[ARCHIVED THREAD] - basements (Page 1 of 2)
Posted: 7/6/2012 5:07:37 AM EDT
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I spent the majority of my life between Central Florida and the Tidewater area of Viginia. Being that I have spent most of my life close to the coast, the concept of living in a home with a basement is foreign to me.
My GF Beth, originally from Maine lived in homes with basements. And she tells me that often the basement can be the nicest part of the house. So Arf, I want to see your basements. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need.
Also, if your basement was finished by an amateur and it's arranged like a rabbit warren, no one else will think it's cool. Frank Loyd Wright had an opinion about basements. He figured that anyone that would start building a house by digging a hole got what they deserved. But FLW was a drawer of neatly arranged homes, not necessarily homes with a good balance of appearance, maintainability, and longevity even with extensive continuing maintenance. |
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Quoted:
There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. Also, if your basement was finished by an amateur and it's arranged like a rabbit warren, no one else will think it's cool. Frank Loyd Wright had an opinion about basements. He figured that anyone that would start building a house by digging a hole got what they deserved. But FLW was a drawer of neatly arranged homes, not necessarily homes with a good balance of appearance, maintainability, and longevity even with extensive continuing maintenance. Around here basements don't count as sq footage for your tax assessment and our taxes are OUTRAGEOUS(4k per 100k of value roughly). Having a 1000sq foot ranch with 600sq foot finished basement will be a hell of a lot cheap than a 1600sq foot house both in terms of purchase price and taxes. |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. Also, if your basement was finished by an amateur and it's arranged like a rabbit warren, no one else will think it's cool. Frank Loyd Wright had an opinion about basements. He figured that anyone that would start building a house by digging a hole got what they deserved. But FLW was a drawer of neatly arranged homes, not necessarily homes with a good balance of appearance, maintainability, and longevity even with extensive continuing maintenance. Around here basements don't count as sq footage for your tax assessment and our taxes are OUTRAGEOUS(4k per 100k of value roughly). Having a 1000sq foot ranch with 600sq foot finished basement will be a hell of a lot cheap than a 1600sq foot house both in terms of purchase price and taxes. The assessment method here is similar, but finished rooms in the basement are counted. Most homes in this region built in the last 30 years or more have a basement, no matter if it's a 900 square foot or 4000 square foot print on the ground. Over in St. Louis City, and maybe the county, too, there are old homes without closets that were built in an age when closets were counted and assessed! |
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In my neighborhood, every house had a basement with a bar.
If you built a home in Minnesota without a basement, people would look at you funny and you wouldn't be able to sell it. They'd ask you why you don't have a furnace or a washing machine or a tornado room. I hear they don't build them in the south because you guys have a lot more rock down there. We're all dirt up here so digging it out isn't as expensive. And Florida, well that's probably because of the water. |
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Quoted: There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. Also, if your basement was finished by an amateur and it's arranged like a rabbit warren, no one else will think it's cool. Frank Loyd Wright had an opinion about basements. He figured that anyone that would start building a house by digging a hole got what they deserved. But FLW was a drawer of neatly arranged homes, not necessarily homes with a good balance of appearance, maintainability, and longevity even with extensive continuing maintenance. The science of building is not generally practiced in most residential construction. As evidenced by Wright's art work in falling water. The humidity and mold issues arising from perching a house on a creek are an example form over function. |
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Sure, Here's one side: http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn82/Taipan01/Basement.jpg The other side is my reloading area but I've no images of the whole room but heres one of the benches: http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn82/Taipan01/reloading.jpg And one of my work bench: http://i302.photobucket.com/albums/nn82/Taipan01/Cylinders.jpg No, it wasn't like this when I bought it. It took me about a year after work and weekends to do it all. Wow! Very nice. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. Also, if your basement was finished by an amateur and it's arranged like a rabbit warren, no one else will think it's cool. Frank Loyd Wright had an opinion about basements. He figured that anyone that would start building a house by digging a hole got what they deserved. But FLW was a drawer of neatly arranged homes, not necessarily homes with a good balance of appearance, maintainability, and longevity even with extensive continuing maintenance. The science of building is not generally practiced in most residential construction. As evidenced by Wright's art work in falling water. The humidity and mold issues arising from perching a house on a creek are an example form over function. There's a well known Wright home in this region that is on a plain ol' subdivision lot, abeit sloping. The exterior would be worse than caring for a large wood boat, maybe worse than a Victorian with all sorts of complicated brackets and molding outside. Pretty to look out, and I'm content to let someone else deal with the headaches. |
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Basement is about 950sq ft. Guest bedroom (doubles as playroom for the kids), living/entertainment area (pictured), bathroom (pictured), bar/half-kitchen, exercise room, mechanical room, and manroom/gun room/emergency storage supplies. Walkout, which is much nicer.
basement entertainment area 
basement bathroom 
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Yup, I live in my mom's basement (go ahead, laugh away) It is always a cool 10 degrees cooler in the summer. I have a jacuzzi bathtub and a mancave. I am moving out in a bit to move in with my GF. Her house has a basement and a garage.
