ᐅ Built without a basement and regretted it?

Bauexperte schrieb:
Hello,


When I look at the submitted building projects, only a very small number included a basement. Some could definitely afford it, while others chose to invest their money above ground instead. For others, the idea was dismissed early on due to high land prices.

However, I can say with certainty that a basement is only worthwhile—despite significant additional costs—if it is actually used; not just for the first couple of years because it’s nice to have one. It’s a myth to believe that as soon as you move in, the basement will be the place to celebrate during the cold season.

The concept of the basement comes from a time when it was essential to have one. Almost every household had a kitchen garden; the harvest needed to be stored somewhere. I clearly remember having to work in the garden from Easter until the first frost (leek); not fun as a child (everyone had to help), but essential for the family’s livelihood. The basement would be bursting at the seams with potatoes (early and late varieties) and all kinds of vegetables throughout the year.

Starting with Aldi, things gradually changed; Aldi’s huge success was based on buying up surplus stock in Berlin and elsewhere in Germany. Suddenly, peas didn’t need to be hand-rinsed, beans chopped, fruit picked and preserved… all at an unbeatable low price, which made the hard garden work seem pointless. As a result, gardens gradually turned into purely ornamental ones. From this point on, another phenomenon emerged: existing basements became storage spaces for “things that might still be needed someday.” Often, these stored “treasures” were later discarded unused. Until then, though, they were “well cared for.”

Recently, I spoke with a young couple where one partner is a qualified master carpenter. They want to build a basement and, naturally, plan to include a workshop down there. My grandfather was also a master carpenter, so I know very well the discussions about noise (circular saws can reach levels that make your head spin) and dust that will inevitably come up in their household in the future. I’m quite certain that the homeowner’s dream will quickly disappear into thin air—if the basement is built at all. Then it will have been a rather expensive dream.

Anyone considering building a basement should be very clear about the intended use of the underground space. For example, for an occasional game of table tennis—it’s much more fun outdoors in nice weather in my opinion—it is an expensive choice. In other words, no one should mistakenly assume that just because a basement is possible, seasonal activities will suddenly take place there all year round. On the other hand, if someone regularly enjoys playing snooker and cannot fit the table anywhere above ground, then a basement is certainly worth a second thought.

For clients where we built a basement, it is used regularly and throughout the year. Some use it as an office, others as regular living space, and some have created a small wellness area in the basement. All of these uses have one thing in common: they are permanent and not just a dream.

HTH
Regards, Bauexperte

DerBjoern schrieb:
Without a basement, you have to go to the waste disposal site at least once a year. With a basement, you only need to go when there is a generational change...

Computersylvia schrieb:
Thinking, thinking, we have a basement and still go at least twice a year to the landfill and to dispose of electronic waste.
Maybe because we don’t have enough space in the basement to hoard???