Get a contractor and a structural engineer there is no way we can help IMO. IMO a bigger kitchen would be a better resale ROI

Not sure how you'd be embarrassing yourself by asking a relative who is a structural engineer a very valid question.

Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, not dark basement bedrooms with 6' ceilings.

Adding an additional bedroom can definitely add value in certain markets, I've done it with great success. Just depends on your location and total investment. Talk with a good realtor first.

However, 6ft ceilings will be a deal breaker for a lot of buyers, and code might not even allow it in your area. Your money might be better spent elsewhere.

Even finished basements with walkout and a bath don't add that much value to a home. Bad Idea. Put the funds in the bank, save for a larger home. Or add on to this one at GROUND level and second floor.

Sounds like most of these answers are for suburbs or rural areas. Nice finished basements in major cities can add a lot of value, especially if you can add 50-75% more square footage. Nobody is expecting a walkout, and a lot of people like a basement bedroom for a guest suite (as long as it's a nice space). Bring in a good realtor and have them tell you where to spend money.

As for your structural question, Houzz might be the worst place to ask. There are plenty of strong opinions on here which can be good for certain projects and terrible for others.

In general, finishing off a basement adds space to the house, but below-ground space does not add that much value. In your case its even harder to get value because of the low ceiling.

In my city you need a special exception to finish a basement that has less than 80" to the finished ceiling, and you need an egress window if there is a bedroom. We finished off our basement as a do-it-yourself project and did not add the egress window. Based on our permit it is only storage space (although it has a bathroom and laundry room); however, it did add to the overall house square footage.

Bruce

Doing anything jackleg, below code, is a less wise use of excess funds burning a hole in your pocket than using it as a fire starter for your wood burning fireplace. Even doing a basement project up to codes is a money loser, unless you’re in a high cost urban environment that doesn’t permit tear downs.