New Home Slab vs Basement Foundation Cost Difference

[@andrewhinsurance]

$25K to essentially double the living area of the house? Plus it can be used for emergencies, general storage, a home gym, etc. Why WOULDN'T someone do this?

[@matsudakodo]

@@tjam4229 if it's a ranch house it's 1100 sq ft + 1100 sq ft (100%) = 2200 sq. Sounds like a double to me.

[@TurtleMyrtle12]

So ridiculous! 😆 There are a lot of styles of homes and a basement CAN double the size of a house. Why are you so aggravated about that?

[@nodak81]

Can be a giant headache if it isn't done properly. Just like crappy new cars, it won't show any signs of premature failure until just after the warranty expires.

[@FreshWest555]

@@matsudakodo T jam is correct, I’m an insurance agent and when I write homeowners policies we do not count basements in to the sq footage we count it as a foundation type, and of course u can finish it and add livable space which is ur point. But it would be a 2 story house with a basement foundation

[@chrishayes5755]

basement sounds great until the shit starts cracking which often can happen within days of the pour. if not that quick give it 10-20 years.. then you get bum contractors who want to charge 10k for basic fixes, possible water leaking into walls causing mold issues that are undetected etc. it can be a headache.

[@pollyjetix2027]

I'm 60. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I'm facing my retirement years without owning a home of my own... to say nothing of having no finances on which to retire. I do own a 5-acre piece of rough land in the mountains. I want to build a very small earth-sheltered house, which of course is just a basement with a roof over it. This video has helped me understand things a bit more. Thank you.

[@DavidM2002]

Brilliant analysis. One thing that should be mentioned is that in the summer, when air conditioning is running 24/7, a basement can be a wonderfully cool refuge. The cost savings in not having to run your AC can be substantial.

[@captainamerica9353]

But in a humid climate you'd still need a dehumidifier.

[@DavidM2002]

@@captainamerica9353 Perhaps but since cool air holds less moisture you are less likely to need a dehumidifier or at least run it less often.

[@mycowboyways915]

You might want to add a stand alone dehumidification system to this basement plan. I think you would find it money well spent and much easier over your lifetime than those little dehumidifiers. Drier air is cooler air too.

[@leudast1215]

BS. basements are moisture traps and cause rampant mold problems. that wooden flooring you walk on so casually will rot.

[@DavidM2002]

@@leudast1215 Maybe where you live. My basement living area's fir floors were put there in 1947 and they are in great shape.

[@vh9network]

Having grown up in homes with basements, I feel this is still essential part of a house. Made even better with modern technology that you can transform your basement into a theater room.

[@zythr9999]

Don't care for basements, partly owning to whenever going to aunt's house, this is the area of her house where my brothers and me would be when she was asked to babysit us. We never stayed on the ground floor in her home.

[@eleanoreagly4844]

For those homes built where there are tornados a basement is essential safety feature, also worth the extra to storage of seasonal use items.

[@stilliraise9201]

Then how you avoid the mold

[@fsl4346]

@@stilliraise9201 In the basement? I'd get a dehumidifier if it's that bad.

[@huejanus5505]

@@stilliraise9201 French drain and sump pit.

[@widehotep9257]

Lots of people in Texas tornado areas have slab homes.

[@fsl4346]

@@widehotep9257 Question. Are these mostly custom home or builders/entire neighborhoods?

[@HomeSlice97]

Absolutely worth it, especially if you’re already building a smaller house and need space for utilities and storage.

[@bringingthebooks]

Exactly, you're literally doubling the square footage of the house's first floor. Building a basement also helps take DOUBLE advantage of the thermal effect from the ground, which is warmer than outside air in the winter and also colder than the outside air in the summer (this is why Geothermal is so effective) and it's completely free and totally passive (physics itself). Also basements are quieter than any above ground floor could ever be. Perfect for setting up a small space for sleeping, studying, or watching a movie or anything where quiet is valuable. And, by adding those egress windows (not always required depending on county building code) you can still get some nice lighting in should you choose (although I would plant nice small shrubs and bushes around for privacy. You will lose a tiny percentage of thermal effects from the windows, but it is a tiny percentage, a 1-4%. Houses are one of the very few expenses in our lives which will be used for decades and even over a century (your car won't last that long, your iphone won't, your laptop, your silly shoes, etc.), so one of the most ethical things you can do is to build QUALITY, BEAUTIFUL, PLEASUREABLE housing stuctures and features that will guarantee your enjoyment for the rest of your life, your families life, your future generations' life, or anyone who buys and lives in it later, it's one of the few no-brainer best things you can do with your life. We all should encourage builders to stop being scummy profiteering pill-addicts, and build actual quality housing and not the fastest, most profitable cookie-cutter shiitboxes which they profit off of by hiring illlegals and drrunks to build. Demand better housing in the USA!!! We have the money!!

[@Teknomanslade2]

@@bringingthebooks question tho. this is a comparison of a 1 floor with basement vs 2 floor with no basement correct? so the footage would be the same. on by real estate standards the "value" of a house would be more for 2 story with no basement than 1 floor with basement as its all considered above ground.

[@nofurtherwest3474]

Y’all are acting like everyone has an extra $25k laying around 😂 Alot of buyers will be fine without a basement

[@babysquirrelxxoo8136]

@@bringingthebooks​​⁠Lol that’s quite a sales pitch. Totally agree on that last paragraph.

[@zythr9999]

@@bringingthebooks Basement nay be well and good, until the person either has difficulty and/or can't do stairs anymore.

[@matthewhuszarik4173]

On small lots sizes here in California I have always been surprised that they don’t have more basements, especially considering how many communities have significant height restrictions.

[@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb]

Because real costs in California are ~10x higher than what this guy says - no chance in hell you'd build a basement in California for $25K - that's just absurd nonsense.

[@mimibuick]

@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb Esp with current concrete prices. :( Cost in this video seem low but I live in a HCoL area on the east coast.

[@AUniqueHandleName444]

@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb That figure has to be driven by Sacramento.

[@AUniqueHandleName444]

@@ArthurDentZaphodBeeb In all seriousness and shitting on Sacramento aside, he's probably using national average figures. It's also worth noting that he's comparing it to a cold weather foundation, the kind you'd see in inland Washington, Utah, Minnesota, places like that where you need to dig 4 feet down to put in footings for winter anyway. This would be totally different for warm weather foundations where you can basically just build directly on top of the dirt.

