I just bought a house with a walk-out basement. Basement is framed and it was built with the plan to finish it so no issues with wires, plumbing, etc. since they are already running through the joist punchouts. Heating, wiring, plumbing, etc. for basement were all installed when the house was built.
Here are my questions.

1) I am new to this area, and live in a very remote place so any work I do will be completely solo. Is it possible for one person to drywall ceilings and walls by themselves or should I plan on hiring out for it? I really want to learn to do it myself, but wonder if it's impossible for me to do alone?

2) I want to polish the concrete floor (no cracks, very level) for now, with the idea of maybe tiling or carpeting in a few more years. I have young dogs that will be on the floor so I am not ready to invest in a nice flooring at this point. If I polish the concrete will it require any special work/prep once I decide on another flooring? For example, if you paint the floor you have to manually remove all the paint before you can do anything else.

 

Can't help with the second part.... don't know how polishing concrete will affect a new floor...

Hanging drywall "solo" can be done. (Just finished a new addition in my basement - all by my lonesome). However - it's a "bit_ _". One person, with experience, can handle 8 ft. sheets on the walls - with a lot of experience you can even hang 12 foot sheets - though you can't carry them to the basement by yourself. .... the ceiling takes considerable perserverence and strength. You really need another person to help you with that - or face using shorter panels and taping more joints (which makes more work in that phase). Hanging drywall, taping and bedding, is one of the most boring and labor intensive parts of your project. Typically, by the time you're done, you'll wish you had paid someone else to do it. On the other hand, I'm a cheapskate, and am glad I finished it off myself - though this is probably the umpteenth time I've done it.... so have a bit of experience at it.

Unfortunately, you really need to do the ceiling first - which is the hardest part..... Not a good place for a first timer......

Good Luck - hope it helped.

 

Makin'MeCrazy,
re: number1
I asked a similar question and I have no experience with this either.
I would definitely look into renting a drywall lift or jack. It may be a lifesaver. Also, a drywall screw gun would be very helpful as well.
Please keep us posted on your progress.
-jasper

 

You can make a jack for hanging ceilings. Take a 2x4, one long the other about 3'. Attach the 3' piece to the long to form a T. You want the overall length to be just shy of ceiling height - minus rock thickness. Not sure how you intend to polish the floor but it would likely interfer with any type of adhesive you might wish to use in the future.

 

This method works well.... as long as you have an extra pair of hands to handle the T-bar.

No need to buy a "screw gun"... you can get a drywall screw adapter for your 3/8ths drill for about $10.00. - at the big orange box..

 

I learned this from pro drywall hanger. You lift the rock up on one end and scotch it with the jack, then raise the other end as you walk towards it. Not a lot of fun but can be done when no help is available. He used to hang 12' boards by himself [walls and ceiling] but I think he was more man than me

 

He was/is certainly a heck of a lot more man than me! I can't imagine getting a 12 footer off the floor by myself...... (and I thought I was in shape)

 

Definately use a drywall jack, I have enough guys that we can/could/have installed it manually and it is quicker that way in the grand scheme of things, but as I get older and body gets more wore down, the amount of exertion saved by use of a jack is well worth the difference in lost time by hanging manually. It'llbe the best $40-50 you can spend when doing your ceiling and can also be used to help with the walls as well, if your doing the walls with 4x8 sheets than 1 person is no problem, 10-12' sheets, then your talking some real muscle needed for one sheet, then multiply that by number of sheets you need to hang.

 

Definitely rent the drywall lift for the ceiling. It makes life a dream. I finished one room (250 SF with a really odd shape) in an evening easy. As for the walls, my answer is different from the pros. Hang the (8 foot) sheets vertically. All you need is a little lift that goes on the floor that you step on. Make sure those wall boards are tight to the ceiling.

As for getting the rock in, call your nearest lumber yard, they'll probably deliver it into the basement for a small charge which is definitely money well spent.