Do You Agree? (Mississippi Basements) (Jackson, Madison: mobile home, construction, living)

[Arthur Howard]

poptones: I appreciate your feedback to my questions. I have the feeling that the consensus is that there would not be any demand for homes with day light basements in Jackson. The question concerning the technical aspects is a seperate issue.

[poptones]

There might be some demand, but it sure wouldnt be as easy as building a house with a basement on the side of a dead volcano

[JGfromMS]

Aurthor Howard, to answer your question about a niche in this area for basements. I would say yes albiet a very small one. Too many of us have had major foundation problems with costly results to even try to go the basement route. I have often longed for the storage space and other optional space that a basement offers but I've been burned on the foundation repairs 3 times already. I think I've learned my lesson.

[An Einnseanair]

I realize this is a resurrected old thread, but still pertinent. The reasons already listed (mainly, high water table and frost depth) are still valid.

Mainly it's just the cost. I grew up in a standard ranch (single story, gable roof, no basement) in central Mississippi. Structurally awesome lean clayey-sand hills, and we were on the top of one near one side. Any subsurface water problems could be solved with a simple drain or two to daylight (no sumps), or even daylighting the basement (walkout). Slab on grade without a single crack after 35 years. Perfect soil and location for a basement. However, they had maybe a 2', but knowing my dad probably a 1' frost footing around the perimeter. Digging a basement and pouring foundation walls would have been pure extra cost, so they didn't do it.

Second anecdote, I worked for a structural engineering firm in Madison, MS, a long time ago. The firm's owner was asked by a homeowner about designing a basement. The main problem was the local Yazoo Clay, which is VERY expansive when exposed to water (and shrinks a lot when dry). The guy who said earlier that this isn't near the surface is dead wrong. Just wander around almost any unwatered yard in the Jackson area in August. The yards with 2-4" wide cracks are the yards with fat clay on the surface. This type of clay exerts a MASSIVE amount of force when it expands, and designing a basement wall to resist it is almost impossible (my boss tried, and stopped when the walls reached 3' thick). The only solution is to excavate a huge hole around the outside of the walls and re-fill with non-expansive material (lean clay, or crushed rock), which is hard to find and very expensive around there. The client declined to build his basement.

So you CAN build a basement in Mississippi, but it's expensive, you have to have just the right location and conditions, you probably want to hire structural and geotechnical (soil) engineers to tell you what to do, and the local contractors have no clue how to properly build a basement.

[FreePress601]

Originally Posted by Claude Wilson

Hi,

My builder says that you can't put "basements" in
houses in the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area
(Hinds County).

He says the land is too "muddy" and doesn't hold
basements very well.

Land looks DRY, rich and gorgeous to me!

(I'm not builiding in a Flood Zone)

I wanted a lavish basement entertaining area but
he says would be a waste of money, because "NO ONE
HAS BASEMENTS IN MISSISSIPPI."

Why is he saying all this?

What's your opinion?

I just know somebody has a nice basement in the
Hinds Co. area in a nice home.

This is not true and you were lied to badly. Most of the homes in the Belaven/Millsaps/Downtown area have huge basements. I know this because I work with a freelance contractor who lays tile in his spare time and we've tiled a few homes in that area, including their basements. and they are in the heart of the flood zone of Jackson, inmo.

The key to make sure you have poured concrete walls all the way around. if not you could run the risk of a foundation shift causing water leaks because of all the clay. but yes, it can be done and there are plenty of homes in Jackson with basements. especially in the hilly Millsaps area because of the ability to just dig right into the side of a hill.

But if you want one in a home on flat land, you will have to dig straight down. and as stated earlier, if you pour 4 walls of concrete you should be good.

Check with the city to make sure you are not on top a gas line, cable lines or water mains first. get your clearances and start digging.

I'm actually surpised that the newer homes in Madison, Brandon, Flowood, Clinton and Dinsmor(Jackson) are not being built with basements. because they can be. it's just a matter of wanting one. and most people in Mississippi never thought of having them or never wanted them, but they are cool to have.

and the cost is relative to how big and where you're tyring to put it in relation to the house.