[@jonathanthink5830]

in some areas, like saratoga in northern CA, they do build houses with a basement for this exact reason. it is a one story house with a basement ....... :-)

[@matthewhuszarik4173]

My parents built a vacation home many years ago on a raised foundation. The foundation was about 6’-7’ I always asked my step father for a few more courses of block why didn’t he put in a full basement. Since it was on the side of a hill the downhill side could have had a garage door and turned the basement into a underground garage.

[@mccluskey7070]

I agree. In this scenario, you literally are only a foot and a little bit, from having a fully functional basement/garage. Perhaps your mom talked him out of it. Women just never see the urgency of a garage. He should have said it was going to be used as a sewing room, then do the old bate and switch later on.

[@ReneBezerra]

This is like EXACTLY what I was looking for when searching for the difference in cost between slab and full foundation. Thank you

[@jeffhuebner4352]

Spend the money with a poured concrete wall basement I wouldn’t try to save a buck, with a concrete slab on grade method i would put in hot water radiant heat in my basement floor heat the water with a electric boiler it’s nice to have, it’s great walking on a Warm floor, you won’t regret it.

[@jeffhuebner4352]

,

[@ReneBezerra]

@@jeffhuebner4352 hi, Unfortunately I'm building on bed rock, So a full basement is not A reasonable option. My goal is to spend some of those savings in a good and highly insulated slab.

[@lindawiley7197]

Tornadoes !!! Basement is worth it

[@robertmarley8852]

Bro basement out of bedrock would be sick

[@missouriman7689]

Fairly accurate, it runs about $25 per square foot for a basement here in central US and because of substantial bedrock being at undetermined depth you have to test the site prior to planning to see if you can even dig down 8' without spending thousands to have the excavator chip away at bedrock for several days. A good builder and a proper site you can usually get just under $25/sqft without any problems and NO upgrades. Something else many do not include is the extra concrete steps because the first floor of a home with a basement is usually higher off the ground, and in some cases require massive approaches to the entry doors and proper compaction after backfilling to keep from having problems with concrete patio slabs or driveway approaches in the future. However all the extra costs of having a basement under your home is beneficial in many ways; more efficient to heat & cool, safer if you live in weather prone areas, plenty of storage space with room to expand for growing families or busy lifestyles, and the added mass under your home will add significant strength to your home and it's foundation if done properly.

[@chamy1521]

I am an older builders and you just about killed me when you laid down those huge numbers, great info and presentation.

[@TrendyStone]

$25k is totally worth it! You can nearly double your home size. Built my own house 20 years ago...waiting 10 years until I could afford to finish the basement and then finished it adding two more bedrooms, full bathroom, an exercise room, home theater and full kitchen to the basement. Totally worth it!

[@StarkVandalez]

Keep in mind the problems with a slab for storage. He mentioned adding the additional sq ft for the mechanical room in a slab foundation, but also you have zero storage space unless you build a storage room or build a larger garage with storage. personally, all of my tools, christmas decorations, old kids toys misc. items are all stored in the basement.

[@StreetcarHammock]

You’re not wrong here, but a few shelves in a utility room can store a lot of stuff you use pretty regularly and decorations and other stuff could probably fit in an attic space if you have it.

[@willsteiner8021]

Neighbor is building a 3 car garage on slab with a truss roof system, no electrical and unfinished on the inside. His cost est. so far is a whopping 75K. Go with a basement and it's attached to the house.

[@ghjsdkfs]

Attic?

[@thatgreenguy3969]

Sounds like you have to much stuff

[@ML-kx9gz]

That's another good point that.

[@daytonwhat]

I wonder if you could do a video on adding a standard second floor vs using attic trusses.

[@Reciprocity_Soils]

Clear, step-by-step cost overview of building a basement. Thanks for this.

[@digitalbobby42]

When I lived in New York every house had a basement, but here in California all the homes are on slabs. 25k seems worth it for a rough estimate of all that is needed to include a 1000 ft basement. Thanks for the info and knowledge!

[@sebastiantevel898]

As other people stated prices vary by state and in the northeast, for example, I would expect the cost difference to be more than 25k. Using ICF may save a few thousand in labor, but still, it will be more than the cost difference in this video. Yet the increase in value of the finished construction, given the extra square footage will make it worth it in most cases, especially in the zip codes where homes are more expensive.

[@Lowzone73]

22/sq ft and you can access ALL your plumbing/electrical/hvac on the first floor from a drop ceiling (if finished basement)in the basement. no need to cut up that slab when a pipe breaks IN/under the concrete. Double your footprint, all your HVAC and extras out of sight. Dont forget about the geothermal of a basement, stays cool in the summer, and warm (well thermal ground temp) in the winter...we'd spend that money ALL DAY LONG to have those pluses. If you heat with wood stove in the basement, use the HVAC to circulate warm air in the winter, no messy wood stack in the main living area. Possible entertainment room down there, leaving more useable room on the main floor...just have to make sure it doesnt become that dark musky basement!!! great video though!!! very insightful

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

I'll NEVER build a slab. EVER. So the floor costs would be the same. Makes sense to put a basement in.

[@elainebaird2091]

Thanks very much for the informative video. I spent several years as a spouse caregiver, and that now that I am an older widow step free is the way to go!!!

[@genegraves3076]

Had some success with designing homes with optional basement - mid 2000s. The benefit for a builder is that you can advertise both!!! At different prices! When we had prospects tour the model, most wanted the basement option, but a few wanted the lower cost slab option. Best of both worlds - until... One of the drawbacks to this 'either way' for a merchant builder is that the construction superintendents, draftsman, and trades had to be trained more and we thought adaption would occur smoothly - it didn't. We eventually dropped the option and just did basements only. All I'm describing occurred in the mid-2000s. I sold the company in 2014 but am now starting a new company focused on first time buyers. Because of the radical adverse affordability shift, and local government jurisdictions lack of cooperation in 'allowing' smaller homes, we are planning on the yes/no basement option again. We do not and will not build custom homes - too much hand-holding and wheel spinning.

[@nofurtherwest3474]

Can I ask - are slab foundations better for flood zones? (eg 100 yr flood plain, a couple hundred feet from a small river.)

