Garden Level Basement or Standard Basement

11 years ago

Hey everyone - great site with tons of useful information! My fiance and I recently signed to build a new home with a local builder here in Colorado in a planned community. They have 8 different floor plans and we ended up going for the larger two story plan.

The lot that we are building on is considered flat by the builder, but it does have a bit of a slope to the left and rear of the lot, but nothing too extreme and nowhere near as sloped a full walk-out lot. We have been looking at a couple of different renderings where the side-load garage can be located on either the left or right side of the house and are nearing the point where we have to make a call one way or the other.

If we did the right side, we would have a standard basement and a poured concrete patio in the back of the house. If we opted for the left side location for the garage, we would end up with a garden basement and the possibility of either a patio or a deck depending on if they are able to grade the lot adequately for the patio. Either way, the cost will be the same for us.

We are planning on staying in this hope for the long-term (10+ years at least), but if the job situation changes, we may need to sell. In the near term, we will plan on finishing the basement in the next 2-3 years so that is a consideration as well. Given that the cost for the garden level will not be passed on to us, I was just interested to hear everyone's opinions on the pros/cons to a standard and garden basement? Which one would help when it comes to resale time?

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Comments (2)

sue36
11 years ago
What do you like better? My personal preference is a house where the entire first floor is almost at ground level. I don't want to walk down a flight of stairs to get to the yard.
rosie
11 years ago
Co, in general I'm with Sue in that I love to be able to stroll directly out into the garden.

However, a very good situation to end up with would be option B, where the garage is at house level and all other main-level doors open to and from garden/yard level--*those gardens levels actually being large enough for good function and good living.* Then, a partial daylight basement with windowed room(s), much more useful--and valuable--than completely underground.

To make this decision, it would really help for your builder to decide whether they can grade adequately for a patio. Decks soaring high above the ground can be wonderful, but this isn't that situation, so in your case, I'd say no to a deck and specifically request patio grading. Decks deteriorate very fast compared to patios, even given the extra maintenance they require, and a deck installed as an alternative to spending a bit more in grading and getting a patio usually comes across as what it is--a budget install. I would even be willing pay a bit more to get it if necessary, considering it money very well spent. Later on, if desired, a concrete patio could also be upgraded by paving it over to become part of a lovely garden with the maturing plantings. Most people won't pay a whole lot more for a particularly pretty back yard, but houses with them do sell very fast and for more than otherwise, so it's very smart to give consideration to nice design in the first place.

Also to consider, BTW, is how would the two back yard levels be connected and what functions each would serve. Our son's upper concreted brick patio overlooks a simple pond and bird bath on the lower, surrounded with loose brick they laid themselves. It's very shady down there, and moss grows between the bricks and ferns around the edges. Easy maintenance and very pretty from both above and his basement office. Farther out, the lawn sweeps across the entire yard.

A deck might allow a gradual grassed slope close to the house, where a patio might require either steps, which could range from rocks set in the slope to something a lot more expensive, or strolling out farther into the yard to access the lower level by a once-again easy grassy slope like our son's.

You might want to look at pictures of pretty back yards, and maybe neighboring yards, to help you decide what you both really like.

Enjoy your decisions. :)
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Garden Level Basement or Standard Basement

Comments (2)

sue36

rosie

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