Problems of Digging Out a Crawl Space and Making a Basement

If you really need and desire a functional basement space, this is a project that makes sense for the professional do-it-yourselfer who has experience with basement expansions or the homeowner who can budget the expense of having the crawl space professionally converted into a basement. Besides yielding a small return on this large investment, there are common problems encountered in this project.

Local Building Codes

Building codes may prohibit the digging of a basement in your area. Contact the local building department to apply for a permit before beginning your basement construction.

Foundation Support

Do not approach digging the basement without a calculated plan, or you may render the house structurally unsound. Identify the foundation and structural supports that hold up the rest of the house. Some components may require reinforcement, such as constructing sublevel walls and pouring a new foundation before, during or after the digging begins, and you must factor in a safe digging distance from the supports to uphold the structural integrity of the house.

As the American Basement Solutions website states, "You cannot remove the soil that falls in that 45-degree line from the underside of the footing." To safely maintain the structural integrity of the foundation, the company recommends using the same digging measurement as the distance measurement to maintain from the footings.

Grading

A common problem with crawlspaces and basements is the grading of the soil around the house. Improper grading does not slope down away from the house, which causes moisture problems in the basement during rain. Correct any grading problems before approaching your crawlspace conversion. As you dig out the soil, the foundation area beneath the house will become more susceptible to water damage problems. Correcting this problem will save you repairs in the future.

Water

Natural underground streams have been discovered during property dig-outs. It is possible that digging out a crawlspace may reveal a natural water source beneath the house. This may even be the reason why the house wasn't constructed with a full basement to begin with. Prior to approaching your renovation, contact your local building department to look at the building plans of your house and any detailed property records that may specify the location of underground water sources or pipes.

Pests

Unearthing a pest problem is not something to look forward when digging a basement. It is possible to disturb underground insect and animal homes that may cause them to enter the rest of your house.

Hauling Dirt

It is not as easy as it sounds -- digging a basement is a back-breaking job that involves hauling out all of the removed dirt from the basement area. This is a group-effort job that will take several days to weeks just to dig and haul the dirt alone.

Encountering Solid Rock

Discovering large rocks in the soil will make the job of removing the soil problematic, and they may bring the job to a halt if they are impossible to remove.

Pouring Concrete in a Basement

Pouring concrete in the new basement conversion is just as difficult as hauling dirt out of the basement. Be prepared to work with a team of people move the concrete into the basement, pour it over the floor and float it to a smooth and level surface.