Peggy Levinson over at the D Home Blog is getting into Real Estate again. Obviously she does not watch my videos. Basements are getting more and more popular in Dallas as homes get larger and larger on smaller and smaller lots. The home I believe she is referring to — 3500 Beverly — has a basement and a turn-style in it for parking cars. The builder wanted to maximize living square footage and not waste precious Beverly Drive land on the cars, so he tucked them underneathe. I was chatting with the builder tonight at D Home’s Best Builder party. I’ve been waiting for the mud to dry up to run and get you some shots. This is a house you must see — it’s also one of the top contenders for “the Bush house.” (No comment.) But to answer all your questions: I’ve been told it costs about 1.5 times the building cost per square foot to build a basement — but with today’s building costs, that may be twice. So if your home is priced at $200 per square foot, building a basement will make it cost at least $300 psf. They do not build basements in Texas as often as they do up north — as kids we all used to play in the basement, roller-skate, everything, it was so much fun — because of our shifting soils. Some worry about ground water seeping in. But basements can be built, you just have to do them right and may want to include a sump pump. The folks at Ventura Custom Homes tell me they triple-lined the basement of their gorgeous home on 3415 Beverly with all sorts of stuff to keep out water. That home holds a bedroom, media room, wine cellar, exercise room and safe room underground and it is very cool in the summer. I think we’re going to see a lot more basements, so get used to it.
There are little creeks and tributaries all under HP. Hope those “big Dogs” don’t sink!
Our home on 3500 Beverly, has 4839 sqft for parking 7-10 cars comfortably in the basement. Also an additional 5307 sqft ac footage. With the waterproof concrete we use, sump pumps, and waterproofing memebranes it makes the subgrade living comfortable.
Candy,
When you say 50% more psf do you include that usable SF in the calculation? Say 2,000 SF floor plate on main living area. Add a basement with an additional 2,00 SF. Total liveable is now 4,000. Does the $200 psf to build moving to $300 psf in relation to the 2,000 SF house or a 4,000 SF house? Thanks!