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Could someone please tell me why there are not a lot of traditional basements in the Charlotte area? Bummer! I never thought I would miss a basement--but do I ever!!! I grew up with a basement in Illinois and hated it-cold, dreary, etc.. Had finished basement in PA-which was nice for storage and was a great play area for kids-esp in winter. Have been in Florida for 10 years (no basements here) and probably moving to Charlotte area early next year. I was looking forward to having a basement again. No basements in Florida meant getting rid of a lot of stuff, putting it in storage, or putting it in the garage-which gets very hot and exposed to bugs. Down here, a useable attic is totally out of the question. Why no basements?
Traditionally homes in the South do not need deep foundations as the frost line is much higher and there is very little chance of frost heaving.
Basements, for the most part, are walkout or 3 sided basements, built in sloped lots.
The very few (3?) people I knew that had basements through the years (in the area) continually had moisture problems.
Downsized from larger home in Pa with large attic, basement, garage, and large outdoor shed for storage. Upon moving we discovered that we had untold amount of unused "stuff" including clothing. Unfortunately I was the one who accumulated most of the "stuff." However she did have her fair share. The kids did not want any of it. They took the good STUFF years before. Wife made me get rid of most of it with multiple multiple trips to Goodwill. Many a sad day. We are now in our smaller home with no basement but some attic and garage storage. If you have alot of storage you tend to use it all.
I really don't miss any of it.
You really can get along without a lot of STUFF.
I really don't miss any of it.
You really can get along without a lot of STUFF.
+1 We had a purge a few years ago and it felt wonderful to empty the garage and attic of 95% of the ridiculous baggage many of us hold onto.
My new mantra is Simplify.
Downsized from larger home in Pa with large attic, basement, garage, and large outdoor shed for storage. Upon moving we discovered that we had untold amount of unused "stuff" including clothing. Unfortunately I was the one who accumulated most of the "stuff." However she did have her fair share. The kids did not want any of it. They took the good STUFF years before. Wife made me get rid of most of it with multiple multiple trips to Goodwill. Many a sad day. We are now in our smaller home with no basement but some attic and garage storage. If you have alot of storage you tend to use it all.
I really don't miss any of it.
You really can get along without a lot of STUFF.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mullman
+1 We had a purge a few years ago and it felt wonderful to empty the garage and attic of 95% of the ridiculous baggage many of us hold onto.
My new mantra is Simplify.
11 years ago I was in an 800 sq ft apartment, and was feeling very closed in. I had a contract on a house a week later. While packing it seemed like there was an endless supply of stuff, and when I was done I had a huge pile of boxes and little idea where I'd kept all that stuff, and that was after donating/tossing a bunch of stuff.
Fast forward a few years. I'd promised myself I wouldn't become that person with a 2 car garage full of stuff and three vehicles in the driveway. I had gotten to the point where I only had a path around my car in the garage, the motorcycle was a half day's dig, and the truck hadn't been inside in years. I satisfied myself with a quick sweep of the garage.
A couple more years go by, and I'm considering buying a storage building to put in my back yard. Realized I'd be spending $1500+ to house stuff I hadn't seen in years. Decided that was dumb, so continued to stuff things in spare bedrooms and the garage.
A year ago I was fed up. My garage was useless and I'd struggled to find things I knew I owned but were buried. I'm not talking hoarder level of stuff, but I'd run out of horizontal surfaces.
Since then, I've collected several $1000s in cash and write offs, the people at the Goodwill up the street know me by name, and my neighbors think I've started a business based on the number of people who come by to pick things up.
I don't miss anything I've sold or donated. My garage has become a work space as I'd intended when I bought the house. I've actually found things I've been looking for. The spare bedrooms are on their way to be useful space rather than big expensive closets. My closet no longer houses the size medium clothes that I will never wear again.
For anyone considering doing this in their own homes, do it. DO IT. You don't need all that stuff.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mullman
Traditionally homes in the South do not need deep foundations as the frost line is much higher and there is very little chance of frost heaving.
Basements, for the most part, are walkout or 3 sided basements, built in sloped lots.
The very few (3?) people I knew that had basements through the years (in the area) continually had moisture problems.
Isn't a finished basement the same as having a finished second floor? I know that a room below grade has acoustic advantages (A/V guyf or 25 years) but I still don't see why a basement is such a big deal. If it's finished, it's square footage that was paid for, just like an additional floor would be,. If it's not finished with a dirt floor, it's a little better than having a 7 foot tall crawl space. Or am I missing something? I've never had one, but I've done a lot of work in walkout style basements.
Charlotte, like Florida, is often the victim of torrential rains and high humidity. Both are not good attributes to having a basement as mold is likely due to dampess, etc. However, some homes do have basements but not normally.
Our basement in Pa was damp during the summer. Dehumidifier would almost ran constantly to keep STUFF from smelling moldy. Our electric bill was high(no AC) in the summer, called power company and the first question they asked, "Do you run a dehumidifier?"
Thanks for the replies. Ahhhhh....I've been purging for years. It's a constant and never ending job for me. Having 4 kids and doing business out of my home has worn me out. I am so tired of looking at everything, everywhere. Youngest child is finally a senior in high school- so the days of not having all that clutter around is soon approaching.
No most of the homes in Charlotte area do not have basements, but they can be had. It depends on the type of house and topography. Since the winters are short and mild, there is no code requirement to have them in construction. Because of this, builders most often will not build them if they aren't needed. Since it's the Piedmont area, it's not unusual that there are sloped areas that will require a basement foundation for structural integrity. Some builders will also offer them in their new communities because they are sought out by certain clients. When they are available, they most always are the walk-out type and not the walk-up type that you see commonly in the northeast. If your in an upscale all custom neighborhood, basements are much more common. This is because the homeowners are going to desire more square footage, a conditioned space for their mechanicals, and the ability to easily store more items. I've also seen finished attics which act as a third floor.
I know there's basement homes in Highland Creek, Winding walk, Skybrook, cannon crossing, and chrstenbury developments.
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