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Re: Slab Basement - to Full Basement...possible?From:
Category: Select Category From List....
Remote Name: 63.198.181.43
Date: 31 Aug 2002
Time: 03:07 PM
CommentsIn construction, almost anything is possible given time, patience, a good set of plans, a competent contractor, and money! Converting a slab foundation into a basement under an existing home--coupled with the possible addition of a 2nd story--is a significant undertaking. You may be required to move out during this process, depending on how disruptive the plans are to your existing living space. A project of this magnitude is probably at least a 6-9 month project. Of course, things can be done faster, but this would be our minimum estimate. If your lot allows for it, you might consider adding the basement and second story adjacent to the existing footprint. This would minimize disruption to the existing structure and provide easy access to backhoes and other heavy equipment that may be required to excavate a full basement. Of course, overall design and aesthetics must be factored in: you don't want to end up with a home that looks like a mix of styles, or an addition that looks like an afterthought. Integrating a smooth flowing floorplan with pleasing exterior aesthetics requires the skills of a competent designer or architect. Costs for such a project could vary greatly. In the San Francisco Bay Area, where labor costs are sky high, such a project could easily run $100,000 or much more, depending on the nature of the additions and quality of the finish materials. In other parts of the country, the price might be significantly less. Finally, as to windows, you must follow certain codes that provide for emergency escape, as well as ventilation in basements. You may need to raise the home a few feet to provide acceptable access. Such a process would be very costly and probably of questionable return on investment. You may be able, however, to add the second story with only some minor reinforcements to your existing foundation. This would probably give you the best value for your money compared to adding the basement as well. Builders Websource.
My husband and I are purchasing our first home. Thankfully, the house is affordable, has been rebuilt within the last 7 years, and needs no real "work" - it's in move-in condition. As a result of this, we are considering options of expanding our living space. One of the first things we are considering is adding a basement, then building up a second level. House is a small 2 bedroom ranch. I'm extremely curious to know if it is possible to add a basement, approximate costs and timeframes as well. I understand this is an involved process, so of course I'd love to hear what the building schedules would approximately be (i.e. 3 months? 3 weeks?) Do I need to have my house lifted? What are the structural considerations? Ideally, this would be a finished basement by the end, preferably higher ceilings to enable us to put in some windows and add some light. Any help would be golden - as there seems to be very limited resources on the web regarding this type of procedure. Thanks in advance!
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