Hello dear forum,
After much consideration, we have finally decided on a house.
It will be 175 sqm (1,884 sq ft) for a family of five.
We are still debating: basement or slab-on-grade?
We have a slightly sloped plot and are weighing which option would be the best in the end. The basement would be a utility basement, incorporating a double garage, a workshop, and a storage room.
The alternative would be to build on a slab-on-grade with a double garage plus storage/shed space.
Since we are building on a slight slope, we are thinking about what costs to expect for each option. Of course, excavation costs are hard to predict, but maybe someone can estimate. Two excavation contractors have already examined the site and said that both basement and slab-on-grade are possible without problems. However, no one wants to give us a rough cost estimate, which complicates things.
Our idea was that with the basement including two garages, we might save some costs for slope retaining. Building on a slab, plus a double garage, plus higher costs for slope retaining might end up in a similar price range. We wouldn’t have much storage space inside the house.
The quotes we have are as follows:
Slab-on-grade 17,000 + 25,000 for double garage including foundation + total X for excavation work.
Basement 45,000 + 20,000 for finishing + total X for excavation work.
Could anyone give an assessment of which option seems more sensible?
After much consideration, we have finally decided on a house.
It will be 175 sqm (1,884 sq ft) for a family of five.
We are still debating: basement or slab-on-grade?
We have a slightly sloped plot and are weighing which option would be the best in the end. The basement would be a utility basement, incorporating a double garage, a workshop, and a storage room.
The alternative would be to build on a slab-on-grade with a double garage plus storage/shed space.
Since we are building on a slight slope, we are thinking about what costs to expect for each option. Of course, excavation costs are hard to predict, but maybe someone can estimate. Two excavation contractors have already examined the site and said that both basement and slab-on-grade are possible without problems. However, no one wants to give us a rough cost estimate, which complicates things.
Our idea was that with the basement including two garages, we might save some costs for slope retaining. Building on a slab, plus a double garage, plus higher costs for slope retaining might end up in a similar price range. We wouldn’t have much storage space inside the house.
The quotes we have are as follows:
Slab-on-grade 17,000 + 25,000 for double garage including foundation + total X for excavation work.
Basement 45,000 + 20,000 for finishing + total X for excavation work.
Could anyone give an assessment of which option seems more sensible?
I have been reading for quite some time, even though I just created an account recently. Some price expectations are exaggeratedly high. Well, not really price expectations—more like unreasonable, and buying from the wrong companies. A livable basement is currently costing me 50,000€ (about 54,000 USD) all-inclusive, with the floor supported on the side, and only painting and wallpapering left to do. And whether you believe me or not, I have this in writing. The site is on a slope of 1 meter (3.3 feet). You can ask the company Dennert about it.
8asti86 schrieb:
I have been following this thread for a while, even though I only recently created an account. Some price expectations are excessively high. Well, what do I mean by price expectations? More like unreasonable and not dealing with the right companies. A livable basement currently costs me 50,000€ (about $54,000) including everything, floor stored laterally, only painting and wallpapering left. And I have this in writing, whether you believe me or not. The site is on a slope with a 1 meter (3 feet) elevation difference. Ask the company Dennert.A basement for 50K? Really?
For our house construction, it would have been 100,000€ (about $108,000), which is why we gave up on that idea. This applies to a net ground floor area of approximately 85 square meters (915 square feet).
The cheaper option of a pure utility basement was not of interest to us, as it would likely just become cluttered after a few years.
K
knalltüte16 Oct 2020 12:22The cost of the basement greatly depends on the type of soil and how the basement will be used (finishing quality). Can the excavated soil be reused for backfilling, or is it waste material that needs to be disposed of? In our case, all the excavated soil had to be removed! It wasn’t even suitable for backfilling the concrete cisterns because it couldn’t be compacted. One cubic meter costs about €35 (around $38). Depending on the location and the soil report, this cost can increase quickly. The basement quote from my nephew is realistic and not completely unrealistic. However, I do not rule out that other basements can be built for $50,000 if things go well. It’s just certainly no longer the standard that basements can be built for that amount...
8asti86 schrieb:
Yes, my offer includes 75 sqm (800 sq ft) of floor area and a ceiling height of 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) with underfloor electric heating, plumbing, and everything tiled except for the sleeping area and one extra room. Incredible price... If you scale that up to a three-story house with 225 sqm (2,420 sq ft) of floor space, you'd be at 150,000 euros including heating, electrical, plumbing, and tiling. You could start your own business as a middleman and sell the houses for twice that. It would still be a fair price. You’d be a millionaire within a year.
11ant schrieb:
Apart from that, you don’t have enough space to slope the ground “just that one meter” between the property boundary and the building envelope (and to provide drainage). Forget about having a choice here; your lot has already been set up for the basement. Please allow me to disagree with you, even though I share your opinion. Excavation for the basement requires more sloping than the foundation slab, right?
Similar topics