Buying a house without a Basement-thoughts?.

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Household Management

1 2 Next

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother

Orange

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 3:17 pm

Looking into a house without a basement. Has two floors. Not huge. What are your thoughts? Do u live in a house without a basement? Do u feel like a basement is a must? Thanks!

amother

Bronze

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 3:21 pm

I live in a house without a basement. When I bought my house 10+ years ago, having a basement wasn't on my lists of "musts". The lot is large and I can always expand outward, plus I have a garage and attic space for storage.

Do I miss having a basement? Sometimes I wish I had a 3rd floor to shoo my kids down to. Plus some extra space for guests. But hopefully at some point in the near future we will be able to expand according to our needs.

amother

Emerald

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 3:53 pm

If it has two floors it can have the same space as a ranch, without a basement to get flooded.

tulips12

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 4:01 pm

Another plus is that no pumps for the basement bathrooms are necessary

Chayalle

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 4:06 pm

My house has an unfinished basement. I doubt I will ever finish it - too expensive, and I have enough space w/o it. It's basically a dumping area for storage....and I have a big enough garage without it.

I guess the answer is, OP, depends if the house is big enough for you without it, or has options for expansions without it, should you need more space.

heidi

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 4:13 pm

I grew up in an area where no one has basements. Most people have a playroom/den on the first floor. We all survived. Happily.

amother

Lavender

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 4:53 pm

My dh is a plumber, and he thinks having a house without a basement can become a nightmare. Any problem with pipes that are buried under your house can be a huge hassle and extremely expensive.

oneofakind

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 5:40 pm

I miss having a basement. It would have been great for a home office or for my girls to make a day camp.

chummus

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 7:05 pm

Don't buy it!!

amother

Orange

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 7:11 pm

chummus wrote:

Don't buy it!!

Op here
What makes you say this? Would u mind elaborating?

chummus

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 7:16 pm

amother wrote:

Op here
What makes you say this? Would u mind elaborating?

You may want a basement for extra storage or for extra guest rooms or bedrooms or a playroom for all your kids toys. The possibilities are endless!!

amother

Aquamarine

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 7:16 pm

Hardly anyone has basements here in England, and we all manage to survive pretty well without it.

mommy3b2c

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 7:19 pm

Well it depends how big the house is. My sister just bought a house without a basement but the two floors she has is bigger then my two floors plus a basement. You have to buy a house that is large enough for you. The basement has nothing to do with it.

amother

Cerise

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 7:22 pm

AIUI the foundation must be underground in certain climates, which creates the basement. It also gives easy access to utilities. In some areas you find all but the cheapest, smallest homes have basements, while in other areas "slab" houses are more common. Best to find out what the current standards are for construction in your area.

amother

Linen

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 7:27 pm

If you are having reservations then you can assume that future buyers will too and it will impact resale value.
How was it built? What's the foundation like? Will the first floor flood instead of the basement? Will the sewer back up to the first floor (this kept happening in a first floor my sister rented and she had to move out while my friend's first floor that she rented has a sewer smell that they can't rectify and the smell goes up into 2nd floor hallway).
Why is there no basement? Is the home in a mulitiplicity where most of the homes are built without basement? Does it compare to other houses in the neighborhood? Do the other homes also not have basements, do all others have basements, do only some have basements? Is the price reflective of it having no basement, while others do?
When was it was built? What type of home is it?

amother

Blush

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 8:10 pm

It depends how this home compares to others in your area. Where I live all homes come with a basement. There is one home without a basement that is having a hard time selling.

Kiwi13

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 8:14 pm

Depends on location. For example, midwest - get a house with a basement, don’t take chances on tornadoes. Aside from that, personal preference. There are pros and cons, as others have pointed out.

challahchallah

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 10:56 pm

amother wrote:

My dh is a plumber, and he thinks having a house without a basement can become a nightmare. Any problem with pipes that are buried under your house can be a huge hassle and extremely expensive.

This is true for some houses without basements, like those with slab foundations. However, many houses without basements have sizable crawl-spaces that make plumbing and electrical easily accessible. It is definitely worth it to check the specifics for any house you're looking at.

amother

Honeydew

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 10:57 pm

amother wrote:

Looking into a house without a basement. Has two floors. Not huge. What are your thoughts? Do u live in a house without a basement? Do u feel like a basement is a must? Thanks!

I do. I need extra storage space, have my washer dryer there, an extra fridge/freezer, closets, shelves, guest room, etc.

amother

Pink

Tue, Aug 28 2018, 11:02 pm

Most of the houses in the Raintree neighborhood of Lakewood have no basements. Used to be non-Jewish owned, and now Jewish people, are living there for years.

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next