Basements – the good and the bad

Houses that have basements are considered top property choices among potential house hunters. Most of the houses built on a budget don’t have basements primarily because the construction cost of a basement is fairly high. But for this one-time expense, the basement provides extra functional space for as long as the house stands, so the decision to include a basement in your plans should be an easy one to make.

While basements come in extremely handy, they can quickly become troublesome if not managed properly. Let’s take a look at some of the best and worst features of basements below.

Basements at their best

Basements at their best provide the owners with many benefits, such as:

• Basements in houses offer extra storage space to residents. It is no less than an entire floor that can be used for storing items ranging from suitcases to bicycles and from barbeque grills to exercise equipment.
• In Pakistan, the weather can get very hot and humid in some areas. This hot weather combined with constant power outages make basements highly desirable. Since basements are subterranean, they are heavily insulated from all sides and therefore maintain a cooler temperature in summer and a warmer temperature in winter. This is also why storage cellars have traditionally been built into basements across the world.
• Building a house is not as easy as it was even a decade ago. Due to rising construction costs, many people are forced to opt for smaller houses with less frills. A basement is a very efficient way to create extra living space on a small plot.
• Basements typically have smaller or sometimes no windows, so privacy is pretty much guaranteed. Having a separate entrance for the basement will make it more functional for private use such as a gaming area, studio or formal drawing room.

Basements at their worst:

If not managed properly and maintained carefully, basements can become a matter of serious concern for people, however.

Since basements have smaller or sometimes no windows, they normally don’t have a passage for natural light and ventilation, which can provide the perfect environment for mildew and mould growth.

• Because they are below ground-level, flooding in the rainy season is always a concern with basements.
• Because of a less functional entrance, moving large furniture pieces in or out of the basement can also be troubling.
• Even though basements ensure privacy, they are not always the quietest places in the house. Anyone living in a basement is vulnerable to all sorts of noises coming from the ground floor.
• Basements often become harvesting grounds for small insects such as spiders and mice, which at times can be quite unsanitary.

But most of these problems arise from poor maintenance, so keeping a basement clean and in regular use would help you keep it safe from all sorts of uninvited ‘guests’. So, basements, if maintained well, can be really beneficial. And by the way, if you have a basement, keep it occupied or your kids will always be scared of it!