Hello everyone,
let’s be honest! When building your dream home, did you make an irreversible, serious mistake by skipping the basement and now regret it? I’m looking for your experiences and reasons why that is, so I don’t make the same mistake myself, as I’m currently deciding whether to build with or without a basement.
let’s be honest! When building your dream home, did you make an irreversible, serious mistake by skipping the basement and now regret it? I’m looking for your experiences and reasons why that is, so I don’t make the same mistake myself, as I’m currently deciding whether to build with or without a basement.
EveundGerd16 Oct 2015 11:361. I would love to have the recipe for the baked apple jam!
2. The decision to have a basement or not is something everyone has to make for themselves. Our sauna is located in the main bathroom, the utility room is big enough for us, BUT our children are grown up and almost ready to move out.
What is your decision now, D3N7S? There have certainly been plenty of arguments to read here.
2. The decision to have a basement or not is something everyone has to make for themselves. Our sauna is located in the main bathroom, the utility room is big enough for us, BUT our children are grown up and almost ready to move out.
What is your decision now, D3N7S? There have certainly been plenty of arguments to read here.
I’ll try to summarize what I’ve read.
In my opinion, there are several factors to consider when deciding for or against a basement:
- Land prices (the higher the price per square meter, the more the additional costs for a basement become justifiable—so the more expensive the land, the more sense “vertical” building makes)
- Soil composition/ground moisture (these can cause costs to potentially skyrocket, e.g., for a waterproof concrete shell)
- Slope location—this can sometimes create additional living space from the basement; in any case, the slope must be factored into the planning (note: different regulations apply to a basement used as living space than to one used purely for storage or utility)
- Use of basement rooms 1—if there is a specific intended use for the rooms (office/sauna/fitness) and it is actually used for that purpose regularly (not just once a month for the gym room), then a basement can offer clear advantages
- Use of basement rooms 2—a workshop or similar will always generate noise and dirt. If you want something like this, you either outsource it (e.g., behind the garage) or put it in the basement—again, this usually implies regular use, not just occasional tinkering with screws
- Storage options, in my opinion, are only a secondary consideration—sure, you get lots of space, but it can also become cluttered over time (“I have the space, so I don’t need to throw things away”). However, if you do actually need the space, you can store things like tires, bicycles, ski equipment, or preserved foods (greetings to @Kisska86), etc.
That’s my list for deciding so far.
Looking at this, the reasons for our decision against a basement are as follows:
- Land price—it was ambitious but wouldn’t have been the deciding factor
- Soil composition—we would have needed a waterproof concrete shell
- Slope location—yes, but our plot was half and half, and we built on the flat part, which saved us excavation and disposal fees
- Use of basement rooms 1—office/guest room is upstairs; no sauna planned; fitness would be nice (but how often would I actually use it?)
- Use of basement rooms 2—workshop—I am, was, and will never be a big DIY mechanic (which fits my career choice as well)
- Storage options—sure, it would be nice, but the cost-benefit ratio no longer fits here. Once we have the garden shed, this problem should be solved. Mostly, I now shift such storage to the attic. Only the yearly 40 euros (about $45) per car for tire storage bothers me a bit—but at least I don’t have to lug the tires around for rotation anymore (my back thanks me).
In my opinion, there are several factors to consider when deciding for or against a basement:
- Land prices (the higher the price per square meter, the more the additional costs for a basement become justifiable—so the more expensive the land, the more sense “vertical” building makes)
- Soil composition/ground moisture (these can cause costs to potentially skyrocket, e.g., for a waterproof concrete shell)
- Slope location—this can sometimes create additional living space from the basement; in any case, the slope must be factored into the planning (note: different regulations apply to a basement used as living space than to one used purely for storage or utility)
- Use of basement rooms 1—if there is a specific intended use for the rooms (office/sauna/fitness) and it is actually used for that purpose regularly (not just once a month for the gym room), then a basement can offer clear advantages
- Use of basement rooms 2—a workshop or similar will always generate noise and dirt. If you want something like this, you either outsource it (e.g., behind the garage) or put it in the basement—again, this usually implies regular use, not just occasional tinkering with screws
- Storage options, in my opinion, are only a secondary consideration—sure, you get lots of space, but it can also become cluttered over time (“I have the space, so I don’t need to throw things away”). However, if you do actually need the space, you can store things like tires, bicycles, ski equipment, or preserved foods (greetings to @Kisska86), etc.
That’s my list for deciding so far.
Looking at this, the reasons for our decision against a basement are as follows:
- Land price—it was ambitious but wouldn’t have been the deciding factor
- Soil composition—we would have needed a waterproof concrete shell
- Slope location—yes, but our plot was half and half, and we built on the flat part, which saved us excavation and disposal fees
- Use of basement rooms 1—office/guest room is upstairs; no sauna planned; fitness would be nice (but how often would I actually use it?)
- Use of basement rooms 2—workshop—I am, was, and will never be a big DIY mechanic (which fits my career choice as well)
- Storage options—sure, it would be nice, but the cost-benefit ratio no longer fits here. Once we have the garden shed, this problem should be solved. Mostly, I now shift such storage to the attic. Only the yearly 40 euros (about $45) per car for tire storage bothers me a bit—but at least I don’t have to lug the tires around for rotation anymore (my back thanks me).
Kisska86 schrieb:
Unfortunately, we don’t like pumpkins...
But I can gladly share the recipe for baked apple jam... Here, it’s preferably eaten by the spoonful...
I’d be happy to have that recipe.
We love pumpkin – pumpkin puree or pumpkin soup.
Who would have thought that 6 pumpkin seeds from last year would actually grow into 6 plants? And that these plants would produce countless flowers and pumpkins. The neighbor only had one small, weak Hokkaido pumpkin on her plant .
But pumpkins store well, so we’ll have something tasty on hand for a while .
f-pNo schrieb:
I’m a bit bothered by the 40 euros per year per car storage fee for the tires – but on the other hand, I no longer have to carry the tires around for seasonal changes (my back thanks me)Hehe, I started storing my wheels at the workshop after moving into a house with a basement: both my husband and I found it unbearable to drag around dirty 235mm (9.3 inches) tires on alloy rims I bought a garden shed for the bicycles and the lawn mower… the garden soil is also too heavy for carrying up and down stairs…
f-pNo schrieb:
But pumpkins can be stored. Yes, even without a basementEveundGerd18 Oct 2015 01:02Pumpkins do not need to be stored; they should simply be disposed of in the organic waste bin! D
Häuslebau3r19 Oct 2015 13:38I have also been thinking for a long time about whether to build with or without a basement.
For me, there are no clear pros or cons. Of course, the points raised by f-pNo are valid and cannot be ignored. However, I am sure many people feel the same way as I do, and it ultimately depends solely on the financial aspect. I cannot currently estimate the costs, so I will base my decision on whether it exceeds my personal budget limit or not (despite the sloping terrain and the possible option of a basement living area).
If a basement is not feasible, then despite having only about 800m² (8600 sq ft) of land, the house will have 180m² (1940 sq ft) of living space instead of 160m² (1720 sq ft).
For me, there are no clear pros or cons. Of course, the points raised by f-pNo are valid and cannot be ignored. However, I am sure many people feel the same way as I do, and it ultimately depends solely on the financial aspect. I cannot currently estimate the costs, so I will base my decision on whether it exceeds my personal budget limit or not (despite the sloping terrain and the possible option of a basement living area).
If a basement is not feasible, then despite having only about 800m² (8600 sq ft) of land, the house will have 180m² (1940 sq ft) of living space instead of 160m² (1720 sq ft).
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