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Basements can be built. The builders just don't. Toll Brothers will build a regular basement that is not a walkout daylight or on a sloped lot here.
Atlanta has pretty much the same climate, red clay etc. and they all have basements. They will build a house with a regular basement, walkout basement on a sloped lot or will build a walkout on a level lot just dig down on one side and put up a retaining wall where you will have an alley way.
Here are a few other points to consider about why basements are much more common up north:
Land is a larger percentage of the total house purchase up north, because the house has to be extra nice for the limited property size. Adding a basement is cheaper than an additional floor and will improve the selling ability. I have lived in DC where the cost of land was a much MUCH higher percentage of the purchase than down here, and the vast majority of old and new houses had basements there.
Also, where land is more expensive, more houses are built on land that isn't 'ideal' (IE: flat). If you are putting a house on a slope, it's cheaper to add a basement.
Finally, another reason basements are more common up north is that when you have a frost line, the foundation must go below. So while here in the south, slab-on-grade is very cheap and very common, that won't work up north. You need a ring-wall or such, and if you are going to do that much foundation work, it only takes a few thousand dollars (on the order of 10-15 grand or so) to heighten the foundation to a basement wall system and excavate it out and floor it in.
Another factor in the whole basement question is that the typical sewer sytem here, is only buried a couple of feet deep. In my old NJ house, the sewer pipe ran under the basement floor at about a nine foot depth. If you tried that in a typical subdivision here, you'd be "flushing up" if you had a basement bathroom! It saves a lot of money not having to dig down so deep! I'd imagine that the sewer infrastructure is 10 times more expensive to do in the cold northern areas than it is here! But I still miss not having a basememt!
Even up North where you can have 1 acre of land, the houses are still built with basements. It can be done down here, the builder just choose not to. If there are tornadoes here, it would prevent injuries and maybe deaths. This is not a "north" and "south" thing...just kind of a common sense thing.
This is not a "north" and "south" thing...just kind of a common sense thing.
It's a preference kind of thing! I don't know anyone who bemoans not having a basement except y'all. The natives are happy with it the way they've got it. If you want a basement by all means go get one, but don't tell the rest of us we don't have common sense if we don't want one. I'd much rather not have to deal with the headache of a leaky basement and bugs crawling everywhere. I've lived in several houses here in NC with basements and have been to several basements in friends houses and I find them cold and dark and dank — my current one included. I'd much rather build up and have a light-filled, warm upper story. It's a personal preference to me and for the record I've never had to run to a basement because of a tornado or hurricane and I've lived through several hurricanes and countless tornado watches/warnings.
Posting from my basement.
Yes, they are out there. The trick seems to be finding a lot that supports a walkout basement without being overly steep.
Most people in this area seem conditioned to finishing the attic as opposed to building basement homes, but we see it differently. An attic is very difficult to cool properly (a bigger challenge around here than heating it) and from a noise perspective it's tough to isolate an attic. Also-if you use your attic as a recreation area (pool table, big screen, man cave type situation or kids play area) you end up having everybody climbing two flights of stairs to get there and passing areas of the home you may wish to keep more private (like bedrooms).
A walkout basement is light years better than any finished room/attic. You would have to be a moron to think otherwise. And anyone saying basements have lots of bugs or water issues must have a *****y house, as I have a walkout basement, 9 foot ceilings throughout it, with drywalled ceilings, etc. and have never seen 1 bug in the basement in the 3 years I have been here, or 1 drop of water.
A walkout basement is light years better than any finished room/attic. You would have to be a moron to think otherwise.
Oh, Hi! I must be a moron, then! Thanks for the compliment!
Look, I just said it's a matter of personal preference. I've lived in NC for 44 years. I've lived in 3 different homes with basements in NC. I've been in too many homes with basements to count.
I, personally, don't like them. I know too many people who have to keep dehumidifiers running constantly to dry it out down there. I know people who have spent over $10,000 to dry out a daylight walk-out basement. I find them cold and dark and often dank. I have seen bugs in many, many of them. Camel crickets, anyone?
We currently live in a 3500 sq ft house with half of that as a finished walk-out "daylight" basement. I, personally, would much prefer to have the 1750 sq ft that's below grade be above grade as a second story, but the house was a good deal so we went with it for other factors.
Given a choice, though, between two houses side-by-side with equal square footage one with a basement and one with a second or third story I would choose the above ground sq footage every time all other factors being equal.
That's my personal preference based on my personal life experience. Everyone else has different life experiences so may make different choices. It doesn't mean I'm a moron. I'm probably older than most of y'all and have been in more basements in houses in NC than most of y'all. Please, take my basement! You're welcome to it. You can certainly find them in NC if you look or you can build your own home and specify it. I don't like 'em, but y'all are welcome to 'em!
It seems that the appellation "moron" sometimes gets tossed around a little casually.
Finished basement space is as expensive or more expensive than above ground finished space.
Yet, it appraises for much less.
Given my druthers, I would have it all on one level, without basement or 2nd level.
But, it is an individual choice. You pays your money and you makes your choices, "moronic" or otherwise.
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