Another topic in the initial planning phase that we are currently facing: basement or no basement?
I can see with my parents that the basement gradually becomes more and more cluttered – many old pieces of furniture, for example. Sure, these might still be worth something. Brand-name items, but 10-20 years old. And because they might be useful again someday (or given away, or …) and there is storage space in the basement, these items are kept. Along with garden furniture, lots of canned goods and long-lasting food supplies, beverage stocks for months, winter or summer tires, washing machine, dryer, tools, and many things that have accumulated over decades and are stored in the basement.
For us, the main question is: what do we need the storage space for?
- Bicycles
- Garden furniture in winter
- Beverage crates for weeks, but not months
- Possibly a chest freezer for long-term food storage
- Tools, chairs, ladder, lawn mower (though here it might make more sense to buy a robotic lawn mower instead of spending a lot of money on storage space)
And now our thoughts on this:
- Preferably keep bicycles and garden furniture in a large double garage (which, however, would then only be used by one car)
- Beverage crates in the utility room
- Tools, etc., in the garage as well
- Chest freezer – still considering
The question is – is a basement worth it, or is it better to design a sufficiently large utility room and add a double garage?
What is the cost difference between a large double garage and a basement?
Is it worth keeping everything if you have paid 30,000 to 50,000 EUR for the basement, or is it better to occasionally throw things away for 100 to 200 EUR but save around 40,000 EUR?
Also, it seems to me that garden furniture and bicycles are generally better stored in the garage anyway! I always have to help every year when my parents move their garden furniture back into the basement ... – the garage seems more practical, doesn’t it?
And a completely different angle: What does an attic space cost? Can this storage space be used? Is this generally possible for every one-and-a-half-story house, or does it need to be a “larger” house? (Of course, beverage crates, bicycles, or garden furniture won’t fit in the attic – but for example Christmas decorations, tools, possibly a chest freezer …)
I can see with my parents that the basement gradually becomes more and more cluttered – many old pieces of furniture, for example. Sure, these might still be worth something. Brand-name items, but 10-20 years old. And because they might be useful again someday (or given away, or …) and there is storage space in the basement, these items are kept. Along with garden furniture, lots of canned goods and long-lasting food supplies, beverage stocks for months, winter or summer tires, washing machine, dryer, tools, and many things that have accumulated over decades and are stored in the basement.
For us, the main question is: what do we need the storage space for?
- Bicycles
- Garden furniture in winter
- Beverage crates for weeks, but not months
- Possibly a chest freezer for long-term food storage
- Tools, chairs, ladder, lawn mower (though here it might make more sense to buy a robotic lawn mower instead of spending a lot of money on storage space)
And now our thoughts on this:
- Preferably keep bicycles and garden furniture in a large double garage (which, however, would then only be used by one car)
- Beverage crates in the utility room
- Tools, etc., in the garage as well
- Chest freezer – still considering
The question is – is a basement worth it, or is it better to design a sufficiently large utility room and add a double garage?
What is the cost difference between a large double garage and a basement?
Is it worth keeping everything if you have paid 30,000 to 50,000 EUR for the basement, or is it better to occasionally throw things away for 100 to 200 EUR but save around 40,000 EUR?
Also, it seems to me that garden furniture and bicycles are generally better stored in the garage anyway! I always have to help every year when my parents move their garden furniture back into the basement ... – the garage seems more practical, doesn’t it?
And a completely different angle: What does an attic space cost? Can this storage space be used? Is this generally possible for every one-and-a-half-story house, or does it need to be a “larger” house? (Of course, beverage crates, bicycles, or garden furniture won’t fit in the attic – but for example Christmas decorations, tools, possibly a chest freezer …)
Hello Grym,
I used to have a basement and I’m glad I don’t have one anymore, exactly for the reasons you mentioned.
Bicycles should stay on the ground floor, whether in the garage or a ground-level storage room.
How many people are in your household?
You should plan accordingly: vehicles for the children are best parked on the ground level as well. Seasonal decorations can be stored in the attic. But honestly, who pulls down the attic ladder day after day?
It’s always good to declutter and plan a small utility room on the upper and ground floors for laundry and storage.
Garden furniture can be kept under a roofed area (which can also be built a year later).
A basement costs a lot of money, and honestly, what is it needed for unless you have two children and need to circulate living space across every floor?
I used to have a basement and I’m glad I don’t have one anymore, exactly for the reasons you mentioned.
Bicycles should stay on the ground floor, whether in the garage or a ground-level storage room.
How many people are in your household?
You should plan accordingly: vehicles for the children are best parked on the ground level as well. Seasonal decorations can be stored in the attic. But honestly, who pulls down the attic ladder day after day?
It’s always good to declutter and plan a small utility room on the upper and ground floors for laundry and storage.
Garden furniture can be kept under a roofed area (which can also be built a year later).
A basement costs a lot of money, and honestly, what is it needed for unless you have two children and need to circulate living space across every floor?
Hi
We are building without a basement. For necessary equipment and supplies, we ordered a long prefabricated garage. It is divided into two sections. Section 1 is 6 meters long and 3.5 meters wide (20 feet by 11.5 feet). This is enough space for one car, a small workbench at the end, and occasionally a bike that is used daily. Winter tires can be hung on the wall, which takes up very little space. Tools will also be stored on the wall or in a tool trolley.
