House with a basement

[marchanna]

If you’re built into a hill like I am you can do something like this:

 

[JimP]

If you are using the basement for storage and workspace use a wide double door with removable threshold for the walkout and have a concrete pad outside the walkout. This allows you to use a tractor to move "stuff" to the concrete pad and place on pallets and use a pallet jack to pull the pallet into the basement and move it around the basement.

If you are using the basement as finished space remember the mechanicals such as HVAC ductwork hang down a ways from the joists so you will need very tall basement walls to get your desired finished ceiling height. A lot of finished basements have creative ceilings to account for HVAC, beams and columns.

 

[plowhog]

I like having a basement. Having a suspended ceiling in your basement is an excellent idea. I don't have that, and wish I did. You can meet the egress rules (in my area) with certain windows that open outward and exterior stair assembly. I really like my basement and it's a good feature of our residence.

One caution-- after excavating the basement and pouring/building the walls, let it cure for a sufficient period and then be rigorous about backfilling and compacting very, very well. My house, built many years ago, apparently was not sufficiently compacted after the basement was constructed. Nearly all the adjacent concrete stairs and patios are cracked from settling and need full replacement.

 

[goeduck]

If you’re built into a hill like I am you can do something like this:

View attachment 539493

Cool picture with those clouds. Nice house.

 

[JPRambo]

I will be following this conversation. I plan to build in N. Georgia. I like the idea of a walk out basement. never lived in one though. I am from Long Island and Dad and Moms house had a 1/2 basement.I am looking to build with the walkout facing west. but with MossRoad's explanation may plan a couple windows to face the south side (front) of house.

 

[marchanna]

My house is East facing and it gets a lot of morning sun. With all the windows it warms up really nice even on the coldest winter day.

 

[EddieWalker]

I've never lived in a house with a basement, so I wont comment on the pros or cons of one, but I will comment on stairs and getting older. How old are you and your wife? Is this going to be the house you grow old in? Is there any history of knee problems? hip or feet issues? Any mobility issues at all, or is there a chance of having problems climbing stairs?

I made the mistake of putting two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs when I built my house. I'm 52, getting overweight, but still work every day remodeling homes and consider it to be physical work. I hate going up stairs and probably only go up my stairs in my own house half a dozen times a year, and that's to help my wife with something she has up there. We are adding a second bathroom to the downstairs of our house this year because she doesn't want to share one with me, and she doesn't want to go upstairs to use that one when I'm in the downstairs one. Avoid stairs, do not build a house with stairs.

The best houses are all on one level with every door being 36 inches and the hallways being even wider. Floors are all super easy to clean, and the walls are so well insulated that you can heat the house with a candle. Smaller is better. Less to clean, and less to pay to heat and cool. Besides the bedroom, kitchen and bathrooms, we all spend most of our time in one room. The rest of a house is either storage, or wasted space. Who really wants guests coming over, and how long do they stay?

Just my thoughts.

 

[Jcoon]

That is the huge PRO to a walk in basement, you do not have to use the stairs if it doesn’t permit.

As u can see from my previous post, I have two French doors, they both open completely, no center support column, I drive my tractor right through them.

 

[goeduck]

I've never lived in a house with a basement, so I wont comment on the pros or cons of one, but I will comment on stairs and getting older. How old are you and your wife? Is this going to be the house you grow old in? Is there any history of knee problems? hip or feet issues? Any mobility issues at all, or is there a chance of having problems climbing stairs?

I made the mistake of putting two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs when I built my house. I'm 52, getting overweight, but still work every day remodeling homes and consider it to be physical work. I hate going up stairs and probably only go up my stairs in my own house half a dozen times a year, and that's to help my wife with something she has up there. We are adding a second bathroom to the downstairs of our house this year because she doesn't want to share one with me, and she doesn't want to go upstairs to use that one when I'm in the downstairs one. Avoid stairs, do not build a house with stairs.

The best houses are all on one level with every door being 36 inches and the hallways being even wider. Floors are all super easy to clean, and the walls are so well insulated that you can heat the house with a candle. Smaller is better. Less to clean, and less to pay to heat and cool. Besides the bedroom, kitchen and bathrooms, we all spend most of our time in one room. The rest of a house is either storage, or wasted space. Who really wants guests coming over, and how long do they stay?

Just my thoughts.

Totally agree about a single level house when you get older. When I was young I worked as a carpenters helper to a guy who built only single level houses. I asked him why one day and he told me that it was a retirement town and retirees do not want or need stairs. That stuck with me the whole time and the last and final house I bought is single level. The exceptions to Eddies description is my front door is 42 inch (furniture delivery guys love that) and my house is not small 3000 sqft. But I can afford it and the house is central to family/friends and a gathering spot.

 

[EddieWalker]

my front door is 42 inch (furniture delivery guys love that)

When I add on to my house, I'm going to put in an over sized front door. I haven't shopped around to see what's available, but I've ordered enough doors to think that I can probably get one built any size I want. It's just a matter of what I can afford. I'm also thinking that I can make one 48 inches wide, which would be perfect!!!! I'm still just day dreaming, but I think it's a good dream.

 

[bigtiller]

If you decide to go with a basement, build it with I.C.F.'s, (insulated concrete forms) it will be much cheaper to heat and cool.

I haven't been in my basement for a year, knee problems. If I could wave a magic wand, I would gladly trade my basement for an extra 500 sq ft on the main level.

For your Mom's room, she needs her own living space. Rather than a second master bedroom, a few more sq ft would give her a tiny apartment. She could have a chair and TV of her own, small refrigerator and microwave, maybe a small table and chair, and most importantly, a door going outside with a small deck where she could get some fresh air easily.

