# How deep could I set my house foundations (basement)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-could-i-set-my-house-foundations-basement/173353>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 6, 2003, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-could-i-set-my-house-foundations-basement/173353 "2003-05-06T07:40:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2015, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-could-i-set-my-house-foundations-basement/173353/41 "2015-12-19T01:44:04Z")

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> [@Atrael](#):
>
> Ever since I saw a tv special about shelters that featured a story about this guy in Florida _I think_, that built this huge shelter under his house all bby himself, I’ve wanted one. I thought that was the coolest thing when I saw it. I can’t even imagine knowing where to start something like that.

> [@Nefario](#):
>
> I’ve thought about this a lot and would like to dig a basement hideout. Would be a cool ongoing hobby! 🙂

[Seymour Cray](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seymour_Cray), the world’s best supercomputer designer for a third of a century, worked on digging a tunnel under his home at times when he was stuck on a design issue. He said that elves came to him in the tunnel and whispered solutions to his problem.

Of course, he knew that there really was a Soviet nuclear missile targeted at his home.

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**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2015, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-deep-could-i-set-my-house-foundations-basement/173353/42 "2015-12-19T06:30:41Z")

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> [@DrCube](#):
>
> Sort of off topic, but I’ve always wanted a giant underground mansion you could only get to through a dilapidated trailer on the surface. So everyone would think you’re poor and have nothing to steal, but when you take the stairs (or elevator) in the bedroom closet, you enter this amazing underground complex…

I’ve long had this dream, too. I’d go with a handmade-looking shack on the edge of a cliff, so my lower levels could have a view.

My artsy aunt did this back in the 60s… had what looked like a small house in a thick woods, but it was really just an entrance foyer with a circular stairway going down to three huge levels dug into the side of a ravine.

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