Upgrading a dirt-basement house

[Patt]

I have a home that was built originally in 1929, and has been upgraded significantly 3 times since. It is a 1200 sq. foot bungalow. I have a basement, though currently access to it is only from the outside of the house through a separate entrance. The floors are dirt, and there is some bedrock down there in places.

I am looking at options ... if I want to stay in this house long term there needs to be some changes. I'll need another bathroom (currently only have 1), I'll need another bedroom or two, and I'd like a bigger home office (basically in a hallway now).

I don't think there would be much digging out needed, as there is quite a bit of clearance, but there would definitely need to be some upgrading done. There is an old cistern that would have to be knocked down, and many supports replaced.

To preempt those that might suggest it ... I don't want to move ... killer location, best yard in the entire town, and the largest too

If anyone has done this, or known someone who has can they share their experience? I'd love to have a house nearly double the size if it wasn't too expensive to complete. As it is I have a relatively tiny mortgage because I'm in a small town, so upgrading isn't totally out of the price range.

 

[FoBoT]

sounds like a major project, how could it not cost large $ ?

good luck, you're going to have to get a contractor to scope it out and hire engineer/architect and whatever to make a plan to do such big changes

 

[Al Neri]

Good luck, eh!

EDIT: Maybe provide pics so we have a better understanding.

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
sounds like a major project, how could it not cost large $ ?

good luck, you're going to have to get a contractor to scope it out and hire engineer/architect and whatever to make a plan to do such big changes

I'm not worried about it costing large $$$ particularly. It is either move entirely to something a whole lot more expensive, or upgrade, and I'd like to stay put if I can at this stage.

I'm looking into getting estimates done before I can fully decide if it is feasible.

 

[tasmanian]

Why not tear down the old house and build a new one?

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: tasmanian
Why not tear down the old house and build a new one?

Unique layout, and sentimental reasons. That is an option though, we just haven't looked into it too much yet. Might be worth it if we could actually find a builder available ... it is so busy right now.

 

[dartworth]

It might not be as bad a you think. For instance, if you want to add a bathroom to the basement, now you won't have to saw cut the floor for your waste lines. All your plumbing can be installed and you can pour a nice, clean level floor. You may want to consider lowering the floor to allow for more headroom if needed.

As far as the supports, you should consult with an engineer and local building inspector so everything is done correct and to code. Be sure to do your research and design the space for your needs so you will be happy and not regretting something in the future. I am currently designing/laying out my basement space for a laundry room, bathroom and office space. This includes moving all my mechanical systems to one area.

Do you plan on doing the work your self or hiring a contractor?

 

[iroast]

If it's in a killer location, you might want to get your home appraised. See if it's worth tearing down or not. If you do decide to tear it down, build a really nice house. Between the new house + location + size of land, you're looking at an excellent investment.

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: dartworth
It might not be as bad a you think. For instance, if you want to add a bathroom to the basement, now you won't have to saw cut the floor for your waste lines. All your plumbing can be installed and you can pour a nice, clean level floor. You may want to consider lowering the floor to allow for more headroom if needed.

As far as the supports, you should consult with an engineer and local building inspector so everything is done correct and to code. Be sure to do your research and design the space for your needs so you will be happy and not regretting something in the future. I am currently designing/laying out my basement space for a laundry room, bathroom and office space. This includes moving all my mechanical systems to one area.

Do you plan on doing the work your self or hiring a contractor?

Seeing that I'm basically mechanically retarded, I'd like a contractor to do much of the work. I'm all for doing grunt labor ... i.e. demolitions, preparations, painting etc., but not the actual construction work. Basically, I'd do as much as I'm capable of to help defray the costs a bit.

In my dream basement, I'd have a den/TV room (with projector and screen), a laundry room, a utility room (furnace, HW heater etc), and a couple of smallish bedrooms/offices. With the amount of space I have, I don't think this is out of the question. As mentioned, I'd love to stay in this house long-term, and having that much more room would not only make the house more valuable, it would make me a lot happier

 

[Scarpozzi]

My dad did this in the house I grew up in. I will soon be doing it in my house.

Here are the steps. You basically need to dig out the floor while being careful not to disrupt the walls of the house or anywhere you think a lot of weight is. If you think about the weight of the house pushing at the dirt, you'll want to make sure you don't get within a few feet of each side of the house unless you brace it somehow.

Just dig it down so you have plenty of head clearance and factor in about 5-6 inches of concrete on the floor. You definitely want more than 4. Make sure you lay any drain pipes and put in a sump-pump for water. Keep in mind...when the concrete sets up, you won't be able to get to the pipes anymore. If you have a sewage line or water line, don't concrete around these....be careful with electrical lines as well. Keep everything away from the floor. I also reccomend getting a thick sheet of plastic and putting it under the concrete as a moisture barrier and laying additional plastic and cinderblock where you can't put a concrete floor. Half of my basement is divided off because of a earth wall. I will be putting in cinderblock and backfilling this with gravel after laying plastic.

