Basement vs. Crawl Space in New England (Connecticut - CT)

[Philip Pape]

Hi everyone, this is about new construction in Connecticut (CT).

Roughly 85-90% of homes have full basements, and I think there's a psychological expectation in the market for a full basement in New England, to the point where the market might value a 2,500 sqft house WITH a basement more than a 3,500 sqft house with just a crawl space.

My question for other developers or real estate agents/brokers out there, is what are the pros/cons of a crawl space over a basement?

- Up-front cost difference
- Energy (heating) costs
- Comfort
- Resale value impact
- Anything else that's relevant

When I say crawl space, I mean a non-ventilated, moisture-protected (vapor barrier, waterproof spray, and sand/gravel), heated space, NOT the dirt-covered, ventilated space of old.

Thanks!

[Cooper Bert]

@Philip Pape We have the same percentage of basements in Central PA.  Note that basements are considered a plus in most areas where the water table and other issue present challenges for constructing a basement.

We do our own construction and use very few subs so i know the pros & cons of basements firsthand.  I'm assuming you are talking about a poured basement with proper waterproofing, ventalation, etc.

• The foundation/basement is the most expensive part of the build. 
• The foundation/basement is the least sexy part of the build.
• The foundation/baseent is the most important part of the build. Get this wrong and you are screwed.
• Basements do not increase the appraisal value much because they are not considered above ground living space for obvious reasons.
• The basement does provide a cheap space for utility units and storage.  These must be provided in what could be higer cost finished living space otherwise.
• My guys HATE to build or rehab with any type of crawlspace ... due to the crawling invovled ... and the lack of space.  Plumbing, HVAC ducting and electrical are a pain with a crawlspace.  We don't buy slab homes for rehab period. Subs may charge more to work in tight crawlspaces (they don't look tight on the plans but they ARE tight).
• We minimize the foundation cost with home designs that go vertical for two stories. Same foudation cost with twice the livable square footage.
• We maximize the foundation basement cost by adding slab rooms to the sides of the basement foundation.  Examples - breezeway between garage and house, office to side of the front entrance, media room on back of house, etc.  Anything without plumbing can be easily installed on a slab as long as there is an adjoining basement foundation wall and overhead access. It's possible to add 50% or more to the main floor SF with the use of slab wings. 
• A modern, poured basement can easily be finished and waterproofed IF constructed correctly.  Don't think of the musty, damp block basements of old. 
• You can create very cool living spaces in finished basements BUT don't put bedrooms down there or you get into all kinds of restriction & regulations (by state of course so YMMV). 
• A finished basement WILL increase the sale appeal of the house.
• A finished basement CAN be advertised as "square footage" for rent.
• A finished basement CANNOT be used as above ground living space for appraisals.
• A finished basement SHOULD NOT but sometimes IS used as "square footage" in MLS listings.

I hate the cost of foundations but we determined early on to bite the bullet and always build with basement foundations. We build them correctly to avoid future CapEx, always build them to finish quality or so they could be finished later and maximize the cost with vertical and horizontal expansion of the build.

Hope this helps.  Good luck with your build!