Good basement construction starts with solid, strong soils. Foundation and building footings must be placed on solid ground, or what's called undisturbed soil. Undisturbed soil is soil that has been in place for thousands of years. No one has dug it up and filled it back in. It was compacted by Mother Nature with gravity Liquid and capillary water should be kept out of the basement assembly using surface drainage, below grade drainage layers, perimeter drains, and capillary breaks. Vapor barriers should be located on the exterior of basement assemblies allowing inward drying to the basement space where moisture can be removed by ventilation or dehumidification. by Kevin Daum,Janice Brewster, and Peter Economy Building Your Own Home FOR DUMmIES‰ 01_557092 ffirs.qxd 1/20/05 3:09 PM Page i. C1.jpg Basement Construction Checklist Before your home buyer's dream home can become a reality, your basements must be built with the same quality construction standards you use throughout your homes. These easy-to-understand drawings provide some of the construction techniques you need to make your home buyer's dreams come true. Excavating for a basement: Basement elevations can vary dramatically based on what the intended use and topography are. If the grade falls away and allows for a walkout entry that is a plus. Many of the new energy homes are incorporating the basement as everyday living space such as bedrooms and family rooms. Building services are likely to supply the basement from above, and drainage from the basement is likely to require pumping. Risks. Compared with building higher, building down can involve more risks. The complexity of basement excavation increases with the depth, a higher water table and a more congested site. framing in the construction of houses. However, to provide this efficient wood house, good construction details are important as well as the selection of mate^ rials for each specific use. Three essentials to be considered in building a satis- factory house are: (1) An efficient plan, (2) suitable materials, and (3) sound construction. The The foam greatly reduces heat transfer through the masonry and framing, and it eliminates the need for a plastic moisture barrier later. Be sure to use adhesive formulated for use with foam (about $3 per tube) when insulating basement walls. Conventional construction adhesive won't work for insulating basement walls. Family Handyman Energy Efficient, Durable, Healthy John Straube, Ph.D., P.Eng presented by buildingscience.com Building Science Corporation BuildingScience.com Basements No. 2/73 This presentation • Basement functions • Basement Performance - Problems - Causes Building upon the successes of Understanding Architectural Details this anticipated second instalment takes the student or professional into plenty of depth as we move to the basement to cover all that the professional needs to know and understand for solid basement design and detailing 10. ICF Basement Cost. A basement built with ICF walls are the same cost or less than a comparable insulated concrete or block basement wall. Utilizing Fox Blocks for Basement Construction. The Fox Block Series is an ICF wall system that performs well on both above and below grade walls. The Fox Block Series comes in a variety of shapes that 10. ICF Basement Cost. A basement built with ICF walls are the same cost or less than a comparable insulated concrete or block basement wall. Utilizing Fox Blocks for