[@garrettareiss]

If you then finish the basement with the $50 per sq ft like you mentioned then you have about $76 dollar per sq foot in the adding of the basement which I believe is pretty cheap so makes sense to add the basement for addition square footage

[@bzmills]

Agree, had the same thought. 22/sqft for additional floor space to finish seems worth it.

[@b.c.g.9754]

The price of tongue and groove sheathing is $65/each and if you add floor trusses that span the entire house with no support the price of the 1st floor would be much higher. We recently got a quote for a house with a basement and now have decided build on a slab. This video along with all of your others are very informative, I appreciate the time and sharing your knowledge.

[@nateg5915]

Do you mind telling us the price difference and what you got quoted for the basement? We can assume you went with the slab simply due to the extra cost of a basement

[@b.c.g.9754]

@@nateg5915 I have only gotten a price for 2,700 sq’ house with full 9’ concrete basement foundation. It was more than we wanted to spend. The floor trusses and floor sheeting was over $50k. We now have decided to go with a slab for simply the cost savings. If we went with a slab we would get by with only doing a 4’ concrete stem wall vs the full basement, eliminate the 2’ tall full span floor trusses, and the tongue & groove sheathing for the floor. If we add dye to the concrete mix for the floor and polish it when we are finished we won’t have to install any flooring. We plan on installing in-floor radiant heat throughout the house & garage and having mini splits for the AC.

[@nateg5915]

@@b.c.g.9754 wow that's a lot. Im guessing price for the whole basement foundation including the trusses and sheeting would've run you about $100k. I understand it's above you budget but I still think its still worth it considering you would've gained a large open basement with no support poles that you can finish at a later time

[@b.c.g.9754]

@@nateg5915 concrete work was $111k with 9’ basement walls. The garage was over 2,000 sq’ with front driveway, front and rear concrete patio. So our new plan is build about 2,800sq’ house on slab with 2,200 sq’ garage with attic trusses overtop for storage. So 5,000 sq’ total. I agree you get more space with a basement but we feel we wouldn’t use the basement. If you did a 2,000 sq’ main level with full basement now you have 4,000 sq’. I go back and forth but I’m still in favor of slab.

[@ToddBizCoach]

@@b.c.g.9754 was your estimate on a two story home or with 2700 sq ft on one story slab? A two story on slab still needs floor trusses for 2nd floor. If you build all on one floor your costs increase 2x for roof system from added roof trusses, roofing ,sheathing and labor.

[@dylansmith5868]

Currently building a 2 story house in NC, basement is roughly the same size as the one in the video and the pricing was almost identical. Most affordable square footage that you can get right now.

[@Marthyboy88]

This is excellent info. I'm looking to move to SC soon, and was considering a new build with a basement. This kind of rough estimate is exactly what I needed, and it's good to know that the price/ft² is the most affordable.

[@littlered6780]

Dylan, what was the cost in SC? We know it cost $25K more but I don't recall the vid stating what a slab cost..

[@dylansmith5868]

@@littlered6780 not sure what the price difference between NC and SC but I wouldn’t imagine it’d be too significant. A crawl space on our house was part of the “standard” features so not sure what the price breakdown was before adding the basement. Rough estimate was about $20 sq/ft for the basement. There also can be other fees accrued when adding a basement. Hope this helps!

[@littlered6780]

@@dylansmith5868 TY Dylan. I meant NC LOL!

[@JS-jh4cy]

What about an secondary smaller basement under the first basement assuming you can handle a few thousands of hours more on an jackhammer drill?

[@JS-jh4cy]

Especially under small older houses, need to make it "sellable" to an Bunch of immigrants in Canada in 7 years

[@OpenBookBuild]

There is a concrete floor regardless of whether there is a basement or slab…so nothing to remove there. As a builder I don’t put electric in the slab…not sure who does…there’s no need to. Plumbing underground’s are below a basement slab/floor as well as the slab foundation. You may add water supplies in the slab condition but that just reduces the rough in plumbing costs.

[@stevenmoomey2115]

In the Northern areas of the Country, you already have to go down a certain distance to get well below any Frost Level for your footing. Also with certain Clay Soil types, the Clay must be removed and refilled. So these would offset the basement cost. Having lived in a house with a Crawl Space, Super Cold Floors, Plumbing Freezing till a I moved, replaced the patched pipes, and Insulated the Plumbing. Rock-wool Between the Floor Joist, Panning with Bird Vents. I will never have another Crawl Space Home. Also think about this, all your Hot and Cold Water Pipes are going to be either in or under that Slab!

[@bradforrester2417]

Unfortunately you are incorrect with respect to the plumbing - your hot and cold lines can be run from the attic if building with one. As a matter of fact if you build with an enclosed attic (insulating the entire attic as a conditioned space) you have all that room up there for your mechanicals and electrical, and in the event of a power failure would still have running water due to gravity. Yes your waste lines would need to go through the slab, but with proper clean-outs that's not as much an issue. This is also be addressed by modern "frost-free" slabs that have incredible amounts of insulation below-grade so that under the slab remains above freezing.

[@darthroach9057]

In MN the footings need to be atleast 5' down in most areas. So might as well go a few more feet and get a basement out of the deal.

[@alanross7694]

We just got the builders estimate for our full basement, 2 story 2400 sf house and it was $200k more than expected, with the resulting home being at least 300k more than local market value of existing homes (which are in short supply). Not willing to “overpay” to that extent and meeting with builder soon to discuss ways we can reduce cost enough to satisfy us. Thinking that changing to slab is the biggest leverage point, but I was thinking it would be a bigger difference than $25K. Great video, though…very helpful for my situation.

[@hectorbart]

Did you go with a slab? And if you did , how much did it save you?

[@alanross7694]

Decided not to build. Slab was not a big savings because you need to poor fairly deep footings go here in New England and turns out that the slab approach does not save as much in excavation and concrete as you would think. We are buying a lakefront home instead. Smaller than what we would have built but 200’ of lakefront.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Prices are way too high, supply and demand. The 75 MILLION additional folks in the USA due to open borders and lax legal immigration is 100% to blame.

[@bradforrester2417]

One option may be to go with a modern "frost-free" slab instead, I've heard these don't require deep footings because of the massive amount of insulation they use, plus they are more suited to in-floor radiant heating as a heating option.

