All -

I'm about to start finishing my 800 square foot condo basement. When my unit was built, I had it rough plumbed and I had the HVAC guys install a zone with all the ductwork. I figured I was better off having pros do that kind of work. Framing / drywall is IMHO a lot easier than that type of work.

In any event, I plan on putting down tile (I've been looking at concrete tiles), and will likely do a CeilingMax / CeilingLink type drop ceiling. The first big problem that I have, however, is very uneven basement floors. The corners where floor meets wall in particular cup upward quite a bit, so they will need to be levelled to accomodate the tile floor.

However, a good chunk of the worst part (where the floor meets the wall on the outer walls all the way around) is going to be covered by unfinished portions. I will need an unfinished closet for my hot water heater / sewer / water panel in one section. I'm thinking of putting a finished closet next to that. Then I have another unfinished utility section under the stairs / in the corner for access to the furnace / AC and the sump. Butted up against that will be where the bathroom is framed (which will also have tile installed).

My question is this. What's my order of operations here -- and how should I proceed with doing the job right?

Do I frame first and then level what will be the finished part of the floor with something like Dash Patch? Perhaps I can add some furring strips along the bottom of the wall to push the floor /wall out from the corner of the concrete and hope that that assists with leveling?

Or do I level the whole thing first with Dash Patch and then waterproof and frame? I want to do the job right, but I also don't want to waste time / money unnecessarily leveling something that doesn't need it.

Also... a question about waterproofing. My basement is half-underground and is a walk-out. The walls to the outside of my building are part concrete / part wood. I've noticed 0 problems with water in the basement to this point (after 2 1/2 years) -- although I do run a dehumidifier down there. Am I wasting my time applying a sealing waterproofer to the floor?

Before I put down the tile, I plan on putting down Platon or DriCore under a plywood subfloor. With that being the case, how crucial is leveling with something like Dash Patch? Is this overkill?

Thanks for reading... and any input that you might have.