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A basement is a useful place to live, work or store items, even today. Some people choose to have a fully furnished basement that functions as a bedroom, while some leave it mostly unfurnished and choose to look at it as more of an additional storage space.
Why are basements important?
Storage: Basements (both finished and unfinished) make great storage areas. It allows you to keep the garage (and your home) less cluttered. 2. Accessibility of Major Systems: Typically, basement homes give you easier access to to pipes, wires and ducts than homes on slabs or crawl spaces.
Why are basements so popular?
Basements are most common where the weather is largely dry: floodplains spell disaster for underground living space! In areas such as the Midwest, basements are often considered as ‘standard’. They were remodeled to a degree – often with concrete floors which was an improvement from the basements of the past.
Should you buy a house with a basement?
Get a Great Deal A house with a finished basement will sell for a higher price than a comparable home with an unfinished basement. If most homes for sale in the area have finished basements, the seller of a property with an unfinished basement may even be willing to accept less than the asking price.
Is basement good for house?
Basement is a need of every house today, but according to Vastu basement should be avoided in residence because low room/space or empty space under the house is not considered auspicious. However seeing the requirement of people, basement if made in house should not be used for living or sleeping purpose.
Why there is no basement in California?
“It’s easier to build without a basement if you were doing assembly-line construction.” In addition, fear of earthquakes was often cited as a reason for the dearth of basements in the Golden State.
Why are there no basements in Texas?
In some parts of the state the water table is too near the surface of the ground, making leaking and flooding an issue. In other areas the bedrock is too near the surface, making digging a basement difficult and costly.
Why are there no basements in Florida?
Florida has a large aquifer system that spans around 100,000 square miles and provides water for many large cities. The groundwater’s very close to the surface in most parts of Florida and Southern Georgia. Because of the high water table and proximity to the ocean, it is impossible to dig out for a basement.
Why do houses have unfinished basements?
Originally Answered: Why are so many basements unfinished? They’re generally used for storage etc, not living space, especially if they don’t have a lightwell to provide natural light. So it keeps things cheaper to not fit them out to the same standard as the rest of the house.
Is unfinished basement safe?
Sleeping in an unfinished basement can harm your health and lead to respiratory problems and cancer due to the lack of natural light and air, and exposure to harmful things like radon gas, molds, dust, and chemicals. Therefore, it’s advised that you do not sleep in an unfinished basement as a rule.
What do you check in a basement?
What to Look For In the Basement When Buying a House Cracks in the Foundation or Other Structural Problems. DIY work by the Homeowners. Stains on the Basement Walls or Ceiling. Fresh Paint on the Basement Walls. Poor Drainage and Grading System. Check the Height of the Ceiling. Ductwork for Heating and Cooling Systems.
Can we have bedroom in basement?
Avoid basements for living areas: The Scientific Reason – Generally basements are dark as they are below ground and sunrays do not enter them. In addition they are damp as there is a tendency for water to seep through the walls from the surrounding soil.
Is it good to have bedroom in basement?
In short, yes. You can use your basement as a bedroom, but you have to ensure that it complies with the proper building codes. Basement living spaces require an emergency exit and rescue openings, also known as an egress code.
Why are houses in USA not made of concrete?
Mostly zoning and standardization. Houses in the U.S. are built of wood frame and plywood and sheetrock because other houses in the U.S. are built of wood frame and plywood and sheetrock. Economics of scale results in cheaper houses for everyone, or at least cheaper than they would be otherwise.
What states have no basements?
These states are: Arkansas. Louisiana. Oklahoma. Texas.
Why is a basement called a basement?
basement (n.) “lowest story of a building, wholly or partly underground,” 1730, from base (v.) + -ment.
Why don’t they build concrete houses in tornado areas?
To survive a direct hit from a strong tornado, you need thick re-enforced concrete. No conventional construction will withstand it. Hurricanes. Heavy masonry and concrete construction can survive a direct hit from even a severe hurricane.
Why are homes so cheap in Texas?
In general, houses are cheaper in Texas for two reasons. First, land is cheaper. There is so much of it, and much of it is not useful for any other reason, like growing crops. Second, wages are generally lower in Texas, resulting in lower prices in many areas.
How deep can a basement be dug?
For one, current safety standards in the U.S. won’t likely allow basements deeper than one floor. The International Residential Code (used here) requires each basement level—even if there are several—to have at least one way of getting out, other than interior stairs, said Gary J.
