(Topic ID: 330736)

Basements. Why Are They There And Where Are They?

By punkin

1 year ago


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    There are 460 posts in this topic. You are on page 1 of 10.
    -22
    #1 1 year ago

    bad idea.

    #2 1 year ago

    keeps wood dry during winter

    #3 1 year ago

    Wish they would stay dry.

    27
    #4 1 year ago

    That's where the pinball machines go.

    12
    #6 1 year ago

    Where I live some subdivisions require basements. Also, I have never lived in a place that didn’t have a basement; I couldn’t imagine living in a place that didn’t have one.

    18
    #7 1 year ago

    I didn’t answer your question. In my area, basements main function is a shelter from tornadoes. When a tornado hit my house in 17, we lost part of the roof but we were safe in the basement. They also make great game rooms/man caves.

    #8 1 year ago

    Too wet and too low a water table for basements in Western Wa.I’d love to have one though.Also many of the best horror movies have basements for ambiance which is cool.

    #9 1 year ago

    most all midwest homes have basements because of the threat of tornadoes. Where in the hell you going to put all your pinball machines without one? basements scream mancave.

    -7
    #10 1 year ago

    Alright.

    Why not build the house stronger, and go up?

    No need to fight nature, the water flows downhill from the roof.

    If you dig.......

    #11 1 year ago

    I'll concede one reason, it's insulated for free.

    Save me getting tackled with that one.

    #12 1 year ago
    Quoted from punkin:

    Why not build the house stronger, and go up?

    Stronger than a Tornado?

    Water table is probably the real issue; I mean why not go down further and have 2 basements? That would be kick ass. Like people that live in old Missile Silos.

    -1
    #13 1 year ago

    Remember the Radon scare?

    #14 1 year ago

    I don't know why more houses aren't built that are mostly basement, e.g. into a hillside. Super energy efficient - a few feet underground it's like a constant 50 degrees F. Maybe because it would be too creepy thinking that at any given moment, someone might be walking around on your "roof"?

    #15 1 year ago

    We do have all the bastard storms here in Woolgoolga.

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    29
    #16 1 year ago

    In cold weather areas the foundation footings need to be approx 4 feet deep to avoid frost heave. At that point it is very economical to extend those footings deeper and make a wall.

    The cost per area is low compared to a fully finished space above ground. When I built our house I insulated the walls and floor of the basement and added pex tubing in the concrete floor for radiant heat. Cost was about 20% of the total budget and it doubled the interior space.

    The added space is also ideal for all the house's mechanical systems and plumbing.

    #17 1 year ago

    Most homes in the northeast US have basements. They provide structural support (sometimes it's required to be below the frost line), and older homes built in the early 1900s typically needed the space for coal or oil storage and boilers/furnaces. Not as much square footage is needed in more modern homes for heating systems, but basements are still used as a mechanical space for various systems and hook-ups. But, there is generally space leftover, so basements end up as extra storage/living/workshop space.

    Most of the northeast doesn't experience any regular natural disasters like earthquakes, tornadoes, or floods, so they aren't necessary as an area of refuge.

    Certain areas might get a particularly harsh blizzard or winter storm every few years that drops several feet of snow on the ground, but that's about it--a basement isn't necessary to ride out a snowstorm.

    Quoted from TheLaw:

    I mean why not go down further and have 2 basements?

    Because there's bedrock in many areas that can limit how far down you can go without blasting, which might not even be allowed in some areas.

    Before the price of lumber ticked up, it was far less expensive to build up, rather than dig down and pour concrete for an additional level. I have no idea what the price comparison on that sort of thing would be right now.

    #18 1 year ago

    Saw a show once called World's Most Extraordinary Homes. There was a house in i want to say Europe where there was restrictions building up so they built like 5 or six stories down. What stood out most was the bottom level. A button was pushed and the floor flooded for a indoor pool.

    10
    #19 1 year ago

    Where else would you grow your weed and hang your sex swing?

    #20 1 year ago

    Basement is where I wash my clothes and keep the insane amounts of empty beercans in large bags.

    #21 1 year ago
    Quoted from TheLaw:

    Stronger than a Tornado?
    Water table is probably the real issue; I mean why not go down further and have 2 basements? That would be kick ass. Like people that live in old Missile Silos.

    I looked into this last year when we extended our house. No county regulation or code disallowed it, it was purely a cost decision that we didn’t do it. Wasn’t even all that expensive. A buddy of mine around the corner has a double basement in his home and built a recording studio there.

    #22 1 year ago

    So funny that I was just looking around my always dry finished basement full of pins and thought god bless you dad for building such a fine living space cool in the summer warm in the winter and on top of a watershed I am very lucky then I saw your post!
    I live in my childhood home dad built in 1965 and I moved back after it was empty.not a walk out though .i remember helping my dad hang the drop ceiling as a kid.