[@ArtisanASCII]

I would always opt for the basement. Would also go with in floor radiant heating. You recoup about 80% on that when you sell the home.

[@chrisclark2017]

80% of cost? no it’s more than that

[@CringePanda]

Incredible, I've been looking for a video like this for two weeks and voila, here you are today! I wonder if these prices will hold for AZ and caliche soil. Also, I think I saw in some video that concrete block would be cheaper than poured walls. I honestly don't want to forego the basement!

[@ToddBizCoach]

Block material is cheaper but more labor is required than poured. ICF labor is cheapest compared to poured or block construction.

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

No, only poured foundation.

[@dennispowell5265]

Good information. Roughly $25 square ft. I've heard you quote $50 square ft. to finish. $75 square ft total? Averages are $175 to $250 square ft. depending on your area. Be careful of tripping over a $5 bill to pickup a nickel. My opinion that's cheap space. Now, let's talk about walk out or daylight basements to be fair. What are the real cost deference and benefits? Also, split levels? I remember back in the day, the saying was, get to wood as soon as possible. I also work with Insulated Concrete Forms, which a home owner can do themselves. Other considerations, hydronic infloor heat. Remember pay now or pay later, things in the construction world are not getting cheaper and energy codes are getting stricter. This is a great channel and enjoy your content. Maybe educate owner builders on energy codes and where the country is heading in that area, this will be is a long term issue.

[@Krazie-Ivan]

ya, even unfinished is worth it, given all the junk people accumulate these days (which ends-up in the garage, while your $30k cars sit out in the weather).100% on the ICF & energy concerns too... far past time to build smarter!

[@ToddBizCoach]

Yes,ICF is cheaper than plain poured. If you can add a walkout basement for living space and that space can be completed for $75/ sq ft it’s a no brainer.

[@ToddBizCoach]

It does not cost $50/ sq ft to finish an ICF walk out basement.

[@StarkVandalez]

I agree, I love walk outs from basements. but it has to be done correctly. Not a small door with a narrow stair case to walk up to the yard. The yard should be excavated and allow a nice big retaining wall out of stone with some nice big patio doors to let in a ton of natural light and allow easy access from basement to backyard. If you're a baller, then your basement has a gym and sauna and you backyard has a pool and hot tub ;)

[@ToddBizCoach]

@@StarkVandalez yes, agree about entrance/exit. Patio doors with walkout to level landing, no stairs. 9’ ceilings in basement with ICF construction, 1200 sq ft each level, 2 bedrooms and rec room in basement.

[@Dr.Q_PHD]

I mainly want a basement for the purposes of having a safe space when a natural disaster, such as a tornado occurs. I also would want it to have two sections, one section to function as a root cellar and another to function as a living/storage space.

[@Lowzone73]

we thought the same. One thing we did think about was if the house were to be hit, and collapse on the basement, you could be trapped. Its more likely to collapse on itself then blow away leaving the basement unobstructed. We thought about a basement with a tornado cellar off the side of the actual basement with reenforced structure (steel beam ceiling) and a short hallway to the shelter...just a thought

[@akillersquirrel5880]

IDK about you, but I'd rather be in a basement with a collapsed house above me, than in the collapsed part of the house

[@ACitizenOfOurWorld]

Go with insulated concrete form (ICF)exterior walls of the house. They were the only construction tested able to withstand F5 tornadoes. Basically the entire house is a safe room.

[@extraart1]

My exact thoughts!

[@marufruma]

Here in the Twin Cities, MN it's a no-brainer to opt for a basement when building a new home. My builder is charging me $36k for a finished basement(1400 sqft) that will include a rec room, a good size bedroom and a full bathroom with tub. If I finished it later it would have cost me upwards of 60k. I am going to have 5076 sqft of living space now for not that much addition to the price of the house.

[@nickpavia9021]

Living in the Midwest, I would never build/buy a home that didn't have a proper basement. Tornados are scary.

[@travcurt]

Yes, absolutely! In fact, many parts of the Midwest actually *require* homes to have a basement or underground shelter in some compacity on site.

[@Krazie-Ivan]

def look into ICF as your ceiling/1st floor, so it really is safe & not just a debris hole to be buried in

[@OpenBookBuild]

Right on Nick. The basement is a great place to take shelter.

[@ryanward8039]

Don't let these over priced contractors spin that crap. At the end of the day, a basement is worth more than a new house and if they can scare a sucker out of his honey, they will. Take a map the size of your living room that's the size of your county, put a pencil down onto the map vertically, and move it around at scale speeds on a random course for about 30 minutes and that should give you the odds that you would actually be hit. Very very very low odds. There are buildings in Kansas that have been standing since the civil war and have never been hit by one.

[@DaveDuzzit]

Since you're adding a 2nd floor with a basement, it would it be smart to compare that to a 2 story home on a slab vs a single story home with a basement.

[@monicageistwhite779]

I just received a quote in New Mexico. Walk-out basement, concrete 3 sides, concrete for 2-car slab garage and driveway and sidewalks. 1700 sf. basement. Includes dirt work and some retaining. $87,000 This only includes concrete work and dirt work.

[@ryanpatterson9526]

That's a steal. You're basically DOUBLING your square footage!

[@KyleWMyers]

What about basement versus extra story of the house? I would imagine extra story would be cheaper? Also, what about a build where the slab is used for storage of water heater, washer dryer, garage, etc. and then the "real house" starts on the second (and potentially third) stories, making essentially a two story house (although technically I think it would be 3 stories?)

[@nofurtherwest3474]

Interesting questions. No one answered. Wish I could but I'm not an expert. But I grew up in a house on a slab. On the first floor there was the 2 car garage, and the laundry room which had the mechanicals (furnace, hot water tank), and also a family room, bathroom, and small bedroom. On the 2nd floor was the kitchen, dining, living, bath and 2 bedrooms.

[@VulcanLogic]

Depends on where you are. In Michigan, where I'm from, basements are huge. In fact, finished basements often complete with above grade GLA, particularly on front to rear slopes or near water. Now I'm in Southern California in an area where basements are almost unheard of. Building one here may impair its liquidity, as the lenders are going to want an appraisal with basement comps, and often, there just aren't any, so they might not give it full value.

