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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