Long story short, I’m in the early steps in the process of seriously planning out my next, brand new home. The whole nine yards, including hiring a contractor and maybe an architect to build exactly what I want. I’m debating about whether or not I want to include a basement. From my perspective, there’s no really strong motivation to do so. The whole idea of my potential future home is built around aging in place - allowing an older person, possibly with mobility issues, to remain in their home as long as possible. Design features like wide, wheelchair friendly passages, open floor plans and as keeping elevation changes to a minimum can go a long way towards helping me toward this goal. By most individual’s standards, I’m going to go a bit nutty in terms of handicapped accessibility in the design of this quite small, <700 sq ft home.
Does a basement factor into these plans? I can’t think of any specific use I would have for the floor space. It would be simpler and cheaper to build the whole house on a single level on a slab foundation which also has the advantage of reducing the number of steps up and down as I move from the house to the attached garage. Yes, I know that stair lifts exist, even ones that van handle an adult while they’re sitting in a wheelchair. I installed one in my Dad’s home. That doesn’t mean that they’re not an annoying pain in the neck for uncertain benefits.
The best argument I have in favor of placing the house on a basement is that I live in the central part of the US where basements are nearly universal. People like their basements. Basements are usually the coolest parts of the home during extreme heat. Home owners like their perceived value as shelter during severe weather and they like the increased storage and living space. This space doesn’t really appeal to me but it’s true that any home without a basement in these parts is going to be seen as an odd duck and possibly harder to sell because of it. If I’m staying in the house until I die in a freak, kielbasa based, tragedy, does resale value even matter?
Option one says to skip the basement, put the home on a slab and be done with it. What happens, happens. Option two says to install an unfinished basement serviced by a wide, straight, chairlift friendly stairwell. Bare concrete walls and floor, a toilet and utility sink and at least one climb out window so that if future owners wish to covert this space into a sleeping area, they can do so relatively easily. Maybe install a cellar hatchway like this leading directly from the basement up and outside?
What say ye of the Dope? How important are basements to you?
I have always lived in a house with a basement and appreciate it. When my son in Seattle bought a house without one (apparently standard there) I was startled. Now he does in his garage everything I would do in a basement. For a long time, I had a ping-pong table there and also a workshop where I built some of our furniture.
As you alluded to, basements are a regional thing. In some places almost no one has one, in other places (like your area), people would find it odd that you don’t have one.
If you’re concerned about resale value, I’d put one in. If it’s totally unfinished, I’d imagine even flooding won’t be an issue if you’re not storing anything down there. Just make sure anything that you do keep down there is up off the ground. That includes having the contractors put the mechanicals (ie furnace, water heater etc) on cinder blocks. Doing that will make sure the basement can handle at least a few inches of water and you won’t need to replace anything expensive.
Also, keep in mind that if you build on s slab, you’ll have to keep the water heater and furnace on the first floor. Either in an attached garage or tucked away in a closet somewhere, but wherever they are, they’re going to take up some of your living space. Same for your washer/dryer, but I suspect you’re going to have those on the first floor whether or not you have a basement.
So, I’d vote for having one, but if you plan to live out the rest of your years there, aren’t concerned about trying to sell it someday and have no use for one, I’d say skip it.
I can’t imagine owning a home without a basement. If I were building it new, I’d have it completely finished at that time. That’s where my man cave is and I’d never be without it.
If you are OK with not having a basement, then don’t put one in. My personal preference is to have one; mainly because I live in the midwest and I usually end up in the basement a few times a year during tornado warnings.
Consider future repairs (if you have a plumbing problem in concrete, it’s bad.) They’re also good for energy efficiency, and walking around on a concrete floor is harder on the joints than walking on a floor installed over wood. It’s worth the extra money.
I’ve tried to consider this. Clearly, I’m no expert and it’s not possible to consider every contingency but some educated guesses help. I’ve had to replace a collapsed main waste line underneath a concrete slab and it’s just about as much fun as it sounds. In my design, I have the single, main floor toilet and the main vent stack within a couple of feet of the exterior wall and the kitchen sink is on the opposite side of the the wall from the bathroom, minimizing plumbing runs. Other than a very short piece of the main waste line and the supply line, no plumbing should be within or below the slab.
Basements are almost unheard of in my state. WAG it couldn’t be more than 5% of homes in Arkansas.
Local contractors don’t have experience building them or properly waterproofing basements. I’d have grave concerns using a contractor to build his first basement with my money.
We do have split level homes built into hillsides.
It was totally different in Massachusetts. Houses on Otis AFB all had basements and they stayed dry.
As for re-sale value, you should consider it. Sure, you hope that you’ll never leave. But what if you aren’t killed in the great kielbasa disaster and are instead grievously injured and have to go to assisted living? Re-sale value would be important.
I live in south/central Nebraska. The frost line is generally considered to be about 24" down. When the city buried my neighbor’s new main water supply line, they trenched down less than three feet.
Not counting apartments I have been in one house without a basement; I hated it! Some of my hobby stuff I value too heavily for an out-building/shed and its just too messy for anything else. I know; I’ve tried. I have to have a basement.
Completely understand mobility issues and living on one floor. I have two floors and a loft over our bedroom. Don’t have a basement and hate, hate that. Pretty sure though, will never have one as when my Wife and I retire, and move (it would be to rough to live in our current mountain environment as an elderly couple) we will end up on one floor. It will be really weird to me though.