The Big Dig: Digging a Home’s Foundation

Well, today’s the day we’ve been waiting for… they’ve dug the foundation! Not only does it look really deep standing at the edge looking down, but of all the foundation types to choose from when building a home, a basement foundation probably takes the longest, so patience is a must.

Houses with poured concrete foundations need to cure for about a week typically (weather permitting). But, now the first step in the physical building process has been started.

Home plans with basement foundations are very common in the region where we’re building. In fact, it’s about the only type of foundation I’ve even heard of being built here. A basement foundation creates the opportunity to expand the home and finish the area into something very special possibly down the road. I’m not going to lie, we’ve already considered in a few years possibly finishing our basement with an extra bedroom, a full bath, a large gathering room, and an exercise room. Plus, a basement foundation is perfect for additional storage space. My husband already has storage shelves on his to-do list for after we move in.

Egress Windows

I found it interesting that our basement isn’t a walkout style, but it’s going to include a standard sized window in it, called an egress window, plus it also has four basement-sized windows. The slope of the lot takes this into account and there’s a metal enclosure around the larger egress window that would allow it to be accessed from the inside or out. This is an attractive feature since we didn’t want a walkout basement, but we’d love some natural light in our basement if we would choose to finish the space in the future.

There are many great ideas for finishing a basement out there and I’ve already started reading articles and paying attention to ideas for the future. It’s funny how all we have is a hole in the ground, and I’m planning major projects for the future! I think that is just part of being a homeowner.

The region you live in often dictates the home foundation types available. As I mentioned above, home plans with basement foundations tend to be most popular where we’re building, but down south often slab, crawl space or house plans with pier foundations are the only way to go. The high water table in most Southern states makes a basement foundation too expensive, and above all, a risky choice. If you’re starting to build a home, do you know what type of foundation is right for you?

If you’re looking for more great ideas for your home check out House Plans and More on Pinterest for tons of inspiration!