Basements are nice for 2 things. Storing preps and other stuff, or building another room. Funny story, my great grandpa dug his basement with his bare hands. He had to, couldn't fit a backhoe under the house 
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Quoted:
Yup, I live in my mom's basement (go ahead, laugh away) It is always a cool 10 degrees cooler in the summer. I have a jacuzzi bathtub and a mancave. I am moving out in a bit to move in with my GF. Her house has a basement and a garage. Basements are nice for 2 things. Storing preps and other stuff, or building another room. Funny story, my great grandpa dug his basement with his bare hands. He had to, couldn't fit a backhoe under the house We used shovels. |
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Yup, I live in my mom's basement (go ahead, laugh away) It is always a cool 10 degrees cooler in the summer. I have a jacuzzi bathtub and a mancave. I am moving out in a bit to move in with my GF. Her house has a basement and a garage. Basements are nice for 2 things. Storing preps and other stuff, or building another room. Funny story, my great grandpa dug his basement with his bare hands. He had to, couldn't fit a backhoe under the house We used shovels. Well, yeah, that's what he used too. |
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My dad had a townhouse when he lived in alexandria VA that had a "basement" The house was built on a hill so the basement was underground in front of the house, and you had a patio door out from the back of the house. he had it set up real nice.
almost no basements in Texas, although up in the panhandle lots of places have "storm cellars" which basically is a metal box sunk in the ground maybe 6x8 in size. |
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Quoted:
There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. Also, if your basement was finished by an amateur and it's arranged like a rabbit warren, no one else will think it's cool. Frank Loyd Wright had an opinion about basements. He figured that anyone that would start building a house by digging a hole got what they deserved. But FLW was a drawer of neatly arranged homes, not necessarily homes with a good balance of appearance, maintainability, and longevity even with extensive continuing maintenance. Generally speaking, a basement is not a nice living space. If you insulate it properly, meaning no batt insulation and mositure barrier to wick moisture, and you keep the floorplan open, it can make for a decent TV room or playroom for your kids. Never finish a basement unless it's bone dry, it's a waste of your time. |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. I agree with this, and tell my customers the same thing. We still end up finishing 5-6 basments a year  , a fool and his money and all that. |
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Quoted: There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. I agree with this, and tell my customers the same thing. We still end up finishing 5-6 basments a year , a fool and his money and all that.Maybe they just want a nice basement? Not everybody does stuff to their house solely because of what it does to the house's resale value. |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. Also, if your basement was finished by an amateur and it's arranged like a rabbit warren, no one else will think it's cool. Frank Loyd Wright had an opinion about basements. He figured that anyone that would start building a house by digging a hole got what they deserved. But FLW was a drawer of neatly arranged homes, not necessarily homes with a good balance of appearance, maintainability, and longevity even with extensive continuing maintenance. The science of building is not generally practiced in most residential construction. As evidenced by Wright's art work in falling water. The humidity and mold issues arising from perching a house on a creek are an example form over function. There's a well known Wright home in this region that is on a plain ol' subdivision lot, abeit sloping. The exterior would be worse than caring for a large wood boat, maybe worse than a Victorian with all sorts of complicated brackets and molding outside. Pretty to look out, and I'm content to let someone else deal with the headaches. lol there is a wright home by my parents house that is 3/4 under ground. they started by digging a hole. eta: |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. I agree with this, and tell my customers the same thing. We still end up finishing 5-6 basments a year , a fool and his money and all that.Maybe they just want a nice basement? Not everybody does stuff to their house solely because of what it does to the house's resale value. I'd say most of the homes I do basements in have issues with the exterior wood rot or needs paint, or both. I feel that if the homeowner can't or won't take care of the exterior of a home they shouldn't consider finishing the basement. |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. I agree with this, and tell my customers the same thing. We still end up finishing 5-6 basments a year , a fool and his money and all that.Maybe they just want a nice basement? Not everybody does stuff to their house solely because of what it does to the house's resale value. I'm not agin finished basements, but I think it's foolish to put in a premium installation with custom molding and cabinets, extensive hardwood flooring, all the trick lighting schemes, and so on. