cities?
At a standard finish level with luxury vinyl plank floors, most land between about $47,000 and $83,000. A 900 sq ft basement with a bedroom and full bathroom runs about $64,000–$74,000.
How much does adding a bathroom add?
Roughly $7,000–$8,000 for the same size basement in BuildFlow's pricing. A bathroom below the sewer line, which needs an ejector pump, can cost more.
Does a bigger basement cost a lot more?
Less than most people expect: going from 700 to 1,300 sq ft of finished open space adds about $11,000–$14,000. The rooms you add move the price more.
What does drywall, framing or flooring cost per square foot?
In BuildFlow's pricing for a 900 sq ft basement: framing about $27 per linear foot of wall, drywall about $2.75 and paint about $2.40 per square foot of wall and ceiling, and luxury vinyl plank about $6 per square foot installed. The full line-by-line breakdown is in the table above.
Do I need a permit to finish my basement in Minnesota?
Yes. Twin Cities cities require a building permit to finish a basement, plus electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits for that work, and a basement bedroom needs an egress window to meet code. More in the permit guide.
How do I get a price for my own basement?
Start with Emma: a design and a price range for your own space in about five minutes. A measured walkthrough then turns the range into one fixed price before any work starts. Start with Emma.