We’re going to start building a 3100 s.f. (God how this thing keeps growing!) home this Fall. Initially we were going to built it with a 10′ high walkout basement. However our builder was out on the land recently and he “shot the grades” (?) and said that the house would have to sit up approximately 4′ above street level with a walkout. We’re on a one acre lot but the house will be about 50′ from the street, so in my opinion a 4′ rise would be noticeable – and ugly. Now we’re considering a daylight basement instead. My question…when it comes to resale (I know…I should just consider how WE like it, but I’m asking about resale for now) does a walkout have more value than a daylight basement?
I know people that have walkouts that almost NEVER use them, kind of like jacuzzi tubs. But yet almost everyone’s got a jacuzzi tub in their house. Thoughts?
Thanks,
Rob
Replies
Some realtors will place different values on finished space in a lower level. At the lower end of value, there is the true "basement" with small windows high up, a "daylight" basement where windows come down to maybe chin level, and a true walkout, where grade is brought down below floor level for one or more entire rear elevations, large deep windows can be used, and patio doors.
Combine a real walkout lower level with a well lit (with windows) winder staircase from low to main level, and your realtor can appraise the space at the same value as space upstairs.
Done right, the lower level can be a great spot for things like the home office, media room, home gym with full bath and sauna, guest bedroom, and more.
You might want to engage a good landscape architect to see how your plan is best sited, and how to disguise the 4 foot rise your builder says you need. Or even get another builder to try siting your plan on the same lot. Maybe the first guy is wrong.
How many people in your family? What ages are they? What are your hobbies? Do you plan to finish the basement?
If you plan to finish it, and have or expect to have kids, a walkout is great. If you are into model railroading, and expect to fill the basement with a massive layout, a walkout is great. If you have a motorcycle, put in a wide door. If you are planning to have a wood shop in there, or build boats, a walkout is great. If you don't plan to finish it, but want to put the lawnmower in there, a walkout is great.
If the walkout will be the lowest part of the yard, and you get lots of rain or snow, it can be a pain in the a&&.
I can't see why a 4ft rise, 50 ft from the road is an issue, but then again our garage floor level is 15 ft above the road, and it's only 47ft from the road, and we live in the snow belt. I have a Subaru.
Where are you located??
In tornado alley, basements of some type have real good value. Also depends on your water table and drainage.
In the Pcific NW, sometimes a negative - even when soil conditions dictate 7 foot deep walls. Subdivision up the street had to put in 7 ft wall, and they BACKFILLED the basement! Asked the realators, his simple (too simple) answer was that "market surveys" (he had no reference to the survey) showed 'people' didn't like basements.
Myself, have a full 1600 sq ft basement that makes a great shop with a garage door to sloped driveway.
Walkout all the way man. Don't even think twice. Do whatever it takes to get it. I have walkout on two sides of my house and when I'm done, my finished "walkout basement" will count towards square footage (some realtors wouldn't but they are fools). Don't do a 10' wall. 9' is plenty (that's what I did). Add it up..... go 10' and not get a walkout or go 9' and get a walkout. Plus how much are you paying for the extra 1 foot. And what does that get you back on resale. I can tell you for sure that a finished 10' daylight basement is way less attractive than a 9' walkout with a finish patio under the deck above. And guess what, I would bet a lot that most potential buyers think the same way.
I'm with the previous poster. Get a good landscape architect and hide the now 3 feet. Why were you going to do 10' anyway?
Good luck on the build.
Rob Kress
I'm with Rob on this, 9' is plenty for the basement.
All things equal I would buy a house with the walkout over the one without.
You say that you may not use it, but, what if you do!
With the walk out you dont feel like your in a basement.
Doug
I built a house on a right to left sloping lot. Not much of a slope either. The left end of the house stuck out about 5 feet. We built a large brick planter to hide it. The planter was eight feet wide and hid the basement wall. It was big enough to plant a couple of pretty large trees in. really did the trick.
Mark
Do you happen to have any pics of the landscaping project that you could share?
Thanks to all of you that offered help!
- Rob
I do have some pictures but I'll have to get them scanned. Give me a day or two.
Mark
Patterns of Home, by Murray Silverstein, Max Jacobson, and Barbara Winslow has quite a bit of information on siting a home, and Creating a New Old House, by Russell Versaci has valuable info on enduring design schemes -- not some architect's idea of a "unique" home that will win awards from other architects.
