Two-story home on slab vs. one-story with basement
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| Posted in PassivHaus on
Hi,
I’m looking at building a Passive House (or close to it) in Pennsylvania. My kids are teens, so I had considered building a 1-story home and put the kids’ bedrooms in a finished basement. I had also considered a boxy 2-story on a slab.
Both arrangements have their pros and cons in terms to materials required (the cost of basement walls vs. more framing/siding/windows, etc.). I don’t think a lack of daylighting will be an issue since my kids are only in their rooms to sleep. Anyone have an opinion on the matter?
Thanks in advance!
Jason
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Replies
I think generally, slab on grade is going to be way cheaper and simpler to build. Good luck! You might also want to think about resale value (if that is a concern). In some regions of the country, people expect a basement but others, people don't care.
You need to have a window big enough for an adult to climb through in a basement bedroom.
As a residential designer, I do like basements; as they offer several advantages, assuming your soil conditions are not bad. If you install 36” concrete perimeter walls, going another 5 feet deeper to finish the basement can save on the budget; it also saves on heating and cooling equipment and operating its costs. Another cool design feature is that there is usually plenty of room to have entertainment, storm, storage and convenient mechanical rooms. A down side is they are dark if you don’t install several window wells (other than bedrooms) or if you could build a “view-out” or “walk-out” basements.