Walkout Basement

[Highbeam]

2200 ft^2 basement! Yikes, my 1350 ft^2 house could drop right in. A problem we have with basements is the window requirements. It seems the codes require so many windows per wall and underground walls with windows require those window wells. Sure they can be a nice feature but they are expensive and compromise the structural strength and watertightness of the wall.

They make it hard to build a cave under your house.

 

[BX23Seattle]

I recently finished building my daylight basement house and some of the things I did to keep the basement dry was after the footings and walls are poured I took hydrolic cement and sealed the outside joint between the footing and wall as this is the most common water intrusion. I also filled all rock pockets. Then I had the footing and wall sprayed with high pressure hot boiling rubber compound called greywall. It's like a continuous giant rubberband glued to the basement that does not dryup or crack like the tar method. Then I took 9' tall Delta drain and wrapped the foundation which adds another defence against water and also adds protection to the rubber wall against sharp rocks when backfilling. Installed footing drains as well as mid level foundation drain for surface water control. Wish I would have purchased my little Kubota when I started this vs. at the end /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

OK Don, here are the photos. This is a wide shot of the footing

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

pouring the footing

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

close up of footing and ground wire

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

first form going up. note vertical and horizontal #5 rebar on 12" center

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Concrete pump truck. Crew was afraid bank would colapse so pumper was brought in. The operator used a remote controller to move the boom /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

pouring the walls

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Another wall pouring shot

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Sealing the walls with a product called Rubber-Wall.

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Walls sealed

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Preparing to pour the floor

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

More floor prep.

Note: Before the footers and floor were poured the exterminator treated the soil for termites.

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Pouring the floor

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Still pouring the floor

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Last floor pouring shot

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

Finishing the floor.

There is a lot of work that goes into a basement. This is the foundation of your home and you want it to be rock solid, plumb and true. I learned a lot building my home. I will do some things different next time, like using a contractor who uses steel forms. Steel forms takes a fraction of the time that wood forms do. Plus steel forms can come in decorative patterns to simulate brick and other textures.

Overall, the crew did a great job. No leaks or cracks. Makes a great place to keep my tractor till I build a shop.

 

[Jagmandave]

OK, how did they get the bobcat in and out of the basement after all the walls were poured?

 

[Cityboyfarmer]

They drove the bobcat through the door.

 

[RedRocker]

That's nice, they just don't do basements in Texas, but I've always liked them.