Why don't houses have basements on the west coast?

[eflat]

Is it because of earthquakes? Warmer weather? Or is it just not cool.

Very old thread revived by noob.
admin allisolm

 

[SoylentGreen]

Only the houses on the west coast would have basements.

 

[Electric Amish]

It's either earthquakes or the water-table is too high.

Probably also depends on the area.

amish

 

[Corporate Thug]

it's a smoke spot for west cost gangstas!

 

[Encryptic]

Earthquakes, I imagine, although warmer weather may be a factor as well.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Encryptic
Earthquakes, I imagine, although warmer weather may be a factor as well.

I don't see what the weather has to do with anything....

Basements are great when the weather is hot.

amish

 

[BigSmooth]

Many older houses have basements here in Portland.

 

[Vic]

Homes built in the '60s and before in the Pacific NW do have basements. Newer homes do not. Most homes in California also don't. The reason is because of the frost-line. Home foundations have to be built lower than the level that the ground will freeze to in the winter or else the home could shift when the ground thaws in the spring. Most of the western US does not freeze (or freeze much), so a standard 30-inch foundation depth is safe, which means a crawl-space but no basement.

 

[NuclearFusi0n]

The closest thing to a basement in my house is a little panel on the floor which you can open to get to pipes and junk. That's a crawl space, right?

 

[Eli]

lots of houses here in Oregon have basements......

 

[Fudssa]

Originally posted by: Vic
Homes built in the '60s and before in the Pacific NW do have basements. Newer homes do not. Most homes in California also don't. The reason is because of the frost-line. Home foundations have to be built lower than the level that the ground will freeze to in the winter or else the home could shift when the ground thaws in the spring. Most of the western US does not freeze (or freeze much), so a standard 30-inch foundation depth is safe, which means a crawl-space but no basement.

We have a winner! Here's your beer: :beer:

 

[RossMAN]

Our Portland, OR home was built in 1956 and has a fully furnished basement.

When you walk from the main level downstairs you can immediately feel how much cooler it is.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: NuclearFusi0n
The closest thing to a basement in my house is a little panel on the floor which you can open to get to pipes and junk. That's a crawl space, right?

Yes.
One little off-topic note: a home must either have a basement or a crawl space or it cannot qualify for any government-back mortgage financing, like FHA or VA.

 

[BigSmooth]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: NuclearFusi0n
The closest thing to a basement in my house is a little panel on the floor which you can open to get to pipes and junk. That's a crawl space, right?

Yes.
One little off-topic note: a home must either have a basement or a crawl space or it cannot qualify for any government-back mortgage financing, like FHA or VA.

Why is that?

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Vic
Homes built in the '60s and before in the Pacific NW do have basements. Newer homes do not. Most homes in California also don't. The reason is because of the frost-line. Home foundations have to be built lower than the level that the ground will freeze to in the winter or else the home could shift when the ground thaws in the spring. Most of the western US does not freeze (or freeze much), so a standard 30-inch foundation depth is safe, which means a crawl-space but no basement.

So, if the ground doesn't freeze why can't you have a basement? There should be no worry of shifting due to freeze/thaw.

amish

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: BigSmooth

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: NuclearFusi0n
The closest thing to a basement in my house is a little panel on the floor which you can open to get to pipes and junk. That's a crawl space, right?

Yes.
One little off-topic note: a home must either have a basement or a crawl space or it cannot qualify for any government-back mortgage financing, like FHA or VA.

Why is that?

The appraiser has to be able to inspect the foundation for any possible water or pest damage. If he can't make that inspection, the home won't fly. Thems the rules.

 

[Fudssa]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: Vic Homes built in the '60s and before in the Pacific NW do have basements. Newer homes do not. Most homes in California also don't. The reason is because of the frost-line. Home foundations have to be built lower than the level that the ground will freeze to in the winter or else the home could shift when the ground thaws in the spring. Most of the western US does not freeze (or freeze much), so a standard 30-inch foundation depth is safe, which means a crawl-space but no basement.

So, if the ground doesn't freeze why can't you have a basement? There should be no worry of shifting due to freeze/thaw. amish

It's not that you can't. It's because it's cheaper.

 

[pyonir]

Most homes don't have them in Arizona because the "rock table (?)" is so shallow beneath the ground that it takes much heavier equipment to get through it. It isn't worth it. (at least that is what i have been told).

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Fudssa

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: Vic Homes built in the '60s and before in the Pacific NW do have basements. Newer homes do not. Most homes in California also don't. The reason is because of the frost-line. Home foundations have to be built lower than the level that the ground will freeze to in the winter or else the home could shift when the ground thaws in the spring. Most of the western US does not freeze (or freeze much), so a standard 30-inch foundation depth is safe, which means a crawl-space but no basement.

So, if the ground doesn't freeze why can't you have a basement? There should be no worry of shifting due to freeze/thaw. amish

It's not that you can't. It's because it's cheaper.

If that were the case, no house would ever have a basement.

amish

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: pyonir
Most homes don't have them in Arizona because the "rock table (?)" is so shallow beneath the ground that it takes much heavier equipment to get through it. It isn't worth it. (at least that is what i have been told).

Yeah, I can see that. If you have to dig bedrock it's not really worth it....although it sure would be nice during the hot summer.

 

[pyonir]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Yeah, I can see that. If you have to dig bedrock it's not really worth it....although it sure would be nice during the hot summer.

no kidding. Gotta have a good central air system.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
So, if the ground doesn't freeze why can't you have a basement? There should be no worry of shifting due to freeze/thaw.

amish

Damn... workin' overtime in this thread.

The reason is because of cost/benefit. Basements cost more to build than a standard concrete footing post and pier foundation (with crawl space) and add very little value to a home at time of sale (a fully-finished basement adds no more than 50 cents on the dollar per square foot, an unfinished basement has absolutely no value).
BTW, I grew up in a nice 50s ranch with a basement, and I did really enjoy how cool they are in the summer.

 

[Electric Amish]

Originally posted by: Vic

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
So, if the ground doesn't freeze why can't you have a basement? There should be no worry of shifting due to freeze/thaw.

amish

Damn... workin' overtime in this thread.

The reason is because of cost/benefit. Basements cost more to build than a standard concrete footing post and pier foundation (with crawl space) and add very little value to a home at time of sale (a fully-finished basement adds no more than 50 cents on the dollar per square foot, an unfinished basement has absolutely no value).
BTW, I grew up in a nice 50s ranch with a basement, and I did really enjoy how cool they are in the summer.

hehe

Well, I'd say nearly 95-100% of the houses here in Utah have basements. If the cost is so much higher, I wonder why they continue to build them.

amish

 

[Fudssa]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: Fudssa

Originally posted by: Electric Amish

Originally posted by: Vic Homes built in the '60s and before in the Pacific NW do have basements. Newer homes do not. Most homes in California also don't. The reason is because of the frost-line. Home foundations have to be built lower than the level that the ground will freeze to in the winter or else the home could shift when the ground thaws in the spring. Most of the western US does not freeze (or freeze much), so a standard 30-inch foundation depth is safe, which means a crawl-space but no basement.

So, if the ground doesn't freeze why can't you have a basement? There should be no worry of shifting due to freeze/thaw. amish

It's not that you can't. It's because it's cheaper.

If that were the case, no house would ever have a basement. amish

Not really. Some people (me for instance) would have a basement even if it meant higher cost (within reason).

 

[Maverick]

houses in CO almost always have them.
houses in TX don't either due to flood prevention or it being too hard to drill down.