Basement or utility room plus wide garage?

Another point of the rough planning that is currently pending for us: basement yes or no?

I can see it with my parents right now, that the basement is increasingly "cluttered" – many old pieces of furniture for example – yes, of course, these are probably still worth something. Brand-name items, but 10-20 years old. And because they might still be needed sometime (or given away or ...) and there is storage space in the basement, these pieces of furniture are kept. Then there are garden furniture, many, many canned goods and long-lasting food items, beverage supplies for months, winter or summer tires, washing machine, dryer, tools and many, many things that have accumulated over decades and are stored in the basement.

In our consideration, first and foremost is: what do we need the storage space for?
- Bicycles
- Garden furniture in winter
- Beverage crates for weeks, but not for months
- Possibly a chest freezer for long-term food storage
- Tools, chairs, ladder, lawnmower (Here it might be better to buy a robotic mower instead of spending a lot of money on storage space)

And now our thoughts on that:

- Bicycles and garden furniture preferably in a large double garage (which would then be occupied by only one car)
- Beverage crates in the utility room
- Tools etc. also in the garage
- Chest freezer – we’ll see

The question is – is a basement worth it or is it better to design a sufficiently large utility room and add a double garage? What does a large double garage cost vs. a basement?

Is it worth keeping everything when you have paid 30-50k EUR for the basement, or is it better to throw some things away for 100-200 EUR but save 40,000 EUR?

Also, it seems to me that, for example, garden furniture and bicycles are better off in the garage anyway!? Every year I’m allowed to help when my parents move their garden furniture back into the basement... – so the garage actually seems more logical, right?

And a completely different direction: How much does an attic cost? Can you use this storage space? Is this generally possible with any 1.5-story house, or does it have to be a “larger” house? (Sure, beverage crates, bicycles or garden furniture don’t work in the attic – but for example Christmas stuff, tools, possibly a chest freezer...)

Hello Grym, I used to have a basement and am happy not to have one anymore. Exactly for the reasons you mentioned. Bicycles should remain on the ground floor, whether in the garage or a ground-level storage room. How many people are you? The plan should be made accordingly: a vehicle for the children, ground-level parking is also suitable. Seasonal decorations can also be stored in the attic. But honestly? Who pulls out that attic ladder day in and day out? Always keep decluttering and plan a small utility room on the upper and ground floor: for laundry and decorations. Garden furniture can find a place under a roofed area (which can also be built a year later). A basement costs a lot of money and honestly? What is it needed for, unless you have two children and need living space to circulate on every floor.

Hi we are building without a basement. For necessary equipment and supplies, we have ordered a long prefabricated garage. It is in two parts. Part 1 is 6m long and 3.5m wide. That is enough for one car, a small workbench at the end, and maybe occasionally for a bike that is used daily. Winter tires can be hung on the wall, taking up hardly any space. Tools also go on the wall or in a workshop trolley. Part 2 is 3m long and also 3.5m wide. It comes behind the garage but is completely separated so that any musty smell from the garage does not contaminate stored food and other items. That is enough for supplies, more bikes, and possibly a freezer chest. Garden furniture can also be stored here over winter. The cost due to the extra width is about 15,000 EUR plus about 1100 EUR for the required strip foundations. If you take the normal width of 3m for both parts, the costs are around 8,500-9,000 EUR plus foundations. Execution as a precast concrete garage including floor slab integrated into the garage. With sectional door, electric drive, each with a side access door, without windows. For frost-proof light items like Christmas decorations, fishing gear, etc., we will use the attic. The carpenter laid 30m² of tongue-and-groove boards on the attic so that I can make the non-walkable wooden beam ceiling walkable myself. This storage space is of course not for heavy loads, as it is not planned in the statics. But volume eaters with little own weight can certainly be stored well there. A basement was never an issue for us. We are two people without (more) child wishes and do not want to clutter expensive rooms that you don't need without the clutter. Our bungalow also has a small utility room for washing machine, heating, and installations. There you will also be able to fit a beverage crate stand for 3 crates of water. If a dryer is ever needed, it will go on top of the washing machine. The rest will be shown by experience when the place is occupied. For later, a garden shed for garden tools, garden furniture, grill, etc. over winter is planned if needed.

We feel the same: I could never imagine living in a house without a basement. In our new (bought) house there is now no basement and I don't miss it. As the previous speakers said: plan rooms as storage space in the house and a larger garage. Everything is then easily accessible.

Hello,

there are also other points that should be considered when deciding "Basement - Yes or No":

- Land prices (with ground prices of 100 or 200 EUR per square meter, an extra large garage or a 20 sqm larger house footprint does not hurt either)

- Flat land or slope location (never without a basement on a slope)

We are building with a basement because we have a slight slope on the plot (2.20 m height difference over 25 m length) as well as being penalized with land prices of EUR 470 - 520 per sqm.

However, we have a fully functional residential basement in which there is only one technical room and one actual basement room - the rest is a hobby room and office / guest room.

Regards,

Dirk

We are not allowed to build a large garage. The dimensions of the house are also very limited. At €700 per square meter, you end up building a basement,... Besides, the plot was already excavated 1.5 meters below ground level. And: just storing the children's things upstairs would clutter our living space.