 

[dartworth]

4" is plenty thick for the basement floor. You can throw in 6"x6" reinforcing mesh for added strength too.

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
My dad did this in the house I grew up in. I will soon be doing it in my house.

Here are the steps. You basically need to dig out the floor while being careful not to disrupt the walls of the house or anywhere you think a lot of weight is. If you think about the weight of the house pushing at the dirt, you'll want to make sure you don't get within a few feet of each side of the house unless you brace it somehow.

Just dig it down so you have plenty of head clearance and factor in about 5-6 inches of concrete on the floor. You definitely want more than 4. Make sure you lay any drain pipes and put in a sump-pump for water. Keep in mind...when the concrete sets up, you won't be able to get to the pipes anymore. If you have a sewage line or water line, don't concrete around these....be careful with electrical lines as well. Keep everything away from the floor. I also reccomend getting a thick sheet of plastic and putting it under the concrete as a moisture barrier and laying additional plastic and cinderblock where you can't put a concrete floor. Half of my basement is divided off because of a earth wall. I will be putting in cinderblock and backfilling this with gravel after laying plastic.

These sorts of recommendations makes me think even happier thoughts about using contractors ...

How long did this job take your Dad?

 

[ebaycj]

PICS?

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: ebaycj
PICS?

I can set those up later tonight, but they're really not that impressive. Imagine the basement at the end of the Blair Witch project crossed with the basement from the Silence of the Lambs and you're pretty close. Put it this way, my wife won't go down there alone. I'd like to change that.

 

[d3n]

Originally posted by: Scarpozzi
My dad did this in the house I grew up in. I will soon be doing it in my house.

Here are the steps. You basically need to dig out the floor while being careful not to disrupt the walls of the house or anywhere you think a lot of weight is. If you think about the weight of the house pushing at the dirt, you'll want to make sure you don't get within a few feet of each side of the house unless you brace it somehow.

Just dig it down so you have plenty of head clearance and factor in about 5-6 inches of concrete on the floor. You definitely want more than 4. Make sure you lay any drain pipes and put in a sump-pump for water. Keep in mind...when the concrete sets up, you won't be able to get to the pipes anymore. If you have a sewage line or water line, don't concrete around these....be careful with electrical lines as well. Keep everything away from the floor. I also reccomend getting a thick sheet of plastic and putting it under the concrete as a moisture barrier and laying additional plastic and cinderblock where you can't put a concrete floor. Half of my basement is divided off because of a earth wall. I will be putting in cinderblock and backfilling this with gravel after laying plastic.

I think a general line of thought is to follow a line 45* out from the foundation for every foot you go down. I am not structural engineer however.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Don't forget about adding stairs so that you don't have to go outside to access your basement. Do you have any place suitable on the 1st floor?

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Don't forget about adding stairs so that you don't have to go outside to access your basement. Do you have any place suitable on the 1st floor?

Definitely ... I can re-use the existing stairwell space (as it is enclosed) ... I'd just have to move my washer and dryer.

 

[Superself]

Most important question...

Do you have any leaks whatsoever?


If so, that is the first thing you need to get fixed.

I had a contractor finish my basement with a playroom, extra den, laundry room and full bathroom.

 

[Patt]

Originally posted by: Superself
Most important question...

Do you have any leaks whatsoever?


If so, that is the first thing you need to get fixed.

I had a contractor finish my basement with a playroom, extra den, laundry room and full bathroom.

There is a small leak in one corner that I'm thinking, in the scheme of things, is a relatively minor fix.

If you don't mind me asking ... how much $$$ were you set back?

 

[Superself]

Entire project cost $18,000.

Worth every penny! You will feel like you have a new home once it is done.

 

[dartworth]

Originally posted by: Superself
Most important question...

Do you have any leaks whatsoever?


If so, that is the first thing you need to get fixed.

I had a contractor finish my basement with a playroom, extra den, laundry room and full bathroom.

pics?

 

[skyking]

The first thing to consider in your plan is the sewer tie in grade (elevation).
If you don't have sufficient grade to service that lower floor, you will need to plan for a pump chamber to get the sewer out of there. It is doable, but requires a bit of planning and some $$.
I have jacked a few houses to replace footings or bad beams. It is simple stuff really, so long as you take into account all the forces involved. It helps if you are planning to refinish the sheetrock above, since keeping it from cracking is difficult and time consuming.
Most houses of that vintage are woefully out of level and also out of square. You are stuck working with the latter, but I prefer corecting the out-of-level condition since it will continue to haunt the remodel and addition process. The out of square condition gets fixed at the old/new interface with some custom fitting.