It would let her get away from the busy/noisy life of a modern family and escape into her "own house" and still feel safe and secure without any of the ownership worries. My mother lives in just such a place and enjoys it.

 

[2ndhalf]

That is the huge PRO to a walk in basement, you do not have to use the stairs if it doesn’t permit.

As u can see from my previous post, I have two French doors, they both open completely, no center support column, I drive my tractor right through them.

Yes, I would often walk around to basement entrance to avoid stairs,

 

[shaeff]

Me and my wife had a modular home built about 3yrs ago. 2500sq ft Colonial on a 9' tall foundation/basement. I insulated the floor and put 1000' of radiant PEX in the concrete. Didn't think we'd have the cash to insulate the walls on the exterior so we skipped that step and I regret it daily. Oh well. :/

Our basement is a walk-out at ground level with double doors that open to 6' wide. I wouldn't have it any other way. We don't have a garage of any sort yet, so I do all my work outside the basement doors. If it's really bad weather I can pull garden tractor sized machinery inside, but not my MF35. Could probably squeeze a car in, depending on width and removing side mirrors.

Anyway, it's great to have a walkout to ground level. Very useful, especially if I'm covered in grease or mud or whatever.

 

[WVH1977]

If you decide to go with a basement, build it with I.C.F.'s, (insulated concrete forms) it will be much cheaper to heat and cool.

I haven't been in my basement for a year, knee problems. If I could wave a magic wand, I would gladly trade my basement for an extra 500 sq ft on the main level.

For your Mom's room, she needs her own living space. Rather than a second master bedroom, a few more sq ft would give her a tiny apartment. She could have a chair and TV of her own, small refrigerator and microwave, maybe a small table and chair, and most importantly, a door going outside with a small deck where she could get some fresh air easily.

It would let her get away from the busy/noisy life of a modern family and escape into her "own house" and still feel safe and secure without any of the ownership worries. My mother lives in just such a place and enjoys it.

My mom will have a study and a small kitchenette to go along with her master suite. That is why we are considering living in a daylight basement and giving her most of the upstairs. We are definitely going with 36 inch doors for bathrooms/rooms and hallways will probably be 4 feet wide.

EddieWalker I agree about stairs. This has been the number one reason I have been debating just one single floor versus having the basement. If we do decide to finish the basement we will still have to go upstairs to use the kitchen (not trying to do two full kitchens). If we do one floor living we can still do a walkout unfinished basement with a shop area and rec room for the kids.

 

[jfh28]

walkout basements are much nicer for finished space then underground basements.......if you do a walkout make sure you put in as much glass area as possible.....double whatever you are thinking will be adequate......when you have lots of natural light coming in it becomes a much more livable area.......as for bedrooms in walk out basements its very easy to meet the egress codes with either double hung or casement windows....the size requirements for ground floor egress is much less then second floor windows....check with your code official.....keep in mind that the floor will be concrete and thus cold in the winter......radiant heat would be a good choice although I hate it for the shoulder seasons......also remember that although you are thinking of living down stairs to start with there is nothing preventing you from moving upstairs in the future and sending the kids downstairs.......Jack

 

[MossRoad]

When you get old, its nice to have the master bedroom and at least one and a half baths on the first floor as a minimum. A master bath and a guest 1/2 bath near the kitchen/living areas. However, when you are young, with kids, its nice to have a basement, and bedrooms in the basement, as well as at least one full bath. Make the stairs wide enough that if, for some reason, you lose the ability to comfortably use stairs, you can put in a chair lift on the stairs. They are very nice when needed. I've also seen a few homes designed with closets over each other on multiple floors that can be converted into an elevator very easily in the future. Think about that and have the home framed accordingly in case you need it later.

Or, you could just do like this guy....

 

[preacher1]

We have lived in three houses w/ w/o basement, all finished. Where we live in Missouri the appraisal is good, maybe a littler lower than the main floor, but much more than building cost. The last 2 had storm shelters with half baths that would serve as bedroom in case of storm. With a crawl space, you also have about a 4 ft wall, and could double living space with 4 ft more of wall and floor. We have a family room and 2 bedrooms there with 3x5 ft windows and walk out door. We also face the south. I would also recommend ground source h/a. We are total electric except cooking and a gas fire place for emergency. This has been a cold winter for here, but Dec 23 to Jan 23, our total elec was $113, which is not bad for 2800 ft + of living space. No smell in basement unless in laws are there.

 

[Travelover]

I've had three houses, with full level basement, walk out basement and ranch with crawl space. I loved the walk out basement for all the reasons already stated - easy to move stuff out without carrying up stairs, access to plumbing and wiring. A single level is definitely nice as you get older, so if you made the upper floor self contained and the basement for utilities and storage, you could age out in it.

In Michigan basements or unheated spaces are not counted as square footage, but in Washington state, basements and enclosed porches seem to be counted.

 

[goeduck]

. I've also seen a few homes designed with closets over each other on multiple floors that can be converted into an elevator very easily in the future. Think about that and have the home framed accordingly in case you need it

When we were house shopping before we bought the single level we are in my wife fell in love with a 2 story, plus a second 2 story above the garage. While we were looking at it, I was going back and forth from upstairs to downstairs again and again. The real estate agent asked me what I was doing. I told her I was figuring out where the elevators would go

Now 4 years later my wife could not go up and down those stairs if she had to. Some things just work out right.

 

[Travelover]

When we were house shopping before we bought the single level we are in my wife fell in love with a 2 story, plus a second 2 story above the garage...........

Plus, for those of us in earthquake country, a garage under the second story is likely to pancake.