To Basement, or Not To Basement

Minnesota is well known for its brutally cold winters. Temperatures can easily fall to twenty degrees below zero, or more. Add in the wind chill and it could feel like fifty below. And for some reason, Minnesotans like to brag about it.

Cold temperatures will mean deep ground frost. That is the reason that codes in Minnesota state that footing depths must be 42" to 48" below finished grade throughout most of the state. You would not want frost to get below your footings and heave your building to a new elevation. Even a movement of a fraction of an inch can cause cracks in foundations and drywall. More movement could cause structural damage.

When you consider the frost footing depth, you begin to understand why so many homes and buildings in Minnesota have a basement. Just add another six or seven course of block and a floor system and you can gain another level of relative inexpensive living quarters or storage are. The basement offers room to expand with another bedroom, bathroom, or family room. A basement allows the furnace and other utilities to be off the ground floor, possibly allowing more area to add to bedrooms or living rooms. Of course, the drawback of a basement is that room must be found for a stairway.

During the last several years there has been a growing trend to build patio homes in the area. The patio home allows the ground floor to be nearly level with the finish grade and sidewalks, creating only one step or a small ramp to get into the house. This has been very popular with the growing senior population. Many of these homes also have in-floor heating which feels great on bare feet during those cold winter morning.

So, to basement or not to basement. That is one of the many questions you will need to answer before building your new house.

Choosing A Draftsman

Congratulations! You are planning to build a new home. You may have outgrown your present home, or you may be building the retirement house of your dreams. Whatever the reason you are building you will need to find a draftsman or architect to prepare your plans. Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a draftsman.

1) Experience - Does your draftsman have the experience needed to draw the plans for your home? With today's computer programs nearly anyone can draw a floor plan. A draftsman needs to take the plans beyond a simple drawing. He, or she, needs to be able to prepare the plans needed to succor the building permits and include the information needed for all the contractors, from the framers to the millwork installers. You will need a floor plan of each level of the building, complete with all dimensions, notes, and details. You will need elevation drawings of all sides of the exterior of the building, and maybe even a few of the interior. You will also need wall sections and other structural details.

2) Structural Knowledge - Does your draftsman have an understanding of structural bearing and loading? Does he understand floor loading, or how your roof trusses will be supported down to the footings? Where will posts and bearing walls be needed? Over the years I have seen several plans drawn by someone who knew how to draw a floor plan, but obviously had not given the plan any consideration as to how the floor and roof loads were to be supported. It is tough to tell people that changes have to be made to the plan so that the roof will not fall in on them during the first snow storm.

3) Codes and Zoning - There are few things more frustrating for a homeowner then to have plans for a new house drawn and then find out it does not meet local building codes, or fit on your lot. A house designed for Florida will probably not meet building codes for Minnesota. Choose a draftsman that is familiar with local building codes and zoning ordinances, or at least willing to find out what they are and draw your plans according to them.

4) Listening Skills - I have lost track of how many times people have come to me because their previous draftsman would not listen to their ideas and needs. A draftsman should be designing the house to your specifications, not the way he wants it to be. Of course, structural considerations must be taking into account. You the homeowner will be living in the house, not the draftsman. The draftsman should also be able, and willing, to make suggestions to make your plan better. There needs to be good communication between the homeowner and the draftsman.

Lastly, do not be afraid to ask questions and for references if you happen to be working with someone new to you. A good draftsman or architect should be willing to give you several references.

Designing A House: The Lot

It is time to design your new home. The lot will be the first thing to consider. The lot size, easements, setbacks, slope and drainage are just a few things that may effect the placement and layout of the house and/or garage.

The size of the lot will be the first consideration. After all, you cannot place a wide rambler-style house on a narrow lot. Be sure to check over your plot plan for any easements. Check with your city, township, or county for setback requirements. Easements and setbacks will decrease the "usable area" of your lot.

How is the lot orientated. How will you get the most sunshine to warm the house in the winter? You may want to design the project with the garage located on the "cold side", usually the north or west side. This allows the garage to act as a barrier between the house and the cold Minnesota winter winds, thus helping to keep the house warmer.

Highways, roads, and alleys will need to be considered. You will want easy access to your garage or carport, but you may not want your living room window positioned to watch the traffic of the highway as it goes by. If you have an alleyway you will probably want you garage placed at the rear of the lot.

Is the lot fairly flat, or is there enough slope to have some basement windows located out of the ground, thereby making the lower level more usable. If there is enough slope you may be able to have a walk-out basement with a family room as part of your plan. If there is too much slope toward the front of the house you may end up with a steep driveway, or a tuck under garage may be a possibility.

How the the water drain from the lot? Hopefully, it does not pool where you plan to place your house. If it does you will need to have some landscaping added to the cost of the project. Do not redirect your drainage to your neighbor's lot unless you want to have a lawsuit to go with the new house.

Many cities will have ordinances which restrict how much of a lot may be used by buildings. Be sure that your buildings do not exceed this percentage or you may find yourself redesigning your project when it comes time to get your permits.

Of course, their may be other factors or restrictions in your city, township, or county that could effect your building plans. Do your homework early and you will avoid problems later.

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Welcome to the blog of Hennen Lumber Company which is located in Freeport, Minnesota. Freeport is found along Interstate 94 in central Minnesota. Hennen Lumber employs ten people, including four draftspersons and estimators to help you plan your home, deck, shed, and farm projects.

The purpose of this blog will be to assist you, the homeowner, to learn how to plan your project, take care of your home, and what to look for when choosing materials for your projects. Topics will include designing a home, codes and zoning, and material comparisons.

Since Hennen Lumber is located in central Minnesota this blog will deal with issues relative to this area. There may be some issues of national importance that we may write about from time to time.

Knowledge is the key building block to planning and creating any building project. We hope you will find this blog, Hennen Lumber's Building Blocks, to be a useful tool in achieving your goals. Check out our website found HERE.