    #23 1 year ago
    Quoted from Rdoyle1978:

    I looked into this last year when we extended our house. No county regulation or code disallowed it, it was purely a cost decision that we didn’t do it. Wasn’t even all that expensive. A buddy of mine around the corner has a double basement in his home and built a recording studio there.

    When I built our house my foundation guy told me about a customer who had 16 foot walls. Apparently the guy was planning an indoor pool basketball court.

    #24 1 year ago

    I'd say 99% of houses built from 1990's onward all have basements in Canada.

    #25 1 year ago
    Quoted from ccbiggsoo7:

    most all midwest homes have basements because of the threat of tornadoes.

    Quoted from jgreene:

    In cold weather areas the foundation footings need to be approx 4 feet deep to avoid frost heave. At that point it is very economical to extend those footings deeper and make a wall.

    The cost per area is low compared to a fully finished space above ground. When I built our house I insulated the walls and floor of the basement and added pex tubing in the concrete floor for radiant heat. Cost was about 20% of the total budget and it doubled the interior space.

    Quoted from ForceFlow:

    older homes built in the early 1900s typically needed the space for coal or oil storage and boilers/furnaces.

    Quoted from DanQverymuch:

    Super energy efficient - a few feet underground it's like a constant 50 degrees F.

    Yes to all of these reasons. Homes without basements sell for less around here (they are usually over crawl spaces or on a slab with full foundation for the 36" frost line requirement). Basements house the utilities so they don't take up space upstairs. Game rooms, home theaters, work out spaces, extra bedrooms with egress windows, etc. - all cheaper to heat/cool And if you are lucky like me you have a lot that supports the ultimate - walk out basement with a southern exposure - essentially double the living space.

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    #26 1 year ago

    Basements rule. Just because you can't be bothered to do 5 minutes of research about basements doesn't mean they are a bad idea. Also there is the exposed basement which is extra bad ass for ease of game installation.

    19
    #27 1 year ago

    Basements are OK!

    Just make sure that if your games are in your grandma's basement, you have a sump pump and an Escalera in case of water flooding in, so you don't need to raise funds for a pump or borrow and break an Escalera to get your games up from the basement.

    #28 1 year ago

    There are virtually no basements in my area. My house is just 16’ above sea level, which is considered high elevation for this area. Houses are restricted to 35’ maximum height, too. That has to do with the Navy’s master jet base and their radar requirements for the coast.

    #29 1 year ago

    I can only think of a few people in the City or the suburbs that do not have basements in the Chicago area. As a little kid, I did not realize certain states or areas of country could not have basements. I thought everyone had one.

    #30 1 year ago

    Hey daddy-o

    I don’t wanna go

    Down to the basement

    There’s somethin down there!!!

    #32 1 year ago

    Basements provided crop storage and inclement weather protection. My hometown was in a flood-plain and it still had basements in nearly every home. You just did not put anything valuable down there.

    #33 1 year ago

    like many have said, the basement started out as a 'root cellar' used for the storage of perishable items (no light and constant temp), into more of a mechanical area and storage for heating systems and their fuel, etc to now very nice living spaces. The old foundations were made from stacked stone, until concrete became mainstream, and most early basements were typically damp and full of bugs, etc. Modern building designs and systems now make the basement an extension of the main living space, and they still serve as good storm shelters. It's very hard to build an above-ground tornado-proof home unless it's entirely done of concrete or something similar, so they are a must in the midwest for sure. The downside to a basement is they will eventually flood....I don't care where you live, it will be a leaky overhead pipe, or a backed up drain, or a deluge of rain with nowhere else to go, but just about every basement will have a water or drain issue at some point. I wonder how many classic pins have been lost to the perils of a damp basement, or an overhead pipe that burst, or a backed up drain? I am not a fan of putting pins below ground level......any bit of dampness and the cabinets will swell and mech's will rust. the basement has to be relatively dry, and although I am NOT saying there aren't a million dry basements out there.....I'm just saying the odds are there were be an issue with each one at some point.

    11
    #34 1 year ago

    Most basement water issues can be traced back to poor grading and drainage around the exterior of the home. There isn't a day that goes by that I am not glad I have the extra room afforded by a full basement in my very small home.

    #35 1 year ago
    Quoted from rod90:

    Basements provided crop storage and inclement weather protection. My hometown was in a flood-plain and it still had basements in nearly every home. You just did not put anything valuable down there.

    When I was living in the North Bottoms during college my basement apartment flooded twice. Not from water ingress from the rains, but from the basement drains backing up due to the sewer system being overloaded during rain. I was happy to have it during tornado season but you definitely did not want to have anything irreplaceable down there.

    Quoted from Manimal:

    I wonder how many classic pins have been lost to the perils of a damp basement, or an overhead pipe that burst, or a backed up drain?

    Probably not as many as the games that were lost in barns or warehouses with leaky roofs.