[@nofurtherwest3474]

Interesting. I grew up in Ohio and lived in Los Angeles many years. I noticed that difference but didn't think about the appraisal aspect

[@VulcanLogic]

@@nofurtherwest3474 In practice, the lenders do accept what is technically a basement by ANSI if it's on a mountainside or otherwise steep grade, because we have those comps. Those do sell. It's the Michigan or Ohio style box basements with egress window that don't get built here.

[@nofurtherwest3474]

@@VulcanLogic I can see why it's not worth building a basement in CA then.

[@shannonp4037]

@@VulcanLogic FNMA requires any area below grade to be deemed below grade living area. Even by 1" of the slab. Even if built into a hill. Comps have no bearing on what is deemed GLAAG.

[@VulcanLogic]

​@@shannonp4037 And? Nothing I wrote says otherwise. Not sure how you completely missed point. If you have a basement, you need basement comps, because you need to match the GLA to GLA and then match the basement areas.

[@fsl4346]

Great video. Thank you. I'm just surprised that the poured concrete walls are that "affordable". That's encouraging. I'd do the entire structure in concrete (combination of poured concrete basement and CMU above grade walls or steel frame if CMU is not possible). That's my plan in the future.

[@dwwolf4636]

ICF.....

[@TheGregWallace]

IMO........Well worth the cost to gain so much space, not to mention it is a plus to have easy access to all your mechanicals in the basement, and if you want to move things around like plumbing or electrical in the future it will be so much easier. Well worth the cost.

[@russellesimonetta9071]

Uhh, I love the basement. It,s cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The floor is always cool and the dogs love it.

[@kevinstenger4334]

I used to live in central Michigan and very few houses there don’t have basements and when the occasional house with a crawl space hits the market it languishes on the market for months and months before selling at a steep discount. Hoses with slabs there are rare. Now I live in Tennessee where it’s a mixture but most of our basements are walkouts so no sump pump and no window wells plus none of the builders insulate them either because they just don’t enforce the codes very well. A friend of mine is a builder and he stopped doing basements because he swears it costs him $40,000 more than a crawl space even though some of his crawl spaces are 12-14’ deep on one end, I tell him he’s crazy and he doesn’t have any idea how many people don’t even look at his houses because of the wet stinky crawl space.

[@lindawiley7197]

Tornadoes

[@zackdreamcast]

Depends on where in the country you are for these costs. In VT, CO, CA, etc I would count on it being quite a bit more. More in the neighborhood of $50k . A floor system alone will run you 20-25k in tgis, subfloor, and girders.

[@Tien1million]

I know right, it's all depends on your location. I'm about to say $25K is dirt cheap in Cali.

[@curt2742]

He is showing a cost difference between the two, the basement here is an additional $25k over the slab's cost. Your point about location is true though, Cali prices are crazy. Many $1M homes there are $125k elsewhere in the country.

[@littlered6780]

@@Tien1million But remember Tien. It's not $25K for a basement; it's $25K more than a slab..

[@ogermada2892]

I'm a custom home contractor in eastern Ontario and I'll tell you that the prices in this video are 1/3 what the actual costs are. If you can find me a good electrician that will wire a basement for $500 I will hire him right now. I'm starting a new build in June which is going SOG instead of a basement and the savings will be at least @ $110k if you are comparing same house to same house, SOG vs basement. This new build is a 3000 sqft home. 1500 second floor and 1500 on main floor. We added a 12x14 mechanical room on main floor and a large loft on the second floor to add another rec room to compensate for the loss of basement space. Plans call for polished slab with a coloured swirl for texture, radiant hydronic heat for the main floor and also in the 32'x40' garage. The garage has 16' ceilings and will have another 14'x16' loft above the tool room for gym equipment, glass walls and a mini split for AC cooling and air circulation. Footings will be 24" - 36" deep, ICF with a 4" thick x 6' wide frost wing around the house. Insulated slab with radon Evac system. Estimated savings over basement is at least $50-70k after including the extra area to compensate for no basement. Just the excavation alone is @$10k for a normal basement. Then if you consider the water table on the average lot is @5' deep, half your foundation is out of the ground, which means 60 trucks of backfill for proper grading and I haven't even covered the septic grading, elevation, sewage lift pumps for a basement bathroom etc. Warmer floors because the radiant is in the main slab where everyone lives all day, not just in the basement which is used basically only for recreation. You can add radiant to lumber floor, but it's not very good. Zero water or sump issues and at least 6-8 weeks less on delivery time. More if it's a finished basement with another stairwell. Basements can be done well and dry. However with a properly engineered SOG and heating system, it's less expensive and less problems to increase the size of the home and do a slab for the average level lot. Sloping land with tall support walls would be different. Maybe ;)

[@littlered6780]

Oger Mada - I must say that even in Ct USA a 1000 sq ft basement - 32' x 32' will not cost any where near Ontario's pricing. You can put both slab and full foundation up and you still won't reach $110,000, let alone save that much vs slab over full.

[@ogermada2892]

@@littlered6780 Ontario: Concrete $375/yd Stone $410/load. 16yds for a tri-axle Average trade labour billing cost -$80/hr. Fuel right now $2.45/L for diesel and $2.08 for regular gas. Premium is 2.30/L. Almost $10/gal. Spool of loomex 14/2. 300' length. $275. Building permit for 3000' home $38,500. 2x6-10' long. $22 2x4-$9 Oh. And add 13% sales tax on all that. 🤪🔫

[@littlered6780]

@@ogermada2892 Sir, with all due respect I would never doubt your pricing, expertise, etc. for I do not reside where you are. I was responding to your first statement - "I'm a custom home contractor in eastern Ontario and I'll tell you that the prices in this video are 1/3 what the actual costs are" -. Your statement in its self is doubting the pricing of the Armchair Builder of whom I have no allegiance nor have I ever listened to one of his videos. Is it possible you meant to finish your statement with - at least not here in eastern Ontario -?? My response was not a criticism in any way though it may have sounded that way and for that I apologize. By the way, 2 years ago in CT diesel was roughly $2.40 per/gal. - roughly 40 cents higher than regular unleaded. Now it is $6.59 and unleaded is $4.59. Home construction here has reached $300.00 per sq. ft. I didn't vote for him! Have yourself blessed day! Oh, this is my wife's lap top! LOL

[@captainamerica9353]

@@littlered6780 , " I didn't vote for him" !! That's a riot because I didn't either! It amazes me that the Liberals who caused their states to be shut down, causing the insane fuel, food, housing prices, IRA's to become worthless, are voting for more of it!

