A little bit of Youtube, but only as a companion to my blog.

The idea in cheaply finishing basements to turn utility space into living space used to be that as long as the finished separated the exterior conditions of the below-grade concrete walls from the internal environment of the basement, typically by running a 4-mil plastic sheet along the concrete walls, the finisher didn't have to worry about using normal above-grade building materials to finish the basement.This turned out to be false, as was proven out over time. 

Is there hard plastic or something else cheaper thieves wouldn't try to take for these drain covers??

I was going to make some for my wife as a gift, I got the price and ordered some plastic ones from Costco.

I have plastic up over the whole door(s) and use the basement door which means I have to walk around the other side of the house to the driveway thru the snow, carrying groceries etc.

In the garage there were 2, 10' diameter, floor to ceiling plastic clam-shell growing units.  

Leave a small amount in a plastic jar for the tenants to touch up, or just touch it up yourself between renters.

I need to replace an old vinyl/plastic dryer vent venting into attic (2nd floor laundry, built before codes for venting outside).  

They are typically thin plastic...and unfortunately not a cheap part to replace.

They may work fine in new construction because they have plastic pipes that are smooth inside; however, they get hung up in the older metal pipes in use in many locations because they are not so smooth.4.