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. I agree with this, and tell my customers the same thing. We still end up finishing 5-6 basments a year , a fool and his money and all that.Maybe they just want a nice basement? Not everybody does stuff to their house solely because of what it does to the house's resale value. I'm not agin finished basements, but I think it's foolish to put in a premium installation with custom molding and cabinets, extensive hardwood flooring, all the trick lighting schemes, and so on. Why? |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. I agree with this, and tell my customers the same thing. We still end up finishing 5-6 basments a year , a fool and his money and all that.Maybe they just want a nice basement? Not everybody does stuff to their house solely because of what it does to the house's resale value. I'm not agin finished basements, but I think it's foolish to put in a premium installation with custom molding and cabinets, extensive hardwood flooring, all the trick lighting schemes, and so on. You call them foolish, I call them Change Orders  |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. I agree with this, and tell my customers the same thing. We still end up finishing 5-6 basments a year , a fool and his money and all that.Maybe they just want a nice basement? Not everybody does stuff to their house solely because of what it does to the house's resale value. I'm not agin finished basements, but I think it's foolish to put in a premium installation with custom molding and cabinets, extensive hardwood flooring, all the trick lighting schemes, and so on. Why? Read my first post. There are home's with basements that cost $500 per square foot and more to finish, and the upstairs have been left as built. I don't really care whether someone spends their money that way, but I get to question the wisdom of the decision. Quoted:
... You call them foolish, I call them Change Orders Our job shoppers (contractors) have a saying, "Chaos is cash"! |
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whatever...I love mine... http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj67/lsheets65/DSC_0321.jpg here is the unfinished side... http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj67/lsheets65/DSC_0322.jpg the key to a dry basement is proper construction and some redundancy... http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj67/lsheets65/DSC_0249.jpg rod727, Yours is pretty nice too. |
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No basements around here, sure wish we could though. Quoted: whatever...I love mine... http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj67/lsheets65/DSC_0321.jpg here is the unfinished side... http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj67/lsheets65/DSC_0322.jpg the key to a dry basement is proper construction and some redundancy... http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj67/lsheets65/DSC_0249.jpg Perhaps I'm mistaken, but I only see one dag. What's this "redundancy" you speak of?  |
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There's a weird phenomenon in the US in which people will spend 4 or 5 the per square foot cost for building a nice home by dolling up basements. A nice basement is great, but it's still below grade and subject to water intrusion. Spend the money upstairs to make the main living area palatial if that's what you need. Also, if your basement was finished by an amateur and it's arranged like a rabbit warren, no one else will think it's cool. Frank Loyd Wright had an opinion about basements. He figured that anyone that would start building a house by digging a hole got what they deserved. But FLW was a drawer of neatly arranged homes, not necessarily homes with a good balance of appearance, maintainability, and longevity even with extensive continuing maintenance. The science of building is not generally practiced in most residential construction. As evidenced by Wright's art work in falling water. The humidity and mold issues arising from perching a house on a creek are an example form over function. There's a well known Wright home in this region that is on a plain ol' subdivision lot, abeit sloping. The exterior would be worse than caring for a large wood boat, maybe worse than a Victorian with all sorts of complicated brackets and molding outside. Pretty to look out, and I'm content to let someone else deal with the headaches. lol there is a wright home by my parents house that is 3/4 under ground. they started by digging a hole. eta:http://www.prairiemod.com/.a/6a00d8341bf72a53ef01538deeca5c970b-800wi Actually I think part of Taliesin in Wisconsin is below grade. |
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When I built my house I knew I wanted a great basement and it spans the entire house and is essentially wide open complete with media room, game room, gym and full bath. I finished it out pretty nicely (drywalled, insulated, carpeted, 8.5' ceilings and furnished) at the time but as was mentioned, you don't go whole hog until you know it won't leak. Doing all that (about 1,200 sqft) cost about 20K but it was so worth it. It has never once leaked in 14 years (except for a septic backup into the shower once...but that wasn't the basement's fault) and I think the sump only had to run once in all that time. I think there is a lot to be said for poured walls vs. block in that regard. The best thing is though that not only can you double your sq ft inexpensively but it almost always stays cool in the summer and warm in the winter regardless of what your HVAC system is doing. A lot of people here in OH got hammered by a freak storm (including my parents) and lost power for a week during a record breaking heat wave this past week. Basements to the rescue baby! I trust mine enough now that I probably should go whole hog on it. I'd feel lost without my basement. ETA: As was also mentioned, my basement sq ft is not counted on tax records. sweet! |