Do you build a deck or finish a basement if you can only do 1?

[Matt Swartzendruber]

Which option adds more value to a home? I know that below grade square footage isn't as valuable as above within the house, but how does it compare to adding a deck?

Thanks.

[Dawn Anastasi]

If it's a cold climate, a basement can be used year round. The summers are nice because it's cool down there and the winters are nice because it's extra space for holiday gatherings. In a cold climate you generally have to shovel off your deck when it snows and really don't use it. So I would say a basement is better.

In a warm climate, you'd like to have cookouts and gatherings outdoors so it would seem a deck would be better.

This is not based on anything scientific, just observational.