If you have used good contractors in the area, call them and ask who they would recommend.

300K +. Mostly labor. Difficult to access areas that are structurally critical aren't ever going to be cheap to do. Selling the house and buying one with the basement that you want will be cheaper.

Contractors present whole projects, not pick apart estimates. If you want to cut costs, just don't do the project at all. There is nothing at all cheap about hand digging a basement in Westchester. Or anywhere else for that matter. 90% of the project costs are the structural construction components that you can't do anything about eliminating.

@apple_pie_cider - I lived outside this area for some time and don't know a lot of contractors. I did contact one I worked with 10+ years ago. I gave them the plans and then didn't hear back (although I think they had a death in the family and I do plan to touch base with them). The contractor I have used recently for smaller jobs isn't up to this one and he didn't know anyone.

@shivece - Thanks for the info. I am wondering if the reason the contractor wanted to build an elaborate entry was because it would be necessary to expose the exterior of the foundation wall to get the equipment in. But he should have said that.

@Sophie Wheeler - the estimate for a finished basement was less than $300k, so you are incorrect. I have been having trouble finding information on this and I am very wary of estimates like $60k I see thrown around on message boards. I am aware it is an expensive job, but it isn't $300k.

@GreenDesigns - It makes a lot of sense that if 90% of the job is the structural work then it is cost efficient to just do it all up. But I need a contractor who is willing to say that. I am not going to sign a contract for a job this expensive with someone who is being evasive about the source of the costs. I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a contractor to be able to say what it would cost for just the structural work. I paid a fee of several thousand dollars for rudimentary plans (and i made it clear from the outset that I really only wanted a basement). I wasn't wasting anyone's time. If he had simply said, "You will only save 10% by eliminating the extras." I could have gone from there.

I was hoping to do it for < $150k. If I can't, then it probably isn't worth it. I can just get the crawlspace area sealed. This is not a job I am going to try and cut corners on. I just want a better sense of what it *should* cost. Based on the estimate I did get and the responses here, I am guessing it might be close to 200k. But I hope I can confirm.

Not many companies will take on to do this type of a job. You need to find a company who is specializing in structural work and after all that work is done, you can start looking for a regular constructing company who can finish your basement...that is why you having bad luck finding a contractor or when you do they're not returning because they cannot handle this job.

GN Builders - that makes a lot of sense. If the contractor's profit margin is in the finishing and they have to outsource the foundation work, then a customer who only wants the foundation work isn't going to generate enough profit for them.

But they obviously won't say, "Hey, just go direct to my foundation guy." I can understand that.

Do you think a company specializing in structural work be willing to deal directly with a homeowner?

All Around Grounds - I was disappointed with the detail in the plans and they are not stamped.

I understand that people would not want to bid off them. I would be willing to pay an engineer for plans if I I was reasonably sure the job was economically feasible, but it seems like it may not be.

If you are in the DC metro region, send me a note. We dig out about one basement a year. It is expensive as mentioned by others, and certainly requires an experienced professional. But for the homeowners who've hired us, they wanted a basement and did not want to move. I'm attaching a link to a time-lapse video we made so you can see what a dig out actually looks like. https://www.houzz.com/discussions/basement-addition-90-sec-time-lapse-video-of-basement-digout-dsvw-vd~2831523?n=1

Good job on finding a contractor who understood what you wanted. Some contractors only want to work on portfolio projects, not practical ones. Nothing wrong with that approach but it can be difficult to find the guys who do good solid basic boring work.

30K for an unknown scope of work is not anyone's idea of a less costly project. Especially since it doesn't include anything.

Pics of the project?

Sure. but not until tomorrow or Saturday.

It's just a dingy unfinished basement,. But it is a palace compareded to the "before."

.

Wow! Glad you made it work. I'd be interested in being referred to your contractor. I'd like to drop about 400 sq ft of our basement a couple feet lower, along with a handful of other reno projects we're considering. We're in Jersey, so potentially within the work area of your person.

I'm also interested in knowing a bit behind how you went about getting the estimates. Did that cost money? We've got basically 7 projects in this house we bought of varying levels of scope and priority. And we're interested trying to get a ballpark figure for what kind of cost we're looking at, so we can decide if and when to take on each of them.

Also, would love to see those photos!

Just checking to find out did you have this basement sealed? A Healthy Basement Certificate is offered up in your area. Grate Drain products offer the contractors a lifetime transferable warranty that your basement will never leak.

Thank you so much for continuing to post updates of your project. We (giants) are in the same boat with our new house (built for hobbits). We have a huge basement and a large third floor that are both about 6'1 ceiling height which is just brutal because we have lots of space-- it's just not usable space. If there's anything that irritates me-- it's wasted space. Space to break, heat, clean, repair, maintain but not use? Another house in this neighborhood would be impossible to find so moving is not an option and space is at a premium so I do not want to add on. Anyway, thanks again for all of this info and for sticking with the thread despite the some of these illogical and aimlessly hostile responses.

I've been looking all over for a contract company to lower the basement floor of an existing home in Wisconsin. Anyone with advice, please reach out! Thank you!

Hi,

I am moving to westchester and am interested in learning who your contractor was?

hi @janedoe2012; glad this worked out for you. We're on the west side of the river in NY. Would love if you could share contractor name. Happy to provide my email address.

this was very interesting @janedoe2012 as i'm planning to do the same in westchester. Would love to speak to your contractor as well! thanks very much.

I tried to carry out such work myself, but without success. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to turn to the professionals I found on the site https://csgrenovation.ca/bradford/basement-renovations/. Otherwise, I would have to pray that the rains would not wash away the foundation of the entire house. My hands are growing out of my ass. This is the only excuse for me.

Though I discovered the question too late, it immediately remind me an article I just saw. Maybe will be useful for someone: https://medium.com/@a.zond/the-basics-of-basement-design-58ae02e9ceb9

I did one in a small house. Benched the foundation and finished it. I was only going down another foot and a half. It’s a huge dirty job but some of the prices you are quoting are insane. I also did a Waterguard system and a sump pump because just in case.