A metro Omaha developer is offering an unusual option to the new home buyer: a house with no basement.
The idea is that today's homeowner might want to spend money on, instead of a basement, features such as French doors, quartz kitchen countertops or a spacious third-story loft with sunny views.
But some people wonder if the no-basement option will fly in the Midwest, where homeowners traditionally have wanted basements as tornado shelters.
I don't understand why you would rather have french doors than a basement. You could add french doors later, its a lot harder to add a basement.
Based on what is in the article, sounds like instead of digging down they are building up adding 3 stories/loft space.
Also sounds like this won't be as cookie cutter as other developments.
The number of different elevations also is unusual. Elevation is an architectural term for outdoor features such as gables, rooflines and window shapes. While most developers offer four or five elevations in a price range, Charleston Homes offers 112.
"Where are all these homeowners supposed to go at 3 am when the tornado sirens sound?"
The same place I went went I lived in Texas...a closet or the bathroom. My son loves having a basement since we moved here from Texas. He was almost wiped out by his bedroom window when we were hit a few years ago.
When has a tornado siren EVER gone off at 3 AM? If weather conditions are such that a tornado comes through at 3 AM, you've got bigger problems than no basement.
I bought a house with out a basement and ABSOLUTELY hate it!!! No storage. The only reason I bought it was when I was moving here that was the only option in the small town that I live in. Brad is correct it is difficult and EXPENSIVE to add a basement after the fact. In my case, the house has a four foot crawl space for the utilities etc, just another 5 feet I had the basement. Just sharing my experience.[/b]
Someone is building a large house on the corner of 84th and Loveland Drive without a basement. Looks like it will have a phone booth sized storm shelter in the middle.
City of Omaha Building Permit wrote:
Project Description:
Single Family home
8402 Loveland Drive New Home Permit , slab on grade, one and one half stories, main level 3167 sq ft, second level 1464 sq ft, four car garage 1918 sq ft
Brad wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 11:12 am
Someone is building a large house on the corner of 84th and Loveland Drive without a basement. Looks like it will have a phone booth sized storm shelter in the middle.
City of Omaha Building Permit wrote:
Project Description:
Single Family home
8402 Loveland Drive New Home Permit , slab on grade, one and one half stories, main level 3167 sq ft, second level 1464 sq ft, four car garage 1918 sq ft
I saw that last week and was wondering what the concrete "booth" was for. At first I thought maybe they were putting in elevator.
Big E wrote: Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:39 am
When has a tornado siren EVER gone off at 3 AM? If weather conditions are such that a tornado comes through at 3 AM, you've got bigger problems than no basement.
-Big E
About 6-7 years ago, 230AM, Gretna to 120th & Center. That's when Jimbo LeFleur on Big Six got on the air after the storm had dissapated.
Last edited by damonhynes on Tue Nov 20, 2018 9:06 am, edited 1 time in total.
The main reason people build basements here, besides storage or shelter, is footings are required to bear on soil below maximum frost depth, which is 3'-6" in our area. It's not much more expensive to just dig a basement, or build a split level with the basement sticking a few feet out of ground. Frost depth gets deeper the further north you go and shallower the further south you go. In the southwest, you can just do a thickened slab around the perimeter. Rocky soil can be a factor too.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings" ...and then they were gone.
GetUrban wrote: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 pm
The main reason people build basements here, besides storage or shelter, is footings are required to bear on soil below maximum frost depth, which is 3'-6" in our area. It's not much more expensive to just dig a basement, or build a split level with the basement sticking a few feet out of ground.
I've seen "slab homes" around here. Not very many, but they are here. Older parts of LaVista come to mind immediately as well as a few in CB.
IIRC the Leavittown homes were all built on slabs as well, and those (Philly area, NYC area) definitely have frost.
I cannot imagine having a home in the Midwest with no basement. They are always noticeably warmer in winter and cooler in summer than the remainder of the house. Then there is the “tornado” factor.
nativeomahan wrote: Sun Nov 25, 2018 11:30 pm
I cannot imagine having a home in the Midwest with no basement. They are always noticeably warmer in winter and cooler in summer than the remainder of the house. Then there is the “tornado” factor.
It is standard down in Oklahoma. Flat house with a tornado shelter. Not sure I would want one for the same reasons you outline.
GetUrban wrote: Tue Nov 20, 2018 12:53 pm
The main reason people build basements here, besides storage or shelter, is footings are required to bear on soil below maximum frost depth, which is 3'-6" in our area. It's not much more expensive to just dig a basement, or build a split level with the basement sticking a few feet out of ground.
I've seen "slab homes" around here. Not very many, but they are here. Older parts of LaVista come to mind immediately as well as a few in CB.
IIRC the Leavittown homes were all built on slabs as well, and those (Philly area, NYC area) definitely have frost.
Yes, but they still have a concrete or block wall or grade beam extending down below frost level, even if the house just has a slab-on-grade floor or crawl space under a wood-framed floor. It's possible the building codes didn't require it way back when, I suppose.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings" ...and then they were gone.
Most, but not all of the homes, built around 1960, in the neighborhood bounded roughly by Harrison, 42nd, Giles and 38th in northern Sarpy county are slab homes. It was known as "Electric City" since the homes were all electric (even had the old inefficient electric baseboard heat). It was considered very modern at the time.
