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> Most (if not all) problems are related with bad construction Underground houses or basements are plagued with this kind of problem because they seem to be re

by DanBC 6y ago

> Most (if not all) problems are related with bad construction Underground houses or basements are plagued with this kind of problem because they seem to be really difficult to build properly, and really expensive to fix once they've been built. I've never met anyone who's been happy with their basement. I've lived in four places that have basements (a mix of newish builds (since 2000) and old (1800s) builds and the basements have always been terrible, even if there had been extensive work making them less horrible.

throwaway0a5e 6y ago
One of the key things that led me to buying my house is that the original owner finished the basement in the 1920s shortly after the house was built and there was not a spec of rot on anything or any indication of moisture ingress. That and the walk-in access made it absolutely perfect for my use.
erinnh 6y ago
Seems like it's got a lot to do with experience with this kind of house. In Germany most houses have basements, and while yes, some do have problems with wetness as well, that's more of an exception. I currently live in a souterrain flat, that is quite nice.
rwmj 6y ago
My grandparents' house had a basement, which was cold but it was never damp. As kids we loved playing in it. The thing is looking back I realise that the entire "ground floor" of the house was raised a good 6 feet up, so the basement only went a short distance into/under the ground. In fact the basement had a door which led straight out into the rear garden. (The "official" back door of the house was at the top of a flight of stairs). So that's how you build a basement that doesn't get damp :-) In London this seems to be quite a common design for Victorian-era houses which is why many basement flats have access to the rear garden.
- superhuzza 6y ago
  >the basement had a door which led straight out into the rear garden. This is called, rather descriptively, a "walk-out basement".
city41 6y ago
Where in the world were these places? Our basement is just fine. But we are in Michigan where houses pretty much must have a basement due to frost. I wonder if the builders in areas like this have more experience with them.

by DanBC 6y ago

throwaway0a5e 6y ago

One of the key things that led me to buying my house is that the original owner finished the basement in the 1920s shortly after the house was built and there was not a spec of rot on anything or any indication of moisture ingress. That and the walk-in access made it absolutely perfect for my use.

erinnh 6y ago

Seems like it's got a lot to do with experience with this kind of house. In Germany most houses have basements, and while yes, some do have problems with wetness as well, that's more of an exception. I currently live in a souterrain flat, that is quite nice.

rwmj 6y ago

My grandparents' house had a basement, which was cold but it was never damp. As kids we loved playing in it. The thing is looking back I realise that the entire "ground floor" of the house was raised a good 6 feet up, so the basement only went a short distance into/under the ground. In fact the basement had a door which led straight out into the rear garden. (The "official" back door of the house was at the top of a flight of stairs). So that's how you build a basement that doesn't get damp :-) In London this seems to be quite a common design for Victorian-era houses which is why many basement flats have access to the rear garden.

superhuzza 6y ago
>the basement had a door which led straight out into the rear garden. This is called, rather descriptively, a "walk-out basement".

city41 6y ago

Where in the world were these places? Our basement is just fine. But we are in Michigan where houses pretty much must have a basement due to frost. I wonder if the builders in areas like this have more experience with them.