Looking for basement home in Hville/Crossroads area (Madison, Athens: rent, insurance)

[KYbourbon11]

Does anyone know of any builders that offer basement plans? We will be moving to the area in the fall and expect to have to build due to low inventory. Would prefer a basement option if possible and looking to be in the SE area is possible. Thanks.

[dijkstra]

You won't find very many basement homes around here. There are a few custom builders that will build them but not many because they don't want the headaches. Most of the builders I know will not even discuss building a basement home. I know there have been improvements in building technology for sealing basements but all it takes in the foundation settling a little and the block wall getting a crack in it and there is the opportunity for a leak. Our water table is very high so if you build a basement you are basically building what equates to trying to build a big room in the middle of a swimming pool and then trying to keep the water out. There will actually be positive water pressure on the outside of the walls and I have heard of the water finding a way in and actually shooting a small stream out of the wall about 3 ft like a leaking water pipe. They leak....they all leak at some point so don't put anything important to you in the basement once you move in.

[mojo101]

why not build a shed? or use your garage
or rent a storage somewhere

[writerwife]

I can tell you that one of the reasons I live where I do right now is because my last home of many yrs had a basement. 8 months after my husbands passing the entire back wall of the basement split.. and not a little. I had to move and insurance will not cover foundation. I got a mere pittance for the house.

[dijkstra]

I missed it before I posted the first time and just noticed that the OP mentioned the Crossroads area. Owens Cross Roads would be the absolute worst place to build a basement home. That area is barely above being swamp land. The water table is very high there and that is why you see standing water in that area all the time. There are ditches there that never go dry. I definitely would not even consider building a basement in that area.

[StreetSense]

You're much better off finding basements in the areas with hills - off Governor's, Monte Sano, Bankhead Pkwy

[KYbourbon11]

Thanks for the input. I wasn’t aware the water was such an issue in the Crossroads area. My dreams of a basement have been crushed. Lol. Can anyone offer any input on that area vs Madison in regards to schools?

[harry chickpea]

Originally Posted by StreetSense

You're much better off finding basements in the areas with hills - off Governor's, Monte Sano, Bankhead Pkwy

Uhhh, no. Those areas used to have coal mines, and subsidence and slip can be a problem. Even in downtown there is a cave under the courthouse that caused problems. If you want the thermal properties and tornado safety of a basement, look at how the Athens Emergency Management Center built and then earth bermed against the walls.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by dijkstra

You won't find very many basement homes around here. There are a few custom builders that will build them but not many because they don't want the headaches. Most of the builders I know will not even discuss building a basement home. I know there have been improvements in building technology for sealing basements but all it takes in the foundation settling a little and the block wall getting a crack in it and there is the opportunity for a leak. Our water table is very high so if you build a basement you are basically building what equates to trying to build a big room in the middle of a swimming pool and then trying to keep the water out. There will actually be positive water pressure on the outside of the walls and I have heard of the water finding a way in and actually shooting a small stream out of the wall about 3 ft like a leaking water pipe. They leak....they all leak at some point so don't put anything important to you in the basement once you move in.

Friend of mine built a house with a basement, but he used poured reinforced concrete walls - no concrete blocks. It worked out fine. Just about anything you want can be done if you're willing to pay for it. A house down the street from me has a basement, but they encountered solid limestone about 2 or 3 feet under the soil. They beat on the rock for about a month but got it done. Basements aren't as rare as most think around here. My son has had two houses in the NW Atlanta suburbs and both of them had full basements. They may be a little more common there than here however.

[F382]

Originally Posted by KYbourbon11

Thanks for the input. I wasn’t aware the water was such an issue in the Crossroads area. My dreams of a basement have been crushed. Lol. Can anyone offer any input on that area vs Madison in regards to schools?

Madison City Schools are worth it.