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

I will never live on a slab. Concrete is radioactive.

[@Mirror576]

Could you please talk about ICF vs SIPs vs Framing vs Omniblock?

[@situational.analysis]

Another great video. If it were longer or maybe a different video, I'd like to see one with the first floor decking as an elevated or suspended slab. My design extends the first floor out beyond the perimeter of the foundation footprint.

[@JS-jh4cy]

When digging out an crawlspace for making a basement how the heck do you waterproof wet poured concrete? I can't see how to insulate the outer side unless a person frames plywood to hold insulation panels steady beforehand then you wire in an rebar framework then pour in concrete upto the bottom of the crawlspace bottom cement edge

[@JS-jh4cy]

Then work like hell for a long time on rest of the basement

[@hhova29]

Nice video. A general question, how high can I make a basement ceilings? I would love to make my future home build with high ceilings. My current home the ceilings are low at 7.5 ft high and one section at 8 foot.

[@roxannewilliams1923]

I second this question, would assume deeper excavation would require either a lot more personal labor or larger excavation equipment which also runs a higher rate /: where you live would determine that, look into where you live or would like to live; what the cost of renting the equipment or companies that own it run.

[@slavtune]

Honestly even if it's 30k more, it's still worth it. I would not want a house in the north without a basement.

[@petero6090]

Why so? Curious.

[@snivvelslurderagementai2560]

@@petero6090 actually it doesn't make sense to not have a basement in the north because you still need to dig footers etc.. below the frost line and it's just a few more additional feet and you have a basement.

[@338supermag]

@@snivvelslurderagementai2560 not true read the code book

[@338supermag]

I live in New England. It's a good reason not to have a basement. Canada gets it, they build on slabs all the time. Also most Bensonwood Timber Frames are on slab in the NE.

[@snivvelslurderagementai2560]

@@338supermag I am not saying you can't have a basement. I am saying it doesn't make sense not to have a basement. I don't know anyone that builds without a basement here in Ontario. Every house I have been to has a basement, old or new. It's also just financially beneficial if you plan to sell the house. Why build footers that go 6 feet deep when you can add 3 feet to get the walls and have a basement? I mean the additional 25k is nothing when we are talking about real estate here. However, when it comes to something like building a storage, work shop, utility shed, a cottage or a "mini home", I would definitely just put up a slab.

[@johnnylawson69]

This is a very good example. I wasn't expecting a detailed breakdown. For the last house we built, the cost of the basement, (excavating, poured walls, floors, drain tile) was $75,000. Up $40,000 from 2 years ago. At first I thought your price on egress windows was high, but after thinking about it, not the case. An egress window is only about $400. But by the time you add in the $1,000 window well, it's not that far off. I like the wells from St. Paul corrugating. They look like stone. Good video.

[@cterry7777]

That sounds more like it. Who is doing his excavating they only charge $600 more to dig out the basement? I want to hire them.

[@moehunter]

@@cterry7777 Same HERE on a 2,000sq/ft its $3k-$4k excavation cost on a large lot & up to $10k on a small lot that I have to truck dirt away! Full non finished basement Vs. a monolithic slab on a 2,000sq/ft its an easy $80k to $100k savings HERE

[@zackdreamcast]

Just ran numbers of slab vs basement in VT. Incremental cost increase for 1200sf was roughly 65k USD. 25k is a no brainer but that’s not a true cost. It was 25k extra just for concrete.

[@sinatrablu76]

Southeast Michigan i had house built. Builder told me total cost of basement was 38k, all plumbing...sump, crock, egress. 1700 square foot ranch house. 3400 square feet with basement.

[@benfitzgerald8736]

Are these fairly current cost estimates. I am planning a 3 sided walkout so hopefully mine will be 15-20% less than your estimate. Thank you for video

[@matsudakodo]

Walkout lots typically cost more.

[@jimpie231]

I’m in the Midwest (Chicago suburb) and 19 years ago I had a home built in a regular subdivision. The home was a 2240 Sqft and came with a 1/2 basement & a crawl space. I opted for a full basement for $3800 more (2 extra full egress windows were included). I also opted for a 10” higher basement for $5800 more (this also included 10” concrete walls instead of 8” thick walls and the foundation went up, rather than deeper in the ground). These were some of the items I couldn’t do later unless I spent a ton of money. Other items I opted for were a 3 car garage, a cul-de-sac lot, foundation for a fireplace, lofted ceiling in entry and family room, 9’ ceilings thruout and a full toilet rough-in in the basement. When the home was being built, I was allowed by the superintendent of the builder to make deals with the subs for additional things, I added a rough in for a full toilet in the basement ($550, half of what builder wanted and put where I wanted it), extra faucet in master shower for a hand held unit), hot & cold water in the garage, ice maker line, laundry room sink, 2 access pipes (3”) from attic to basement (for antenna lines), a whole house fan rough in (in the hallway), a wall in the walk-in closet to utilize the dead space in the middle, header installed across the whole back wall for the fireplaces (so that when wall was cut out the whole house didn’t need to be reinforced), added a garage access to attic. Once I bought the home, I added downspout drains (to move water away from the foundation for 15 to 20’ away), 2 masonry fireplaces (one on the first floor & another in the basement), and brick veneer on the front of the home, a deck (had builder install the header below the siding), insulated and covered with 1/2” plywood in the garage (builder would not insulate garage), added 3/4” plywood pieces (free at building dumpsters) to make a storage floor above 1/2 the garage, added pull down ladder in builder installed garage access. Thanks…..Jim

[@shellderp]

so cheap and useful, and yet almost no one does it. I'm jealous of your house!

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

Costs are radically higher because of massive immigration since 1965.

[@kalan4787]

When you're comparing basement to slab costs, were you taking any design decisions into account like the costs for additional masonry leads to produce inside corners, etc? Or were you assuming a perfectly square foundation with 4 simple outside corners for leads?

[@byronlaw6724]

I wonder how this changes if you compare a redesign where what used to be basement is now an extra floor above a slab (to maintain the basement living space above grade).

