I'm finishing my basement in Ohio, and my general contractor says I don't need to install a vapor barrier on the exterior walls or any insulation for the floors. However, everything I find online suggests that both are necessary. I'm looking for advice on whether I really need to include these materials, considering I'm planning above-grade finishes for the basement.
2 Answers
According to the 2019 Residential Code of Ohio, you actually need a 6-mil polyethylene vapor retarder between the concrete slab and the ground, which applies to floors too. This is independent of whether it's a basement or not, so definitely make sure your contractor includes it for the flooring.
I recommend getting multiple quotes from different contractors. It's concerning that your current one suggests skipping the vapor barrier altogether; that's not the common practice when finishing basements. It seems pretty standard to include both the wall and floor treatments.
Yeah, I was worried about that too. Everything I see on the internet says to do both, and he isn't doing either.
Good to know, so I'll make sure he puts something on the ground for a barrier. What about the walls?