About 87% of German home owners see the basement as an essential part of their home. Other studies have shown that 92% of home owners who have a basement in their present house want their next home to have one too.
Typically, basements contain storage for anything from skis to wine. The ‘living basement’ can contain sauna and fitness rooms, home offices, children’s playrooms and guest rooms. Improved construction and water sealing technologies to keep out groundwater and humidity have made basements a more accepted ‘additional’ living space.
Cost versus value
The search for cheaper and faster building methods has caused some debate in Germany about whether homes should be built with or without basements. Total building costs for basements range from about £12 000 to £26 000, which indicates that attractive savings could be achieved by building without. Studies were therefore carried out to find the true costs of building with and without basements.
These claim that the building of basements adds only about 5% to overall build costs, but pays dividends in providing 35% more living space for a single-storey home. Furthermore, in the German market where homes with basements are commonplace, it was found that secondhand homes are more difficult to sell if they do not have one. The long-term appreciation in value of houses without basements compares unfavourably with those with, as a survey of estate agents showed.
The technology
Both insitu and precast concrete construction are commonplace, but the trend is for precast because it offers the advantages of prefabrication: speed of erection, high quality and cost savings because no formwork is needed. Modular basements are available, which are assembled from three or more concrete elements of external walls with base plates delivered straight from the factory. Modules are delivered to site with wastewater pipes, openings for windows and doors, and shafts for wiring or pipework.
Source
Building Homes
