converting crawl space

[Dave Brandt]

Spent the weekend in SC looking for a "retirement" home and found one we both liked, but it didn't have any shop space :eek: ! It did have a very narrow (6 or 7 feet wide) basement running the entire length of the house at the back of the house (lowest point of the lot). I can't imagine why anyone would have a house built with just the partial basement, but that's what it is, so I was wondering what kind of effort and cost might I be looking at. Any suggestions? Thanks,

p.s. By the way, the house is lakefront and also looks across a small cove at a beautiful par 3 (the course's signature hole).

[Todd Burch]

The 1/2 basement is to store all the golf balls that will end up in your yard.

[Dave Brandt]

Funny Todd! Actually, there was a perfectly round dent in the downspout closest to the hole. I think whoever hit it used too much club, cuz the hole is only 125 yards, and the house is probably 150 hards from the tee and a good 100 yards to the right of the green! If I didn't know better, it could've been one of my shots!

[Jim Becker]

'Just a thought, but there may be a ledge or some other big hunk of rock that precluded making a full basement. I only say that due to the proximity to the lake...if it's a natural lake, that may be one possibility. If so...it will be difficult, if not impossible to expand the basement in the same footprint. Shopping for a home can be so much fun...especially when you have some "expectations" that need to be met!

[Betsy Yocum]

Dave - for a basement - my two cents would be I'd worry about humidity- if that's a problem then you will have to install a dehumidifer - which will further decrease your space. Sorry - that sounds gloomy - but the good news is that if you plan it right - you can still have a good shop - just not a large one.

Good luck

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dave...had a friend who built a home on a golf course. We were invited over for supper a couple of times. It was a constant alert watch for incoming golf balls while dining on their patio/deck. Did I mention they sold the place?

[Sparky Paessler]

Dave

I am in the process of digging out my crawl spaces to increase the size of my workshop by about 210sf. Sounds like the back of your basement is above ground so you could cut a garage door size opening into the basement and use something like a skid steer loader to dig out the rest of the basement. As long as there is not rock and depending on how solid your dirt is you should be able to dig up to with in a couple of feet from the walls. If you have support posts you might want to stay further from them. Or you can dig them out and replace them with a post to the basement floor. (only if you really know what your doing). I am going to lay concrete block walls and then pour a concrete shelf over to the wall of the house in my basement.

Sparky

[Chris Padilla]

Dave,

I, too, have aspirations to replace the crawl space under my house with a full basement. My wife thinks I am nuts (what's new? :) ) but I grew up in Colorado and thus always had a basement. I was in shock when looking for a home here in the Bay Area (well, sticker was the big one! ;) ) as it seems basements do not exist.

The easiest way to dig out my crawl space would be to tear up the garage floor and start digging from there. The house would need to be raised, however, and that entails pouring footers for a large I-beam that would temporarily hold the house up.

I have a pool that is about 5 feet from the house (the long way) and that might need emptied to reduce side-pressure. I also have a ~250-year old Oak Tree not far from the house and that may have some nasty roots to cut through or it may stop the basement dig short. Anywho, real rough estimate of 90-100k came through. Sigh, that is a lot of money per square foot but it is the only way to significantly grow my house.

We could move of course but things are very pricey here and we do love the location and neighborhood...it is great for the kid, too.

[Gary Max]

Storm shelter ????????
You might find it alot cheaper to build your shop if you have enough ground.

[Dave Brandt]

Anywho, real rough estimate of 90-100k came through. Sigh, that is a lot of money per square foot but it is the only way to significantly grow my house.

:eek: $100K :eek: Looks like I'll be looking somewhere else. I was thinking if it were in the $20-40K area, it just might be doable. If I do wind up getting an estimate, I'll make sure I post the cost per square foot here. Thanks all!

[Chris Padilla]

Dave,

Don't let that scare you...every house is different and California is expensive to do anything in....

[Sparky Paessler]

Dave

I have a friend that hit rock while digging his basement out. He had a crew come in and drill the rock and blast it out! (Not something I would do :eek: ) The house was fine afterwards. I guess if the people doing the work really know what they are doing anything is possible.

Sparky

[Chris Padilla]

There is some group and they are seen quite often on The Discovery Channel that regularly blows up buildings/structures because it is often cheaper/faster than a wrecking ball and crew.

There are explosive experts out there that can blow a top off a bottle and not damage the glass. :)

[Jerry Olexa]

I agree w Jim. I think they hit ledge when digging and went w a 1/2 basement. I'd look @ other options instead of digging or blasting (free standing or add-on extension). FORE!!!:)

[Tom LaRussa]

Spent the weekend in SC looking for a "retirement" home and found one we both liked, but it didn't have any shop space :eek: ! It did have a very narrow (6 or 7 feet wide) basement running the entire length of the house at the back of the house (lowest point of the lot). I can't imagine why anyone would have a house built with just the partial basement, but that's what it is, so I was wondering what kind of effort and cost might I be looking at. Any suggestions?Dave,

This one is either easy as pie or totally impossible, depending on how much you are willing/able to spend and whether I understand your position correctly.

I take if from your description that the lot slopes downward from front to back, right?

So, all you do is slap a big deck on the back of the house.

Your shop goes underneath the deck, i.e., the deck is the roof, (actually on top of the roof), of your shop, which is at the same level, elevation-wise, as the current mini-basement.

[Dave Brandt]

Tom, Why is it that the simplest solution can be so darn hard to see!?! Thanks!