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I have always had a basement and prefer one with outside access. My next home will probably not have one as we are looking to downsize, but basements have so many uses as long as they are dry.
Around here you pretty much will never sell a house without a basement. Finished basements are the norm here and the vast majority of people have never had an issue with their basement being wet. There are steps to take if you live in an area where that is a possibility but only water we have ever had in our basements is from the kids spilling a glass of water on the carpet.
We have full sized windows in our basement, 9 foot ceilings, fully finished. It is a great place for the kids to have friends over and in the summer it is nice and cool down there.
If you have--full sized windows--in your basement, you don't have a conventional basement .
You have a shallow basement that is half underground and half above ground. ( or a walkout basement)
Most locations in Minnesota that have houses with half the basement in the ground and half above ,built it that way because the water table is too high to allow a full depth basement.
In fact , those houses that have their basements half above ground are usually just called--" raised ranches" or " raised ramblers".
So, no, Golfgal, with a basement so shallow you have full size windows , I doubt moisture would be a problem.
I doubt those type of basements is what other posters were referring to.
If you have--full sized windows--in your basement, you don't have a conventional basement .
You have a shallow basement that is half underground and half above ground. ( or a walkout basement)
Most locations in Minnesota that have houses with half the basement in the ground and half above ,built it that way because the water table is too high to allow a full depth basement.
In fact , those houses that have their basements half above ground are usually just called--" raised ranches" or " raised ramblers".
So, no, Golfgal, with a basement so shallow you have full size windows , I doubt moisture would be a problem.
I doubt those type of basements is what other posters were referring to.
I thought it was code now that basements had to have egress windows, which are full-size. Our last house was built in 2000. Had a walk-out, and full size windows. It was built into a hill. This house was built in 2005. Has full-size windows, but is not walk-out. The full-size windows are for means of egress.
An egress window is basically the dirt dug away from the foundation in a small, half circle pattern, to allow a full sized window to be installed as a means of exit.
An egress window is basically the dirt dug away from the foundation in a small, half circle pattern, to allow a full sized window to be installed as a means of exit.
Also a very handy way to ENTER a house - out of view of the neighbors/street
Very interesting posts so far. How do you know about the water table? And I didn't realize there were so many different kinds of basements or what not. A crawl space seems the creepiest to me with all the dirt, bugs, spider webs, and doesn't seem as safe. Like varmints could crawl in there and not come out. I guess I would prefer a full basement, but I wouldn't want moisture. How does one prevent that? Doesn't the concrete stay moist all the time from being underground. Also, I guess I am worried about upkeep and repairs. I know with a slab it is difficult and there are cracks everywhere on my concrete floor (under the carpets) on my slab. And I'm thinking problems with plumbing and pipes would be easier with a basement? I'm trying to figure out what I want for my next home, because I've seen all kinds of things including basements that were just dirt tunnels, yeah. I'm thinking more functional and easy for repairs or upkeep, and no mold issues or flooding or major cracks or varmints.
The way I understand it, the reason that basements are more prevalent in the north is that you have to get the foundation down below the frost line. Since this is so low up north, it makes sense to dig a little deeper and add another story beneath the house. In the south with the frost line essentially at ground level, it isn't as cost effective to put in a basement.
Basements are nice because you have floor access to the main floor. This is good if you ever need to access the plumbing. I have a slab foundation and the only way I could do that is if I cut the concrete.
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