Basement lingo (how much, buying a home, buying)

[Lucillle]

There are few basements where I live, but it looks like there are many in Wisconsin. Are they heated? When it says 'finished' does that mean sheetrock and paint, and if so what does unfinished mean? Do they get water in them when it rains?
Could a basement be a room?

[jmlowman]

Basements are one thing that I miss from my years of growing up in Michigan.
Having one under the house is an excellent way to help with heating in the winter. In the old house where I spent my pre-college years, the basement didn't extend under the living room, thus making it virtually unusable during the cold weather. Mostly I remember the Christmas tree being in the big bay window, and you could definitely feel the difference when walking in from the next room.

I don't know all of the ins and outs but, assuming that the basement and house were constructed well, there didn't seem to be a problem with water getting in, even during heavy rains or snowmelt. Maybe an occasional coat of water seal?

Many people tiled the floor, put paneling over the block walls and made their basements into recreation rooms, often complete with pool/ping-pong tables and maybe a bar. This was the case with the house that my in-laws had before they retired to warmer climates. Logical place for furnace/air conditioning/washer/dryer as well.

[geekduo]

Originally Posted by Lucillle

There are few basements where I live, but it looks like there are many in Wisconsin. Are they heated? When it says 'finished' does that mean sheetrock and paint, and if so what does unfinished mean? Do they get water in them when it rains?
Could a basement be a room?

Finished generally means at least one usable room. There must be an emergency egress window in a room if you intend to use it as a bedroom. I've had both basements that stayed dry and that leaked terribly. It depends on how high the surrounding water table is and how well it is constructed, things such as drain tile can help tremendously. Heat is dependent on the house, sometimes people will only heat the finished areas, if there are any. No matter how well constructed the house, it is always a good idea to use a dehumidifier in the basement, especially in the summer. This will help to prevent that musty odor most basements seem to develop.

Personally, I wouldn't go without a basement. Not only do I need the extra living space and storage, but it's a safe place to go in severe weather.

[43north87west]

Finished basements are usually... finished, or live-able. Unfinished basements usually have concrete or concrete block walls and a ceiling open to the floor joists from the first floor.

A basement can be a room, or many rooms. Ranch homes with full basements can increase the living space by 2x, by finishing the basement. Most finished basements don't qualify for square footage calculations, but some do.

The home I grew up in, actually had two basements--and they were connected by a short hallway. One was fully finished and more above grade, the other was below grade. The entire home had a basement under it, except for one room.

Basements should not flood, but could flood, depending on the factors at play. Most newer basements are well drained and include sump pumps to keep the foundation dry. If power is lost during a rain storm, all bets are off. Generators are handy for such occasions.

[hankejp]

One important things to check if you are buying a home with a basement is for how much Radon gas is coming into your basment from the ground. If it's a high level, you'll want to

A) - Tell the seller to have a vent in the ground for the Radon
B) - Propose a lower house price and do it yourself
C) - Live with it - NOT RECOMMENDED

Here is a link to explain what Radon Gas is and why it is there.

A Citizen's Guide to Radon | Radon | US EPA

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Lucillle

There are few basements where I live, but it looks like there are many in Wisconsin. Are they heated? When it says 'finished' does that mean sheetrock and paint, and if so what does unfinished mean? Do they get water in them when it rains?
Could a basement be a room?

Finished means they basically look like any other part of the house -- painted plaster walls, carpet or some other floor finishing, perhaps multiple rooms including an extra bedroom and/or bathroom, et cetera. Most "finished" basements still leave a substantial portion of the basement unfinished to serve as a storage area. Properly finished basements are always heated, or at least the finished portion is. An unfinished basement is just that -- a big concrete hole in the ground on top of which your house sits. Great for storage, not so great as a living space. It's common for unfinished basements to be unheated, but even so they will still typically be roughly 50 degrees in winter because of the natural insulation of being underground and then having a heated house sitting on top of them. Water can be a problem in extreme downpours, but a good sump pump will keep a basement from flooding.

[jmlowman]

Originally Posted by 43north87west

Basements should not flood, but could flood, depending on the factors at play. Most newer basements are well drained and include sump pumps to keep the foundation dry. If power is lost during a rain storm, all bets are off. Generators are handy for such occasions.

I forgot about the sump pump. My father-in-law in Michigan has one in his basement. He spoke of having to buy a generator because of power outages of up to 12 hours, and I found out that the primary purpose is to run the sump pump.

[wisconsinlifesincebirth]

wow, I guess everyone knew what a basement was. We have basements because we get lots of tornados. Most basements are now a days part of your living area; however, older homes they are not heated and they are just part of your foundation.

[Drover]

Tornadoes? Seriously, you think tornadoes are a bigger problem in the upper Midwest than in the South where basements are uncommon?

More likely we have basements because 1) they are a desirable feature; 2) we don't have a high water table; 3) we have the right kind of soil to allow basements. In much of the south it's just too impractical to have a basement.

[susancruzs]

Wisconsin has one area more tornado prone but compared with tornado alley, Kansas, Nebraska, Okla, Indiana, not so much! All along the lake shore, incidents are rare compared to other places. In fact, Wisconsin doesn't make the top 10 list for states known for tornadic activity.

Basements are great, I have one, has a nice finished room and a half finished one! I lived in a mobile home in Illinois for 30 yrs., never left it for a storm warning. I may have thought a basement would be nice in case of a storm but more of a place for my sleeper couch, extra TV and visitors!!!