The effect of fresh grapes on wine is far more profound than the effect of extract (dry or liquid) on beer. This is because the beer ingredients are already dried and processed in any case. Perhaps there would be a larger effect if one would brew with fresh grain (that's been malted).
So, don't be afraid to start with a batch or two fermented in a 5-gallon plastic bucket. Or the wine fermenter... You will definitely gain a lot of knowledge by starting this way, sufficient for the effort.
As for brewing in the basement: Wort from grain must be boiled for some time, generally an hour, to drive off undesirable compounds. In a 5-gallon batch, you often start with 7 gallons and boil off a gallon. Have a system to manage all that moisture. Many of us boil in the garage with the door open, or on the back porch. Some have exhaust fans, or boil outdoors.
Extract needs a far shorter boil, as it has been boiled (for compound removal) already; your boil is just to sterilize it.
Also note that there is an odor of cooked cereal from the mash and especially the boil.