How I'm DIY'ing our basement

My goal is to DIY as much of our basement as possible. We're trying to do it on a budget. We live in Toronto, and our basement was damaged by sewer backup this past July 2013. Now that the basement is nice and clean after that incredible mess, we've decided that we're going to finish the basement so that we can reclaim that space as a playroom, and as office space.

The basement height is about 90 to 91 inches from concrete floor to joist. It's lower in some places, like where the duct work and metal support beam are. It's definitely high enough for us!

I have 0 knowledge of construction, or of finishing basements. But that doesn't matter! I feel confident that I can do a lot of of the work myself, while still being smart about it. For example, I plan to install rough wiring and outlets, etc., but pull a permit with the City of Toronto and have an inspector come in to make sure the electric work was done properly. Anytime you DIY you should try to "do it right" as much as possible!

I feel confident because I know that I can use the "wealth of the collective". There are so many DIY forums and videos online that cover literally everything you would ever attempt to DIY yourself. A lot of these folks are incredibly knowledgeable, smart, and happy to help you when you have a question. So, even if you know nothing, I believe that you can take the time to learn what you need to know in order to accomplish what you want to accomplish. I will definitely recognize some of these folks as I go through my DIY journey.