Hello everyone,
I can’t stop thinking about the basement question.
I’m wondering whether, in the end, a standard basement might actually be more cost-effective than significantly increasing the living space. Let me explain using my own example.
If I were to build with a basement, I would only build my house above ground with 120 sqm (1,292 sq ft) spread over two floors, meaning the basement would be about 60 sqm (646 sq ft).
In contrast, if I don’t build a basement, I would need to increase my living area by 20-30 sqm (215-323 sq ft) here. Perhaps I would also have to enlarge the garage for a lawn mower and other equipment.
A basement is supposed to cost roughly 800 EUR per sqm and a house at least 1700 EUR per sqm. The foundation slab for a house this size alone costs about 20,000 EUR.
Am I missing something here?
☆ I am assuming normal soil conditions ☆
I can’t stop thinking about the basement question.
I’m wondering whether, in the end, a standard basement might actually be more cost-effective than significantly increasing the living space. Let me explain using my own example.
If I were to build with a basement, I would only build my house above ground with 120 sqm (1,292 sq ft) spread over two floors, meaning the basement would be about 60 sqm (646 sq ft).
In contrast, if I don’t build a basement, I would need to increase my living area by 20-30 sqm (215-323 sq ft) here. Perhaps I would also have to enlarge the garage for a lawn mower and other equipment.
A basement is supposed to cost roughly 800 EUR per sqm and a house at least 1700 EUR per sqm. The foundation slab for a house this size alone costs about 20,000 EUR.
Am I missing something here?
☆ I am assuming normal soil conditions ☆
A basement is a great solution when you have limited space; I would always recommend it in that case. If you have enough space, you can easily do without it.
As I said: placing a good garden shed helps a lot; expanding the garage and planning a larger utility room are good options. This way, everything remains accessible.
If you calculate the same area as additional living space for a house, it will definitely be more expensive. But as mentioned, if you have the space, there are more affordable alternatives.
As I said: placing a good garden shed helps a lot; expanding the garage and planning a larger utility room are good options. This way, everything remains accessible.
If you calculate the same area as additional living space for a house, it will definitely be more expensive. But as mentioned, if you have the space, there are more affordable alternatives.
Hi,
basically your calculation isn’t wrong. Building the house larger above ground ends up being more expensive per square meter than the basement. Even if you manage to increase from 120 to 140 square meters (1300 to 1500 square feet) at less than 1700 Euros per square meter, you don’t need an extra staircase, another heating system, or a more expensive bathroom.
But with the basement, you’re not adding 20 square meters (215 square feet), but 60 square meters (645 square feet). That quickly makes it more expensive than adding 20 square meters (215 square feet) above ground.
However, the problem is usually different. On typical lot sizes, the building land is too expensive and valuable to turn into just a utility room. In my opinion, a basement makes absolute sense there.
If I were building in a remote area where land costs 16 Euros per square meter (about 1.50 USD per square foot) – I’ve actually seen that – I’d probably just build an extension onto the house. Although that wouldn’t be very cheap either, considering roofing, insulation, and so on.
Best regards,
Andreas
basically your calculation isn’t wrong. Building the house larger above ground ends up being more expensive per square meter than the basement. Even if you manage to increase from 120 to 140 square meters (1300 to 1500 square feet) at less than 1700 Euros per square meter, you don’t need an extra staircase, another heating system, or a more expensive bathroom.
But with the basement, you’re not adding 20 square meters (215 square feet), but 60 square meters (645 square feet). That quickly makes it more expensive than adding 20 square meters (215 square feet) above ground.
However, the problem is usually different. On typical lot sizes, the building land is too expensive and valuable to turn into just a utility room. In my opinion, a basement makes absolute sense there.
If I were building in a remote area where land costs 16 Euros per square meter (about 1.50 USD per square foot) – I’ve actually seen that – I’d probably just build an extension onto the house. Although that wouldn’t be very cheap either, considering roofing, insulation, and so on.
Best regards,
Andreas
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