# What is a "partial basement"



## tomseeley (Jun 8, 2009)

My sister lives in MN. She's planning to move to GA. She's 9 days from retirement so you can imagine how dedicated she is to her "job"! She's browsing house for sale ads and she has run across the term "partial basement". 

We're both upper midwesterners even though I live in SC now. We know what a full basement is, under the whole house. We know what a crawl space is. We know what it means if a home is built on a concrete slab like mine is.

But what might the term "partial basement" mean?

One thought i had is a lot that's sloped enough that the basement is full height under part of the house but not under all of it. I owned one myself in Augusta, GA, that met that description.

Any ideas? Any and all gratefully appreciated!

Thx.

Tom


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## d189379 (Oct 20, 2011)

My guesses would be it either means a partial basement and a partial crawlspace, or it's a partial basement with a partial slab on grade.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Exactly, often done when the house sits on a slope.
I own one in VA that's 1/2 crawl space, 1/2 full basement.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

Where is she planing to move to?

My house is a split level, living room kitchen, main floor, up six steps to the beds and baths.

Down 6 steps to the laundry room and a particle room, then out to the garage.


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## jimn (Nov 13, 2010)

Partial basement can also mean a garage under the house. Part of the lower level is garage, part interior basement. Others have suggested valid meanings as well.


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## Tinker79 (Nov 3, 2014)

another option is what I have, half crawlspace due to an addition, newer half has basement, older part is crawl space, luckily they put a door to the crawlspace so we have access.


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

You can call the real estate agent for description and a photo. She should have someone representing her. Best would be someone who has no vested interest in selling/buying a house. All I can think of is house inspector from another real estate company.


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## MarkSindone (Feb 17, 2014)

In my opinion, the partial basement probably means the house is on an incline but a portion of it does have access to the great outdoors? But I'd be pretty sure that there are additional building requirements that will affect a basement like that though! I have no idea really, at the end of the day, if I can chuck a few moving boxes into a room that I have somewhere, that's really quite good enough for me honestly.


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## Mort (Nov 26, 2008)

Yes, being from Minnesota, she probably isn't aware of the topographical phenomena known as "hills." In some areas, including the one I live in, the land isn't flat, but changes elevation, often quite dramatically. Houses must be built on these "hills," and so they don't sit at an angle, a basement must be placed in one part of the home, but not the opposite side, in order to level it out.

:laughing: I keed, I keed, but that's what it's all about.


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

Mort -

Come out of your provincial shell. In MN, there are many hills and dramatic slopes (like a cliff and a 100' drop in 75'). Homes on slopes with walkouts and full basement heights (9') at the other end are very common. I have owned 3 so far and one that was earth bermed to get the benefits. - Even Iowa has some pretty steep hills that have partial basements with a walk-out.

The problem comes with the term "partial" basement that varies widely by region.

Dick


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