Building a new home, basement or crawl space, is the price that much different ?

Answer 1

I would go with a basement (As long as your not in a flood zone, because a basement will cost more with Flood Insurance) A basement adds value to your home especially if you decide to finish it.

Answer 2

You aren't even CLOSE to providing any useful information to BEGIN estimating costs. Even with a location down to a specific address, you need a structural engineer to do an on-site inspection before you can determine if the project is even possible. If the ground under the crawl space is not stable enough, it may cost more to expand the basement than to tear down the house and start over.

Answer 3

The price can vary, because if you use a basement that means more fill to remove and more concrete to pour. I would say up to $15,000 based on prices in Chicago. But go with the basement if you can afford to do so. It gives you a lot more space for a reasonable amount of cost. Also helps resale values.

Another option is to half a half basement where half of the foundation is crawl space and the other half is full basement. A tip if you can make the basement nine feet tall because if you ever finish it the ceiling will only be a little above eight because of air ducts and vents. One more tip, make sure if you do a basement you do the undergroud for a bathroom before pouring the floor, cost should be less than a $1000 but is much much more if you decide to do it later.

Answer 4

I'm sure it costs more for a basement but think about how a basement can be used: Storage, workshop, play room, wine cellar, completely finished living space. Your home will be that much bigger and worth more money.

Crawl spaces are not useful for anything other than getting access to plumbing, wiring and maybe air vents. They add nothing to the value of your home.

Answer 5

Basement = increased market value. Yes, it'll cost more upfront, but worth the investment.

Answer 6

If you can afford it, go for the basement. True you will pay more for the basement when you build, but down the road, you will be glad you did. With the basement, of course you will have more of an expense with materials, digging and labor, but if you ever sell your home later, you will get your money's worth and more. I am in the early stages of building a home as well, and a builder-friend of ours strongly encouraged us to go with a basement. The difference in price will really depend on how large the home is that you plan to build. The best thing to do is check locally with contractors to get a ballpark figure on how much you will spend either way you go. It was suggested to me to visit display homes in new subdivisions and get quotes for same home on the different foundations just to get a better understanding of the cost. Some places were willing, others were not. I read this article recently, it may help you with your decision of basement or crawlspace.

http://www.thehouseplanshop.com/22/content/Beneficial-Basements.php