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.