Why don't houses in El Paso have basements? (Hondo: new house, construction)

[1979]

Why don't houses in El Paso have basements? Is there a disadvantage if one builds a home in EP choosing to have a basement? Is it because if there is a rare flood it will cause a problem?

[mistabinks]

I have wondered the same thing. I do know that new houses in the NE and far east are tri-level with the bottom floor being below ground. Quite a few houses in the central area of town have true basements. I really don't know why basements are not more common here.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Some homes do have them, I recall going to a friends relative's house that had a basement.

The reason you see them up north is because you must build the foundation of the house below the freeze line. This meant that the builder had to dig deep to get there, or in some cases, to hit solid ground. The common theory is they figured since they were digging so deep, they might just as well make it a room too. The foundation really only needs support where the walls are, but put some trusses on it, and you can build on top of that.

It provided storage space, and was cool, so people used to store food and spirits in there. I have relatives in Europe who do this to this day. In the midwest, they were used for a safety area as well because of tornadoes. Now a days, people use them for living space.

[Gary Siete]

It's also expensive to build a basement in rocky El Paso and there may be issues with radon gas.
Land is relatively cheap in El Paso so you get bigger lots and more sprawl. It's cheaper to build a 2nd story than a basement. A basement make sense in more congested/expensive urban areas and colder climates.

The KDBC-TV basement in Central El Paso was flooded in the 2006 rains... and that's where they kept their computer room, power supply etc..... They had video of the water pouring in thru the windows before they went off-air.

[DesertDog]

Basements aren't common in the southwest because we don't really have issues with tornado's and don't need root cellars anymore. The only thing cellars are used for here are for stashing drugs.

[Muhnay]

Originally Posted by DesertDog

The only thing cellars are used for here are for stashing drugs.

That has to be the most asinine statement I have heard in a long time. I have seen a few Basements in El Paso that were turned into a Media room, or Game room for the kids.

Some houses here do have Basements. And there is even a builder here in the North East side of town who is offering them in his construction... You can see the huge sign on McCombs if your interrested.

[DesertDog]

Muhnay
You're entitled to your opinion. I only gave mine based on past experience. It wasn't an asinine statement just a poor attempt at humor based on reality. I lived here before and saw things a lot of people don't know exist. What I should have said is that's one of the things basements are used for in this part of the southwest. Moderator cut: see comment

[1979]

Originally Posted by Muhnay

That has to be the most asinine statement I have heard in a long time. I have seen a few Basements in El Paso that were turned into a Media room, or Game room for the kids.

Some houses here do have Basements. And there is even a builder here in the North East side of town who is offering them in his construction... You can see the huge sign on McCombs if your interrested.

Is McCombs the name of the construction company?

[mistabinks]

Originally Posted by 1979

Is McCombs the name of the construction company?

McCombs is one of the bigger streets in the NE. It runs from Railroad (right around Hondo Pass) and north into Chaparral.

[Muhnay]

Originally Posted by 1979

Is McCombs the name of the construction company?

No, it is a street.. Mista explained it well, so I wont repeat.. but if your out in the NE side of town.. not far from US54 is a park, a McDonalds and so on.. if your heading back into town from there on the left hand side are houses being built.. there is a rather large blue and white sign that claims to build basements on the new houses there. If I get out that way I will get you a picture.