Dear Jim: I have an older foundation that needs to be replaced plus I have some drainage issues. But I would also like to add some additional space in my basement and I’m wondering if this work should be done at the same time, and is a dig out a lot more expensive than a foundation job?
A significant number of our older homes are having settlement problems, cracking, sloping floors, drainage issues, and other infrastructure problems related to their 100-year-old foundations which may need replacement. Is this the time to add more space in my basement? It’s a common question from folks looking to expand their home for additional family members, creating a second unit, or just wishing for an additional bedroom, workshop or office, utility or media room, storage space, etc. (or all of the above).
The Pros of a New Basement Renovation
If significant foundation work is in the cards, this may be your only opportunity to install new space under your home, as the new foundation design will be more substantial than the original to accommodate the taller spaces. Since basement work requires comprehensive drainage solutions, and will address any structural issues down under, so you will be killing two birds with one stone when doing this work.
Basement Jobs are Big Projects
You start with digging out more dirt than you can likely comprehend. Then you build tall, retaining wall foundations with lots of rebar, whole house drainage, new reinforced concrete floors, and adding new walls, beams, etc. along with seismic upgrades. This is typically around a 3-month project. The remodel is a bigger endeavor, usually taking 6 months and often requiring you to redo most of your plumbing, electrical and mechanical systems which are outdated and need to be moved out of the way.
Does This Make Sense For Me?
These jobs are a lot more expensive than most people realize, so it boils down to budget and need. You will likely spend around $600 per square foot (or more) on average for the renovation start to finish, with about half of that going to the dig out, the other half to the remodel.
A common strategy to help save on cost (if time is not of the essence) is to divide the work into two projects. Phase 1 is the dig out, prepped for the remodel, with the Phase 2 proceeding as time and budget allows, sometime parsing out the work to carpenters and tradesmen to save on money over hiring a GC for everything. By adding habitable space to your home you can increase the square footage and hence the home’s value, often above and beyond the cost of the work.
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Conversations with Your Local Contractor is a feature Jim Gardner of Jim Gardner Construction Inc. (with articles finessed by Kyra Gardner). If you have residential, homeowner questions OR ideas for an article you’d like Jim to highlight, please send an email to jim@jimgardnerconstruction.com.
Jim is a long-time Piedmont resident and has been doing foundations, drainage and basement renovation in your neighborhood since 1983. To schedule an estimate or for more information please go to our website at jimgardnerconstruction.com