Many styles of architecture can use that 3-4 foot elevation to advantage, (Plantation, Victorian, Gothic Revival) with a big front porch from which to watch the world go by. Others, such as Southwest adobe, would look silly with anything but an open courtyard.
Colonial mansions that I've seen with a slope away to the rear have had large, flat, open areas at the rear of the house, at the level of the first floor, surrounded by masonry walls and steps down to an expansive lawn.
OTOH, if you have a great view, opening all levels to it would make a lot of sense, and not having a walk-out lower level would be terrible.
IMHO, a walk out basement is a huge value (vs bulkhead entry) - it would completely transform the usefulness of the space. Even if you leave it unfinished, I think it will add a lot of value. As others have mentioned, I would happily trade 1 or even 2 feet of ceiling height (take it all the way down to 8 ft is necessary) in order to have a walkout basement.
I also don't think 4ft above grade is all that bad - I think 1-2 feet is 'normal' anyhow, so it's only 2 or 3 feet higher than 'normal' - and if you give up ceiling height, you cut that down to almost nothing.
I like the idea of the front porch if it fits architecturally.
Good luck ... Bill.
P.S. I did this on a house I built 20 years ago and was always glad I did. I also sited and plumbed (under the basement slab) for a future bathroom with gravity feed to the septic system, then added the bathroom a few years later - it worked out perfectly. I would do this, too, if you can.
9' basement would be plenty tall, especially if your builder takes care to tuck away all the HVAC and drains in between the joists to free up the maximum headroom. At least where we are (ATL, GA), basement adds tremendous value. It's a cool place to hang out during summer. Ours is kind of a walk-out basement in that the back end is above grade - about 15 ft above. Imagine the slope for that to happen... I call it a fall-off basement.
I agree, if you can have a door into the basement, it's a great idea to do so. We dug out a generous stairwell and turned a window into french doors in our basement and it makes all the difference. Plus we can now get big stuff through the doors that wouldn't fit around the corner and down the stairs. From my standpoint, a walkout basement and a daylight basement aren't even in the same league - one is a part of the house and the other is a basement with windows.
fwiw. 9' w/ floor trusses sitting on foundation, gives full 9' walls in basement. or 8' w/ same if need to lower more.
Here's a picture of the planter.
Mark
I like good wlakouts in the right conditions
watertable info is critical and how foundation is draining
value, a leaky basement is a major negative, bring in moisture, bring in mold, bad resale, lawsuits
ceiling height, I agree if plumbing and HVAC is between joists then no problem, however some homes dont have all joists running the same direction throughout or the direction needed and are spanned for strenght
chances are the design is not complete yet, because adding the daylight will need to consider load bearing walls from above coming down etc. If the desing is finihsed then the loads from above can dictate basemtn wall placement or beams.
beams can effect ceiling height
On the positve, If I can get a lot with good drainage and a slope that is sutied for a full daylight ( walkout) I will go for it and encourage it
last consideration. we have a house that is perfect for a daylight basement, beautiful views etc. the stem wall on the long side will have to be 9 feet high. good well draing soils, owners did not want a basement because they dont want to dael with stairs when older. so all 3600 sq feet is on a sinlge level
someday, someone will come back and say " why didnt they put a basement in"
Absolutely build a walkout with as many windows as possible. A few other points- You don't need 10ft. walls for a walkout- 9ft is fine. A standard set-up is foundation 2ft above curb. 3 risers to a flagstone pad, you have almost 4ft. I would think that with an acre you could set back a little farther.
Hey Rob,
You don't say whether your lot is in a subdivision or not,but you may have to check the deed restrictions to see if there is a clause that requires all houses to be within "x" number of feet of street grade.A friend of mine built two years ago in a development that required that the house be no more than 24" ,I think,above the curb to front entry.He knew the developer so the guy looked the other way about him building a foot higher.Last year in July one day we had 5" of rain and guess who's house was the only one high and dry? It also "looks" bigger than all the neighbors' houses.You might have to add material to spread out the 4' rise over the 50',but it would actually look cool,not ugly.
Barry
I'm with the others who think a walkout basement is a good idea in most cases. My only reservation is - What does it face???
A walkout near a pond or overlooking a scenic valley is great. If you're just looking at a factory or dump, it might not be so great all the sudden.
The 4' above the street shouldn't look bad. That will allow you to get good drainage away from the house.
How do you know when you're out of invisible ink?