What is it with basements?

Let’s think a minute about making basements. In new construction work, we always consider the opportunity provided by building down. We’re already building a roof for the building, right? We’re already imagining some sort of foundation for it, too. Isn’t a basement basically FREE? It’s a little more depth of excavation, but it can give us a lot of very low cost space, in which we could locate some mechanical gear, create some extra storage, and generally increase the value of the building. Right? Well…

We tend to think of it a little differently. Full-height basements (instead of just a short foundation, a conditioned crawlspace, or a slab-on-grade) add cost to any building. Basements need excavation, yes, and they also require more concrete, and more insulation, more power, lighting, and finishes. They require access - bulkheads and interior stairs, doors. And they require mechanical services - heating, cooling, ventilation. All these features add cost. If you want to add daylight to your basement to improve the quality of the space - that adds windows, too. The costs can accumulate quickly.

But, you say, if we can’t store all that mechanical equipment in the basement, we’ll be eating up valuable first floor space for machines. A modern home definitely need space for gear - the ventilation system has a box that needs to be somewhere you can change the filter; your well needs an expansion tank, maybe a water filter; your electric panel needs a home. Maybe your heat pumps are all wall- or floor-mounted heads, or maybe they need space in a mechanical room for an air handler. But if you can find space in a floor plan for a staircase to the basement (think 3’ wide, maybe 12’ long), you can find space to fit this mechanical room on the first floor instead.

Now don’t get us wrong - we’re happy to help you design, locate, and fill up a basement space. If you have your heart set on a ping-pong table in the basement, or a home theater down there, or if your new home site has a steep slope that’s just begging for a walk-out, we’ve got you covered. But if you’re chasing a basement just because it seems like a waste to NOT have one, let’s talk it through. Maybe there are other, more fun, things you’d like to achieve instead. Like a secret door in a bookcase…