What is meant by the term "Walk-Out Basement"?

Question

What defines something as a walk out basement, versus just the first floor of a two story house?

Acermill and cottagstan - so, would it be safe to say that, if it is a "raised ranch" style home, with concrete steps leading to the entrance way, inside there is a small flight of steps up to the second floor and small flight of steps down to the first floor, and none of the walls of the first floor are covered by dirt, then its not really a "walk out basement", but in fact, just the first floor of the house?

The front entrance stairs bring you to a landing in the house that is half way between the second floor and the first floor. The garages are on the first floor (you can walk through a door from the garage to the family room on the first floor). There is a sliding glass door leading out of the family room, and there is also a doorway leading out of the guest bedroom on the first floor. Its my dad's house. In an ad the realtor ran, they refer to it as a walk out basement. I think that is an erroneous description. It is a 2 story raised ranch, no basement. None of the walls on the first floor are below ground level at any point.

Answer 1

Its a split-entry!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not a ranch or a Rambler. Some split-entrys have basement and some do not, to have a basement part of the foundation must be below grade. If you walk up stairs to the entry and open the front door and you are on a landing between the 1st level and the 2nd level then its a split-entry. The garage, family and utility and sometime a bath will be on the lower level and the main living area will be on the upper level.

Answer 2

A "walk-out" or "daylight" basement is a modern architectural form where the house is situated on a slope and part of the basement is above ground. Occupants can walk out at that point without having to use the stairs. For example, if the ground slopes downwards towards the back of the house, the basement is at or above grade (ground level) at the back of the house. It is a modern design because of the added complexity of uneven foundations; where the basement is above grade, the foundation is deeper at that point and must still be below the frostline.

In a "look-out" basement, the basement walls extend sufficiently above ground level that some of the basement windows are above ground level. Where the site slopes gently and is insufficient for a walk-out basement, a look-out basement will result. Sometimes, a look-out basement is deliberately constructed even on a flat site. The advantage is that the basement windows are all above grade. The disadvantage is that the main floor entry is above grade as well, necessitating steps to get up to the main floor. The raised bungalow design solves this by lowering the entry half-way between the main floor and basement to make a dramatic, high-ceiling foyer. It is a very economical design because the basement is shallower, and excavation costs are minimized.

A “walk-up” basement is any basement that has an exterior entrance via a stairwell. Some designs cover the stairwell with angled “basement doors” or "bulkhead doors" to keep rain water from accumulating in the stairwell.

When initially built, the main floor joists are often exposed and the walls and floors concrete (with insulation, where appropriate). Unfinished basements allow for easy access to the main floor for renovation to the main floor. Finishing the basement can add significant floor space to a house (doubling it in the case of a bungalow) and is a major renovation project.

Answer to "Additional Information":
When you enter the front door, that is the main floor. Anything below that level is considered the basement. So fron the information you have provided, I would say you are talking about a walk-out basement.

Answer 3

To qualify as a walk out basement, there must be at least one full sized door exiting to ground level which is at the same level as the basement floor, or lower. In other words, a basement with a door which heads up an exterior stair to higher ground doesn't qualify.

It doesn't sound as if you have a basement at all, but what is commonly called a 'raised ranch'. Where I live, such structures generally have ground at least halfway up that 'first floor' you describe. If you don't have any ground above the level of the first floor, you REALLY have a 'raised ranch'.

Answer 4

Generally, the front entrance is at ground level on the SECOND floor. The grading will slope the land down towards the rear so that the rear entrance at ground level is on the FIRST floor, thus a "walk-out" basement.

Answer 5

It is a cellar, which has been converted to an apartment.