Basement conversion

[sargentrs]

I don't really have a basement but my crawlspace is 12' high on one end. Dug it down to make it level for a 10' ceiling height about 5 years ago and have just been piddling around down there, calling it my "man cave". Finally decided to get off my butt and do something about it so took a week's vacation and did this...... Here's a few "BEFORE" pics....

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[sargentrs]

Now's here's the "AFTER" shots....

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[sargentrs]

Couple more pics...

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Now I have a real MAN CAVE!

[forrestbump]

Randy,

I'm jealous! You've done a Great Job and should be Proud of Yourself!!

[basketcase0302]

That came out nice Randy! Lot more room it looks like.

[Mancar1]

You did a good job. Looking good.

[fordman]

so you dug it out by hand and put the block walls in as the new foundation? i bet that was alot of work.

[sargentrs]

Thanks for the kudos guys. Fordman, well, yes and no. I did dig it out by hand but the block foundation was the original. My house is built on a mountain. My lot slopes steeply so my original block foundation is 2' high in the front right corner, 6' in the back right, 8' in the front left but 12' high in the back left. This makes for one heckuva crawlspace but it's sloped in every direction. 4 sets of 2' square block piers 10' apart in every direction. I started in the back left corner and began digging my way toward the front right, shoveling the dirt toward the back left to fill that corner to 10' ceiling height. When that reached it, I started wheelbarrowing it outside. Finally stopped when I had a pretty level 20' square from the corner out and started building. Pick axe, shovel and rock bar all the way. I finally gave up when I was digging into a 3' high red clay bank. I'd swing the pick end of an 8# pick axe, double handed overhead swing and the pick would only sink 4" into it! Man, that Georgia red clay is tough! I started 5 years ago and worked hard at it for 8 weeks to get the bulk of it done. I built a couple of shelves between the piers, leveled off a few spots for various purposes and picked away at it ever since. Finally got tired of half a$$ing it and did something about it. I'd considered trying to cut a door in the block and get in there with a bobcat but my wife wouldn't let me Given my track record of destructiveness, probably a good idea.

[67mann]

nice job Randy No fun moving dirt the old fashion way----my crawl space ranges from 10" to 3' wasn't much fun upgrading the plumbing & heating no swinging an pick axe down there.....just keep dragging the shovel

[sargentrs]

I hear ya! Got an old guy friend (70+ yrs old) that dug out under his house on a 2 block high foundation. Started on the outside and dug a 4'x10' trench down 7'. Set block steps as he went down, hauling the dirt up in a 5 gallon bucket. Slowly dug his way under his house, pouring a concrete pad 1 bad of quik-crete at a time. He'd dig a few feet in one direction and brace the floor joists of the house. Then go another direction and so on. Finally built a block wall around his pit and set ceiling joists on top to support the floor of the house. He now has a nice little 10'x12' room under his house with a concrete floor, block walls, ventilation fans, workbench and seating. Took him about 5 years to do it, one 5 gallon bucket and 1 bag of quik-crete at a time. Just whittled a way at it, a few hours a week. He's retired and had nothing better to do with his time so just thought he'd see if he could. I hope I've got that much motivation and initiative when I'm his age.

[Scoot43]

Those are both great stories. Good for you. I have read many articles about this because I have a part of my foundation with crawlspace 12' x 30'. Once in Finehomebuilding a guy did go underneath the house with a bobcat and he built a high-end wine cellar. But I know a local guy who dug his basement out by hand. His wife said she never wanted to see a bucket of dirt again in her life. I guess she helped.

[sargentrs]

Definitely a labor of love. I got a quote from a guy who's done several excavation/basement's of this type. $50K! And that's just excavation, support, concrete and framing around the perimeter. WAY out of the budget. Not something I'd want to tackle myself though. I'm pretty good but not THAT good! Later on I might tackle a few more feet but for now it accomplishes what I need. Thanks!