Are basements common in Arizona?
Though basements are not a common feature we see here in Arizona, a basement can be the key to unlocking potential and getting the most out of your lot.
“It's easier to build without a basement if you were doing assembly-line construction.” In addition, fear of earthquakes was often cited as a reason for the dearth of basements in the Golden State.
Frost Lines
Building foundations need to be below the frost line in order to avoid freezing pipes. The frost line in northern states tends to be several feet below ground, so basements are a helpful addition. In the South, the frost line is closer to the surface, so building deeper isn't necessary.
So basically, builders don't want to spend the extra time and money. "In colder climes builders have to dig the foundation down below the frost line, whereas in Arizona it only needs to be about 18 inches. That's about it in a nutshell," said Marshall Trimble, Arizona's official state historian.
Because the ground doesn't freeze in Phoenix, you only have to dig 18 inches below the surface to pour concrete footing for a house. If you want a basement, you'll have to go out of your way to dig deeper. That's complicated by a common soil phenomena in the state called caliche.
Flat Roofs
This style originated in warm Mediterranean climates and are fairly common in Phoenix and Tucson. Typically flat roofs are seen on large commercial facilities such as warehouses, retail outlets, and office buildings—although they do also appear on individual homes.
This is especially true in places like Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and eastern Texas. States that have a lot of swamp land or wetland territory, as well as those with significant amounts of coastline, simply have too much water in the ground to make most basements feasible.
Most parts of Florida, Louisiana, and eastern Texas have swaths of wetland or swamps or significant coastlines. So, there's just too much water underground to make basement construction feasible. Water, in some cases, is less than one meter (3.3 feet) deep.
According to Texas Monthly: In some parts of the state, the water table is too near the surface of the ground, making leaking and flooding an issue. Sometimes the bedrock is too close to the surface, making digging more difficult and costly. “Expansive” soils can make a basement unworkable.
For starters, it's kind of a cultural-historical thing. In cities such as Santa Fe or Tucson, where there was a strong Spanish influence, there were walls. They were for the protection of livestock or for safety, but they were low walls that you could see over.
Why do Arizona homes not have gutters?
Many homes in Arizona are built without gutters due to the low amounts of rainfall in our state. But the truth is you should consider adding some to your home when you don't have them. And if you do have gutters, you need to give them regular maintenance so that they do their job well.
They are drawn by Arizona's warm weather and low taxes, as well as Paradise Valley's privacy, spacious lots and proximity to city life in Phoenix and Scottsdale.
Arizona Housing Market Forecast 2022 & 2023
Here's Zillow's forecast for the metro areas in Arizona. None of these MSAs of Arizona is predicted to see a home price decline in 2023. Rising home values and listing prices, combined with limited inventory, indicate that Arizona's housing market is tilted toward sellers.
One big reason downtown Phoenix lacks taller buildings is its proximity to Sky Harbor International Airport. Valley National Bank wanted its new headquarters to be even taller, but the plan was quashed by the FAA.
Much of the reason is likely traditional. Homes were built from Adobe clay bricks, and the wind, rain and sun degrades the bricks over time. The native american Pueblo people, and then the Spanish would cover the bricks with a layer of mud each year or so to protect the bricks.
The homeless encampment in Phoenix has grown to over 800 people from about 250 last year. Service providers say rising rents, high inflation and the end of the eviction moratorium play a role. RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: More than 800 people who don't have permanent housing are now camping out near downtown Phoenix, Ariz.
Because of the shell-like exterior, stucco homes require much less energy during hot or cold months. Stucco is designed to do well in desert climates, like found here in Las Cruces and Southern New Mexico, where there is little moisture.
Unlike wood, concrete won't rot, doesn't need to be painted and is more stable. It also provides more privacy and insulation. And instead of shipping lumber or stone from elsewhere, masonry blocks could be built locally — with Phoenix being at the forefront in developing such masonry techniques.
Hazards commonly found in basements include toxic chemicals, pests, mold, indoor air quality issues (such as dangerous gases) and fire hazards that can affect all rooms of the home.
A basement is a useful place to live, work or store items, even today. Some people choose to have a fully furnished basement that functions as a bedroom, while some leave it mostly unfurnished and choose to look at it as more of an additional storage space.
Why can't you live in a basement?
Basements have features that expose the people living in them to certain risk factors, like mould, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, and radon. Risk of flooding, sewer backup, etc.
A slab-on-grade means no basement, no basement walls, just one slab of concrete on which you build your house.
And while some homes are better built without basements because of moisture issues, there are still millions of existing basements that need help. The reason we have basements at all is because years ago people needed to have frost-free spaces before the days that heating systems kept homes above freezing all the time.
To create a basement in an area where bedrock is prevalent, explosives would be required. The cost is too much for most people. Another problem is the damp soil and high water table in the state. Water seeping into basements could lead to dampness and mold, creating a safety hazard.
They call it a “Yankee basement” or, well, sometimes a “root cellar,” where basically you take the interior perimeter of the foundation wall, move in about 2½, 3 feet and then dig down there. So you leave this sort of berm of soil to support the foundation that's under the footing.
In areas with colder climates, such as the Northern states, the frost line tends to be at least four feet beneath the ground. It is also commonplace for houses in colder areas to have central heating systems, and a basement serves as an excellent storage space in this regard.
On average, in the United States, basements are most commonly found in the Midwest. This includes states such as Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri.
That may be a sizable number considering the cost: about $80,000 to $100,000 on top of the sticker price for a typically sized basement, which come fully finished and with windows.
A basement is a useful place to live, work or store items, even today. Some people choose to have a fully furnished basement that functions as a bedroom, while some leave it mostly unfurnished and choose to look at it as more of an additional storage space.
And while some homes are better built without basements because of moisture issues, there are still millions of existing basements that need help. The reason we have basements at all is because years ago people needed to have frost-free spaces before the days that heating systems kept homes above freezing all the time.
Do Californians have basements?
Many do, not all do. Basements are usual in areas where the frost line…the depth at which the ground freezes…is more than, say, 2 or 3 feet. Foundations must extend below the frost line to be free of heave damage from freeze/thaw cycles.
Even though deserts are known for their extremely hot temperatures, it can also get very cold at nights and in the winter, making the costs of heating and air high year-round. Stucco is energy efficient and provides insulation for the building or home, helping to cut these costs.
It's widely agreed that poured concrete is the strongest foundation option for a house, and it can be customized to meet the needs of any home. It's likely always going to be strong enough to support any type of house built on top of it as long as it's poured properly.
For units in condo or co-op projects, the appraiser should use interior perimeter unit dimensions to calculate the gross living area. Garages and basements, including those that are partially above-grade, must not be included in the above-grade room count.