In our next house, we are planning to have a basement. Now for some reason they don't appear to be very common in Australia. I've made up a list of pro's and con's:
Pro:
- Extra floor space, no footprint
- Cheaper heating and cooling - earth is a natural insulator
- Ideal location for rooms which do not need windows so the natural light available above can be better used
- Makes your place look smaller than it is - less attractive to thieves?
Cons:
- Cost!
- Any legislation such as emergency exits
- Are you legally allowed to have bedrooms on the basement floor?
- Are you legally allowed to have a (ground floor) garage above another room?
Rooms which could go underground:
- Wine cellar
- Home theatre
- Storage
- Safe room
- Possibly garage (but then it would be a "hidden" basement!)
Any comments, ideas or suggestions?