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All about basements

For most houses the basement walls typically form the foundation of the home. In warmer climates, houses often do not have basements. In colder climates, the foundation must be below the frost line. Unless constructed in very cold climates, the frost line is not so deep as to justify an entire level below ground. Some designs elect to simply leave a crawlspace under the house rather than a full basement. Most other designs justify further excavations to create a full height basement sufficient for another level of living space. Even so, basements in North America are typically only 7 feet 10 inches (2.39 m) in height rather than the standard full 8 feet (2.44 m) of the main floors.

The concrete floor in most basements is structurally not part of the foundation; only the basement walls are. If there are posts supporting a main floor beam, these posts typically go right through the basement floor to a footing underneath the basement floor.

Many older buildings today are of brick and mortar construction. This creates a sturdy, solid building that just won’t fall over no matter how hard the winds blow. The downside to brick construction is that it is rather susceptible to corrosion by the elements.

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About basements