Foundations, Basements, and Two-Story Homes in Phoenix, AZ

Many people wonder why so few homes in Phoenix have basements. The simple answer is they're expensive. Adding square footage to a home is more easily done horizontally or even by adding a second story than putting in a basement. Basements typically cost about $40 to $50 more per square foot due to excavation costs, waterproofing, drainage, and cleanup.

In fact, the only reason many homes in northern climates have basements is because a home's foundation must be placed below the freezing line of a property's soil. The ground can freeze several feet in cold climates, so home builders that have to dig that far anyway realize they may as well to dig a few extra feet and install livable space in the form of a basement.

To Build Up or Down: The Debate between Basements and Second Stories
As little sense as it may seem to build a basement in a Phoenix home, it makes almost as little sense to build a second story. Heat rises and homes with second story are notoriously difficult to cool when the temperature is hot, an obvious problem in the Valley of the Sun. Naturally, this leads to a plethora of ranch style homes, but what if you're not a fan of the sprawling ranch house plan? In particular, Northeasterners and Midwesterners who are transplanted to the Phoenix-area are often baffled by the lack of both basements and second stories.

So, if you're building a home in Phoenix, the debate becomes do you build up or down. Despite the higher initial building cost, more and more homeowners are electing to choose basements as part of their home design. As any Northerner can tell you, basements tend to be the coolest area of the house. Plus, basements offer built-in privacy that second-story homes lack. Just make sure, as any competent builder will do, that the property is properly surveyed for a house basement before the building begins. This should be done, anyway, as sandy soil can present challenges to a home's foundation regardless of whether it includes a basement.

Phoenix Basement Remodeling
As more and more Phoenix home builders begin to offer basement house plans, an entirely new category of home improvement professional is rising: Phoenix basement remodeling contractors. Though many places around Phoenix have restrictions on building homes with unfinished basements, outlying areas are more open and the building codes may very well change as more homeowners express a desire to include a basement in their house plans. Plus, some older Phoenix homes were built with a basement, and these homes may need pragmatic waterproofing basement renovation, as much as drywall and flooring. Whether you want to build a home with a basement or remodel a current Phoenix basement, you may discover you need to request a general contractor with wide ranging expertise to get multiple estimates on your job.

Phoenix Concrete Foundation Repair and Damage
While modern Phoenix home builders thoroughly survey a building plot and have a number of different methods to combat the sandy soil of the Valley, older homes may not be so lucky and many decades of slowly shifting Earth may require repairing and/or raising your concrete foundation for the safety of your home. This project, though not commonplace, is a more frequent occurrence and concern of Phoenix homeowners. There are two things you should know about foundation damage: what the signs of trouble are and acting promptly.

Warning Signs of Foundation Damage

• Misaligned doors and windows
• Any cracks including floors, brick, stone, sheetrock, or the foundation itself
• Bulging floors