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Old 12-13-2010, 07:07 PM
Wolf Medicine Wolf Medicine is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 165
Default Be realistic.

All of this is ridiculous. You have to build to your conditions. And wood basements are not for everywhere. They are A cheaper alternative for those that can build in dryer conditions. No matter where you go there is A ground water line when you start digging. This is the level that is constantly wet regardless of surface conditions. It could be 20+ feet underground or in the case of my house 2 feet under the surface. If the water line in the ground is anywhere against your basement then wood is iffy as A long term option. You can build about anything. Quality and longevity is another thing. You can put A wood basement in with the water line against it.. And you will meet building codes. But one tear in that vapor barrier in the back filling and it is A long term problem. And even concrete fails. As I said above water line at my house is 2 feet below the surface and it freezes deeper then that so it swelled and cracked the foundation. This is due to the original builders doing A horrible job of drainage around the house. This is not A young house. But has A effectively useless basement. When I get rich I am gonna knock this sucker into the hole with my track hoe and start again. If they had done A proper job on the drainage surrounding to prevent the frost from getting to the water line around the house it would be fine. And if you can't drain it away you install weeping tile to shunt the water to the septic system and pump it away. Fact of the matter is anything that meets code is good as long as it is done right. And that someone takes the time to know what they are looking at when they go to plan their house. And how to give it the greatest longevity. EDIT. Loydminster area is quite dry I have many family members out in that area. Those that have basements area concrete but they are in the country..

Rhino.

Last edited by Wolf Medicine; 12-13-2010 at 07:16 PM. Reason: Loydminster area.
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