[@nofurtherwest3474]

I've never seen this setup, I wonder why. Have you?

[@byronlaw6724]

@@nofurtherwest3474 Basically, it would be the same number of levels as the home with a basement, but the levels are essentially all above a finished crawl space (i.e. a crawl with a poured floor/slab). Finished crawl spaces aren't terribly common, but they are around.

[@stevewort]

No mention of a pier and beam foundation which my understanding is the cheapest option. And, what is the cost difference between a foundation and vs adding a third floor to a non basement foundation? I suspect it is way cheaper to build UP using timber framing vs building DOWN with the cost of excavation and a LOT more concrete (plus forms and all the labor )

[@evrythingis1]

Without that information, this video is useless.

[@scottback3020]

But the cost savings of a slab is lost when it’s time to renovate, plumbing repairs, add a bath, etc. No way I would ever consider building a slab home for myself.

[@littlered6780]

Actually Scott, not to mention, at least here in CT, that the $$$ saved will be lost in resale. Very few will want the home in VT with a slab.

[@TheImmortuary]

You should really do a comparison to a 2 storey home as well, because all the extra costs of the basement with regards to finishing it out, would also be incurred building out the equivalent living area on a second floor.

[@notentitledtoyourownfacts2551]

Exactly!

[@scottslotterbeck3796]

And take into account the height limit in your city.

[@nofurtherwest3474]

2 story is cheaper than 1 story given same sq footage.

[@timothywalsh1001]

If you must dig 4ft down for frost, it does make sense to go an additional few feet. The cost comparison is missing the aspect of additional square footage. A 2200sqft home is now approximately 3000. There's the additional bedrooms, bathroom, recreation room, etc. My favorite home was in Tennessee, with a full garage basement. ( it was huge ! )

[@mikeshih6121]

Thanks for the video, is it a good idea to have 10 feet basement?

[@DaveT0818]

I would be curious to have a comparison between the poured concrete basement walls and superior walls modular basement systems.

[@OpenBookBuild]

That would be interesting. Unfortunately, when I reached out to them when building the Open Book Build prototype home, they never responded. I think the problem might be that they have limited coverage area

[@billvojtech5686]

If you do a walk-out basement, can you eliminate the poured foundation wall on the walk-out side? Also, you might not need the window wells. How would you compare a house on a slab to a house built on concrete columns?

[@milesbradshaw9566]

Depending on your location, engineering costs for seismic footings, reinforcements (rebar), waterproofing, hold downs, hardware, vapor barrier, concrete mix design, insulation, and permitting can vary greatly so ask the architect what requirements may apply and he will tell you a good ball park of difference in price, In oregon the difference is about 32,000

[@spoapro]

How about to calculate from different perspective? To finish that basement will cost another 50k. Total 75k. You will have extra 1000 sq ft of the living space in the house. Each SQ ft currently running around $150. So you will have equity $150k. 150k minus 75k you spent to finish basement and you will have 75k equity in the house. Does it make sense or I forgot something?

[@snivvelslurderagementai2560]

only if you are hiring a contractor to do the work. most basements

[@donm2255]

I would love to see something on the cost difference between a garage floor on grade vs creating space under a concrete garage floor. This assumes a house being built with a daylight basement.

[@darrellgeerlinks1562]

That gets pricey as you need an engineered garage slab.

[@nofurtherwest3474]

@@darrellgeerlinks1562 But what about this comparison: 2 story house as such: slab with 1st floor "basement", ie the first floor would act as the basement (furnace, water tank, etc), and 2nd floor acts as typical first floor. Vs 1 story house with basement.

[@devmeistersuperprecision4155]

I am not a fan of bunker bedrooms. But in Vermont , I am finding that I need at least 5ft to the footer. So that is on e reason you find basements in many old New England homes.

[@bortsimons7457]

Great break down of the costs. For someone who just calculated a few conctrete walls (forgetting the wooden floor for the entry level) this might come in as a surprise. But paying just 25k for an extra level of insulated multi purpose area (unlike an outside shed). This sounds like a bargain.

[@SMLguys]

Great info, so in this example if he goes with the slab he is losing 1100 square feet, so is it cheaper to build on a slab and add 2nd floor, or do a basement? Would like to see the answer to that as that is my dilemma, do I go up or down.

[@ridingtheroad185]

I wish that was still the price. Going through the building now and $70,000. for our basement.

[@johno9921XC]

Howany sqft and what state?

[@nateg5915]

I wonder if you forgo a GC and rent the equipment to excavate and do most of the basement yourself how much money would you save? 🤔

[@JoeGarcia-on4fg]

I agree there are going to be additional costs than a traditional foundation. However, do not forget there will be no need to for framing or at least very little, no need to apply siding or veneer. Don’t understand the 12,600 for flooring flooring and stairs. If you added a second floor wouldn’t you still need this?

[@manleynelson9419]

You don't recommend adding a moisture barrier membrane on the interior of the basement?

[@christianerickson6062]

Honestly if someone were to ask me before this video I would have guessed 40k. For someone looking to want a basement with no intention of finishing it, this is great news!

[@nateg5915]

Im with you but I think it all depends on location. Probably in middle USA you can get this done for $25/ square foot but in more expensive locations like NY, Chicago, LA im thinking $50k-$100k per square foot

[@123darkdeal]

What is the cost comparison if you do a full finished basement vs a 2nd floor on the house?

[@peterxyz3541]

Thanks. It gets me to the ballpark on the cost difference

[@AndresSanchez-it9ey]

Hey, can you make a video on how to price out material for a building out a home. With Menards you can buy the house plan and material needed to build the house at a cost up front which is very helpful in getting an idea of build out cost. Other websites don't give you that material list cost and it's very challenging for me to get a rough price on what material would cost. thank you so much!

[@nateg5915]

To me it's not even a question. Basement without a doubt. Not only can you finish it for extra living space on the cheap, you can house all the mechanical stuff and appliances that would take up living space from a house on a slab. Regarding the price for the basement I honestly thought it was gonna be a lot more. Especially here in NY where building is so expensive. I was thinking upwards of $40k to have that basement added

[@captainamerica9353]

Ha, I bet it would be $40K in NY!

[@rrarra]

What is the name of the waterproofing membrane used on the outside?