    #36 1 year ago
    Quoted from bdw85:When I was living in the North Bottoms during college my basement apartment flooded twice. Not from water ingress from the rains, but from the basement drains backing up due to the sewer system being overloaded during rain. I was happy to have it during tornado season but you definitely did not want to have anything irreplaceable down there.

    Probably not as many as were lost in barns or warehouses with leaky roofs.

    What good are basements when the whole town is under 2' of water. How did you survive the great flood? My house in Winslow was destroyed.

    #37 1 year ago
    Quoted from Tuukka:

    Basements are OK!
    Just make sure that if your games are in your grandma's basement, you have a sump pump and an Escalera in case of water flooding in, so you don't need to raise funds for a pump or borrow and break an Escalera to get your games up from the basement.

    #paytheboob

    #38 1 year ago

    How many dead bodies does it take to change a light bulb...more then 6, my basement is still dark.

    Old houses where I grew up at in detroit had what we called "Michigan basements" not too tall but a good spot to put the furnace and washer and dryer. It also gives easy access to plumbing and electrical. Those house were built in the 20s. Wasn't till the 50s that people started digging a little deeper to make the basement useful.

    #39 1 year ago
    Quoted from rod90:

    What good are basements when the whole town is under 2' of water. How did you survive the great flood? My house in Winslow was destroyed.

    When I bought my house in Fremont I had the luck of picking something on the north side of town away from the Platte. When the great deluge came in 2019 the entire south part of Fremont was underwater but I was fortunate enough to not get a single drop of water in my basement. All of my games lived to see another day. Sorry to hear about your house, hopefully insurance made things right.

    #40 1 year ago

    This guy in the UK built a bunker in his backyard and then dug a tunnel from the house to connect them.

    #41 1 year ago

    Queen Anne victorian for the win! Above ground basement (originally used for livestock) stays cool in the summer, easy to heat in the winter, walk out, no stairs, no flooding, perfect for pins, love , love love my basement!
    Bad idea, puffft. Just think of all the cool critters you'd find I'd you had basements in Oz!!
    I'd keep my goannas there!
    B

    #42 1 year ago

    When I lived with my Parents in Queens NY, we had a basement but trying to get anything large down could be difficult. Had to duck walking down the stairs. Back when the house was built in the 20s, the coal bin would be down there. When I moved into my current home, it has a walkout basement which makes all the difference in how easy it is to put things(pinball machines) down there. A walkout basement is the best of both worlds if you can find a house with one.

    #43 1 year ago

    Magnets. How do they work?

    #44 1 year ago
    Quoted from bdw85:

    When I bought my house in Fremont I had the luck of picking something on the north side of town away from the Platte. When the great deluge came in 2019 the entire south part of Fremont was underwater but I was fortunate enough to not get a single drop of water in my basement. All of my games lived to see another day. Sorry to hear about your house, hopefully insurance made things right.

    Those were some crazy times. I heard the whole town was cut off from all 4 directions. They had to have the National Guard deliver groceries.

    As for my house and commercial property, it was paid for. I did not carry flood insurance. I was already living in Lincoln at the time and could survive without the lost income.

    #45 1 year ago
    Quoted from Haymaker:

    Basements rule. Just because you can't be bothered to do 5 minutes of research about basements doesn't mean they are a bad idea. Also there is the exposed basement which is extra bad ass for ease of game installation.

    This is research.

    #46 1 year ago
    Quoted from smokey789:

    Remember the Radon scare?

    Any basement in mining county's needs to be tested for radon.

    #47 1 year ago

    I have a small basement(about 1/3rd of the upper house, rest is crawl space.)which is nice for some extra space for games.
    Being single I am fortunate to be able to have games in all available areas of the house so I don’t actually make it downstairs very often.
    I do live in tornado alley as well but haven’t had any close calls in a couple three decades.

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    #48 1 year ago
    Quoted from punkin:

    I'll concede one reason, it's insulated for free.
    Save me getting tackled with that one.

    My basement is around 3,600 sq feet. Unfinished and it affects my property taxes at “zero”

    I am on a hill any water that would make it into my basement would flow right out of a french drain system, plus I have drain tile around the foundation with a sump barrel and pump. I hate water damage.

    The common thought process is if you need a 48” footing just excavate a little more and you have a free space, well less then 1/2 price space.

    #49 1 year ago

    In London they have been building super basements because there not allowed to build up.

    #50 1 year ago

    So aside from saving money not making the ground floor of a house storm proof, it must cost more to dig a hole and create a space than it does to build the same space where there is already room for it above ground.

    Then you don't have to fight nature the whole time pumping water out etc which costs money too.....

    I mean, if it was that much of a benefit then why aren't they common here?

    People get defensive when i point out the differences between our two countries, nearly got lynched for asking why you guys don't have switches on power points the other day. But to me, it's interesting to see the small differences in these things and to wonder, in the words of a famous country man of yours..

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