If you're biuilding the basement first, it's cheaper, than digging into the side of a sloping hill next to the house (ie- Fondren has homes like this)

[JacksonPanther]

Given a choice I'm not sure why anyone would want a basement. Basements exist because of limited space - where space is tight the only option is to build "down" or "up". There also used to be a need to separate dirty functional systems away from living spaces - coal or oil burning furnaces and water heaters, noisy and leaky washer/dryers. In the south where land is cheap (relative to a northeastern city) it's easier and simpler to just add square feet to your house if you need more space.

If you need a place to store your gardening tools, a better solution than a basement might be an outdoor shed. If you want a workshop, I would build a larger garage and dedicate space in the garage as the workshop. There is no longer any need to put the washer/dryer in the basement - they should be close to the bedrooms which is where the dirty clothes are located.

If you want a "finished" basement, just add rooms on the main floor, because land and space are cheap in the south.

Heating and A/C systems are partly outside, partly in the attic, so again no need for a basement. Water heaters can be squeezed into closets or with instant hot water systems, they are really tiny nowadays.

So other than nostalgia if you grew up in a home with one, why would anyone want a basement? Enjoy dealing with sump pumps, and leaks, and hauling stuff up and down the stairs? Or dragging your dirty clothes from the second floor down to the basement laundry room?

[FreePress601]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

Given a choice I'm not sure why anyone would want a basement. Basements exist because of limited space - where space is tight the only option is to build "down" or "up". There also used to be a need to separate dirty functional systems away from living spaces - coal or oil burning furnaces and water heaters, noisy and leaky washer/dryers. In the south where land is cheap (relative to a northeastern city) it's easier and simpler to just add square feet to your house if you need more space.

Maybe in the 1920's, but these days basements are a luxury to have. they provide more living space and great for exchange students to rent out if you have a door on it.

I've always wanted a basement on my property eversince I visited a friend in New York whose basement is almost 1,000 sq. feet. Used for entertaining purposes. and it has a door on it so people come in through there and not track dirt through the nice parts of the house.

If you need a place to store your gardening tools, a better solution than a basement might be an outdoor shed. If you want a workshop, I would build a larger garage and dedicate space in the garage as the workshop. There is no longer any need to put the washer/dryer in the basement - they should be close to the bedrooms which is where the dirty clothes are located.

Again, maybe in the 1920's that would be the move since people would've owned their own lawmowers. Today people pay to have their yards cut. save that money on storing a brand new mower. buy a pool table for the basement. Today's basements are plush man-caves or homebased businesses being run out of. Gone are the days of using the basement as a storage room and water heaters.

If you want a "finished" basement, just add rooms on the main floor, because land and space are cheap in the south.

All the more reason to build a basement.

So other than nostalgia if you grew up in a home with one, why would anyone want a basement? Enjoy dealing with sump pumps, and leaks, and hauling stuff up and down the stairs? Or dragging your dirty clothes from the second floor down to the basement laundry room?

If you've never experienced one, you wouldn't understand.

Lots of reasons to build/own a basement. Entertainment and extra square footage to work with and decorate being the main two. double as a Tornado shelter in the south. Renter options, property value goes up, the list goes on.

None of what you listed inyour comments is a major issues. those are already known possibilities but they are no deterrent to building one.

As for the laundry, build a laundry chute on the first floor down to the basement. problem solve.

Basements are the coolest thing to have in a house second only to an inground pool, another missing element to homes in Jackson. Not a lot of pools with homes either.

[KaoCT]

Originally Posted by JacksonPanther

So other than nostalgia if you grew up in a home with one, why would anyone want a basement?

I've grown up in houses with basements but the main reason I would want a basement in Mississippi is because of tornadoes.

[FreePress601]

Originally Posted by KaoCT

I've grown up in houses with basements but the main reason I would want a basement in Mississippi is because of tornadoes.

Bingo. they would make an excellent shelter while the rest of your house is being ripped off the foundation by a tornado.

[KaoCT]

Originally Posted by FreePress601

Bingo. they would make an excellent shelter while the rest of your house is being ripped off the foundation by a tornado.

Hopefully houses in the Hattiesburg area have basements.