[@kybble]

Good info for basements but what if you wanted block/brick walls. Is that something done anymore. How about just leaving existing floor and just replacing walls only. Thats what I would like to know. I'm in Illinois and basements I love. safety from tornadoes privacy and seclusion when you just wanna get away or need extra room.

[@Heather-xw6tv]

Could you do a cost analysis with the same square footage. On slab vs basement?

[@dbdouglas]

It may make sense to just do half as slab & half as full basement, depending on needs/finances. Is that ever done?

[@OpenBookBuild]

Yes, some builders do a combination slab/basement...or a crawl space and basement.

[@ToddBizCoach]

With a slab/basement combo only way it’s done in most of Midwest is garage is on slab. With half slab for home not much cost savings as you are still constructing 4 walls for basement.

[@star-cursed]

I'm going with a slab foundation after seeing how much people struggle with stairs should they become injured, disabled or just getting older. Hopefully I make it through life without getting injured or disabled, but I doubt I'll be able to avoid aging (unless im very unlucky) and I would hate to struggle doing day to day things like laundry, cleaning, minor repairs because the machines/equipment/tools are stored downstairs. And it's not just about me, but other family members as well. If an aging parent comes to stay, they'll need everything on the main floor in order to use it themselves. Or if your pet has an accident downstairs (and us pet owners know that happens more often downstairs in 'secret' than on the main level), no one wants that going undiscovered for weeks, sinking into the flooring. If you and your whole family are able-bodied, then I see the use (I grew up with a basement and it was awesome staying up til 4am watching tv down there while my parents slept upstairs), but they lose their utility if the stairs are a dangerzone and can even be a great burden if things you need to use are stuck down there (IE the washer & dryer).

[@nofurtherwest3474]

did you build a house?

[@jakes-tips]

How would you do a slab on grade insulated for cold climate areas? (ie without foundation wall)

[@cdjhyoung]

Considering building costs for the primary space of the home will be in excess of $200 a sq ft, adding a basement at $25 a sq ft seems extremely reasonable if you live in a part of the country that doesn't incur higher costs for excavation. If you also have an attached garage, you may find that including a basement under that part of the house is also very cost effective.

[@williammckinney9115]

You added in the cost of doing a floor system for the main level with the basement. Wouldn't you also need to subtract out the cost of material and labor for pouring the slab since it isn't needed? Would bring down the cost likely to $20k or less, correct?

[@OpenBookBuild]

Hi William. The cost of the actual concrete slab is the same either way…the basement has the same 4” thick slab for the floor

[@williammckinney9115]

@@OpenBookBuild good point, I didn't think about that. Thanks for clarifying!

[@dees9]

I have a 3k sq ft 6 bd 4 ba basement in one of my houses costed around 100k to finish 2 rooms were already done. Rent out rooms for 700 each total 4200. Total 7200 for the entire 10 bd house cashflow around 2k

[@Deelight664]

So what stops unfinished basement from becoming moldy and susceptible to pests? I've heard that slabs don't have these problems.

[@wheyez1]

I’m thinking of a basement underneath a mobile home. It doesn’t need the floor joists, but requires supports. It’s not to bad as I beams can run across the outer walls and run a middle Suport wall. Can you compare that to the regular support? I can order the mobile home with a door, but the stairs would be in the basement.

[@miked6592]

If you are planning on adding finished living in the basement, shouldn't you remove that off of the total footprint required? In addition, if you keep the laundry and mechanicals in the basement, shouldn't this also reduce the footprint required by the family? I do understand that it will still be more expensive, but I am not sure why they need the same square footage for slab & basement.

[@nicholascooper1193]

Exactly, it's usually cheaper to build up or down rather than out. We are putting a full bath, guest/spare bedroom (will likely later become a teenager bedroom), and large living room in the basement. The upstairs living room is small and more of a "sitting room".

[@CJHump]

I live in a state where below grade (basement), regardless of whether it is finished or unfinished, is not included in the square footage subject to taxation. That's a real deal.

[@MrDavidsuits]

I am thinking about building a basement master suite as an addition to my house with an living space above it the whole with of my house witch is about 36' and adding 22' in long I wonder how much that will cost?

[@kapdolkim1914]

I wonder how much cheaper a Walkout is? I hate basements but walkouts are great - still lots of light and no moisture or water issues.

[@jayb.8460]

Not bad since this video is only a year old. I was expecting higher. 😮 I want to sell my house buy land and start off by building a basement first. And then build up from there with additions, I live in Arizona and am always thinking of ways to keep my water and food storages at a constant temperature even when the power goes out. A basement will definitely help with that.

[@62saki91]

what if it's more a recess into a hill, rather then a basement, and what if you are using ICF's to pour up a second or third story?

[@terence4427]

Thoughts about slab and a partial basement?

[@chesterogilvie1393]

What would be the better option, ICF formed basement versus the panel moulds then exterior sprayed waterproofing and insulation?

[@eddiestephens5213]

Where we live, crawl spaces are most common. How would they compare?

[@OpenBookBuild]

Hi Eddie. It depends on what type of crawl you are looking to build. In the midwest, the crawl space foundations are typically built just like the slab foundation with a four foot wall but we dig out the dirt in the center leaving a 3'-8" clearance between the crawl space slab and the underside of the floor joists. Building a crawl like this is crazy in my opinion and you might as well go with a full basement because it can be finished. Just my two cents though...

[@eddiestephens5213]

@@OpenBookBuild thanks! We are in NC and the ones I have seen here have a dirt floor with a vapor barrier. For some reason basements are rare. The soil is clay so not sure if that plays into it. Btw, I love your videos! My wife is from Cleveland and all her family are still there.

[@tcbridges]

Wonder what the difference between a basement or crawl space or be just to a Mono slab

[@buddyitzy9899]

I have a hill that I'd like a partial earth coverage of basement, with storage container against basement on uphill side, storage unit completely covered by soil or rock, with a hole in side of s.c. which connects to basement. Kind of a tornado shelter/shop s.c. S.C. end door would be away from road, and covered by slanted roof to keep rain out. House would be like old barns where dirt ramp to 2nd story/lower story(basement) for shop. Could have 2nd story deck extending out over basement on downhill side. I'd paint the roof metal to look rusted, side metal siding would be horizontal and painted to look like old grey barn wood or log, with dovetails painted in end pieces.