Section 2 is 3 meters long and also 3.5 meters wide (10 feet by 11.5 feet). It is located behind the garage but completely separated to prevent any odors from the garage contaminating stored food or other items. This space is sufficient for supplies, additional bikes, and possibly a freezer. Garden furniture can also be stored here over winter.
The cost, due to the increased width, is about 15,000 EUR plus approximately 1,100 EUR for the required strip foundations.
If you choose the standard width of 3 meters (10 feet) for both sections, the cost is around 8,500 to 9,000 EUR plus foundations.
The garage is a precast concrete unit including an integrated floor slab. It features a sectional door with electric drive, one side access door each, and no windows.
For frost-protected, lightweight items such as Christmas decorations, fishing gear, etc., we will use the attic. The carpenter installed 30 square meters (320 square feet) of tongue-and-groove boards on the attic floor, so I can make the otherwise inaccessible wooden beam ceiling walkable. This storage space is obviously not designed for heavy loads as it is not included in the structural calculations. However, bulky items with little weight can be stored safely there.
A basement was never an option for us. We are two people with no plans for children and don’t want to fill expensive rooms with stuff that wouldn’t be needed without the clutter. Our bungalow also has a small utility room for the washing machine, heating, and installations. We will also be able to fit a beverage crate holder for three crates of water there. If a dryer is added later, it will be placed on top of the washing machine. The rest will become clear through practical experience once we move in.
For the future, we are considering a garden shed for garden tools, furniture, barbecue equipment, etc., for winter storage.
We are building without a basement. For necessary equipment and supplies, we ordered a long prefabricated garage. It is divided into two sections. Section 1 is 6 meters long and 3.5 meters wide (20 feet by 11.5 feet). This is enough space for one car, a small workbench at the end, and occasionally a bike that is used daily. Winter tires can be hung on the wall, which takes up very little space. Tools will also be stored on the wall or in a tool trolley.
Section 2 is 3 meters long and also 3.5 meters wide (10 feet by 11.5 feet). It is located behind the garage but completely separated to prevent any odors from the garage contaminating stored food or other items. This space is sufficient for supplies, additional bikes, and possibly a freezer. Garden furniture can also be stored here over winter.
The cost, due to the increased width, is about 15,000 EUR plus approximately 1,100 EUR for the required strip foundations.
If you choose the standard width of 3 meters (10 feet) for both sections, the cost is around 8,500 to 9,000 EUR plus foundations.
The garage is a precast concrete unit including an integrated floor slab. It features a sectional door with electric drive, one side access door each, and no windows.
For frost-protected, lightweight items such as Christmas decorations, fishing gear, etc., we will use the attic. The carpenter installed 30 square meters (320 square feet) of tongue-and-groove boards on the attic floor, so I can make the otherwise inaccessible wooden beam ceiling walkable. This storage space is obviously not designed for heavy loads as it is not included in the structural calculations. However, bulky items with little weight can be stored safely there.
A basement was never an option for us. We are two people with no plans for children and don’t want to fill expensive rooms with stuff that wouldn’t be needed without the clutter. Our bungalow also has a small utility room for the washing machine, heating, and installations. We will also be able to fit a beverage crate holder for three crates of water there. If a dryer is added later, it will be placed on top of the washing machine. The rest will become clear through practical experience once we move in.
For the future, we are considering a garden shed for garden tools, furniture, barbecue equipment, etc., for winter storage.
Same here: I could never imagine living in a house without a basement. In our new (purchased) house, there is no basement, and I don’t miss it. As previous posters mentioned: plan rooms for storage within the house and have a larger garage. Everything is then easily accessible.
D
Doc.Schnaggls16 Feb 2014 13:21Hello,
There are also other factors to consider when deciding "basement – yes or no":
- Land prices (with land costs of 100 or 200 EUR per square meter, a larger garage or a 20 sqm (215 sq ft) bigger house footprint doesn’t really matter)
- Flat land or sloped site (never build on a slope without a basement)
We are building with a basement because our plot has a slight slope (2.20 m (7 ft) height difference over 25 m (82 ft) length) and land prices between 470 and 520 EUR per square meter.
However, our basement is a fully usable living basement where only one room is for technical equipment and one is a proper storage cellar – the rest is hobby room, office, and guest room.
Regards,
Dirk
There are also other factors to consider when deciding "basement – yes or no":
- Land prices (with land costs of 100 or 200 EUR per square meter, a larger garage or a 20 sqm (215 sq ft) bigger house footprint doesn’t really matter)
- Flat land or sloped site (never build on a slope without a basement)
We are building with a basement because our plot has a slight slope (2.20 m (7 ft) height difference over 25 m (82 ft) length) and land prices between 470 and 520 EUR per square meter.
However, our basement is a fully usable living basement where only one room is for technical equipment and one is a proper storage cellar – the rest is hobby room, office, and guest room.
Regards,
Dirk
We are not allowed to build a large garage. The dimensions of the house are also very limited. At €700 per square meter, you end up building a basement anyway,... Besides, the plot was already dug out 1.5 meters (5 feet) below ground level.
And: just storing the kids' things upstairs would clutter up our living space.
And: just storing the kids' things upstairs would clutter up our living space.
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