Anyone living in N Texas familiar w/ Basement? Have One? Know of Anyone Having one? Why not have one?

[Loveshiscountry]

Originally Posted by ohiosgreat

If you don't mind me asking... or if anyone else has any experience / insight......

what area/location did you do your basement in?

what is the approx sq ft / measurements / how many courses high ?

what was the approx cost of basement?

was it that big of a deal to find a contractor with experience doing a basement?

North Dallas
a 20 x 25 add on to the house I can't remember the exact price but it was under 10k unfinished.
dont know what courses high means
Not everyone does it but when you call around the contractors who don't, can lead you to the ones who do.

[MckinneyOwnr]

I grew up in Kansas and Iowa, we had basements up there. They were not included in the sq footage of the house because they were unfinished. From what I've heard before, a basement (unfinished) is not included in the sq footage because it is not a heated/cooled area. Same thing goes for garages, for example.

My parents are looking to move, we saw a few houses that have basements in the McKinney area, all with walkouts. Average age of the homes was probably about 2002-2003. They were finished, and what would have been about a 4500 sq/ft house becomes about a 6000sq/ft house with a finished basement.

[ohiosgreat]

Originally Posted by Loveshiscountry

North Dallas
a 20 x 25 add on to the house I can't remember the exact price but it was under 10k unfinished.
dont know what courses high means
Not everyone does it but when you call around the contractors who don't, can lead you to the ones who do.

what I mean by how many courses is basically what is the height of your basement.....
thanks......

[Loveshiscountry]

Originally Posted by ohiosgreat

what I mean by how many courses is basically what is the height of your basement.....
thanks......

I went a foot higher than normal, a 9 foot ceiling

[ggolf]

Originally Posted by MckinneyOwnr

I grew up in Kansas and Iowa, we had basements up there. They were not included in the sq footage of the house because they were unfinished. From what I've heard before, a basement (unfinished) is not included in the sq footage because it is not a heated/cooled area. Same thing goes for garages, for example.

My parents are looking to move, we saw a few houses that have basements in the McKinney area, all with walkouts. Average age of the homes was probably about 2002-2003. They were finished, and what would have been about a 4500 sq/ft house becomes about a 6000sq/ft house with a finished basement.

That sounds like Mallard Lakes on Virginia Pkwy. I seem to recall hearing about a lot of failed basements there. Very nice houses... Toll Brothers I think.

[sedimenjerry]

I've wondered the same thing. I'm from Atlanta and basements (in newer homes at least) are common. When my parents went shopping for a new house they made sure it had a basement. Dallas doesn't seem to be that much warmer than Atlanta in winter so is the soil type the reason for the difference between Dallas and Atlanta as far as basements are concerned?

[dasmadchen]

Originally Posted by ggolf

That sounds like Mallard Lakes on Virginia Pkwy. I seem to recall hearing about a lot of failed basements there. Very nice houses... Toll Brothers I think.

Could you elaborate about the failed basements? I have looked in this neighborhood and liked the housing I saw there.

[castlebravo]

Originally Posted by DitsyD

I'm really curious as to why people think that basements would be safe in a tornado. Many times in a tornado the house collapses. If you are in a basement, then you are buried in a hole under all of the debris, making it harder to be rescued.

Well, it's probably better to be in a basement with the house collapsed on top of the basement than to be in the house with the house collapsed on top of you directly.