Basement size

Check the city flood maps. Then consider that with all the building going on they may be somewhat, old so expand the flood plain 20%. If you're prospective house is on dry land then buy it and have the best sump pump/backup you can find installed.

 

I would not reccomend a finished basement. You'll want to expand someday and don't want any walls blocking your plans. All your plumbing and electrical get's buried behind walls. Building layouts is messy business too. 

 

When you're having the kitchen and bathrooms redone is the perfect time to grab all the basement territory you can. Build the base of the layout so the wifey doesn't get any ideas that you need a pool table or extra TV room. 

Live by the American Ideal......"too much is just right"

Yank....I was wondering why a basement?  Are there other options or is the area you must live in a basement only proposition?

 

In our part of the country, there are a few basements but most are of the "walk-out" type.  What we did was to add a second story to our 4 car garage.  The second story above the garage has a 10.5 foot ceiling to accommodate the highrises I knew I was going to build for the layout.  The area is approximately 30 by 40 with no obstructions anywhere.  This is because we installed 18" engineered beams every 16" in the floor which divides the garage ceiling and the train room floor.  There are 16" engineered beams in the train room ceiling / roof every 16".  This allowed us to have a garage with no exposed beams and no poles in the way.  Same for the train room above.

 

Alan

Hello We made offer today on a house. basement size 1000 sq. for the house we are tearing it down to the basement. Future layout in 2014 Thanks for your for idea and comment will post pic this week Thanks

This has been a timely thread as my wife and I are in the planning stages of building a new home.   While the basement and increased space for the layout has been very important for me, there are many things to consider when building.  Additional ceiling height to me is very important in making a basement a comfortable space.  Poles can be hidden within the layout, so many ways to deal with them.

Basements are usually cheaper for the square footage and they are much cheaper to heat/cool than an upper floor or attic.

 

Hey Charlie, look into clear span engineered wood beams - you can eliminate a lot of posts.  I wish I'd known about before we built our place - posts can still be PITA.

To mirror the standard opinion, I personally think any area less than the size of the carrier deck of the USS Nimitz is too small.  However, like most people here, I'ver had to make do with what I have. 

 

I'd recommend buying a house without regard to the details of train space.  You can do a good layout in an 8 x 10 room, and if you have 75 x 40 feet, someday you will feel it isn't big enough.  Whatever space you have, it will be fun.

Amen to that.

 

But to get back to the original question, it's not so much a matter of how big is the basement, as it is how much of the basement will be available for your hobby use.  Inevitably, it'll also be used for storage, laundry facilities, perhaps even furniture.  You'll have to factor all those considerations in when thinking about your future layout.

Hello Thanks for the input. We are putting the wash and dry on the second floor it just easier then carry up three flight of stairs. We just meet the guy for the central heating and ac unit. We pick unit that has humidifier, dehumidifier and clean air system. I was told the dehumidifier would take out about 90 pints of water out of the air is day in the summer. Thanks

Charlie, If you are doing a new custom house I would use a floor truss system.  it allows you to put all mechanicals and plumbing up in the ceiling. This makes for a clean basement ceiling.  It didn't work out in my case.  Also, if you can find a lot, a south facing walkout is the best.  It doesn't feel like you are in a basement.  You never get all of your wants in a house.  Talk to you more later.

Dan 

P.S. The first "extra" upgrade should be SPRAY FOAM INSULATION.  This will make the house very warm and draft free.

If this is your first house make sure it's size is one you can afford. (ie you will be able to sustain it through an economic cycle or two)

My basement without any dirt around it.

May need a little dirt around it today, We are in a tornado warning area.

That's the size of my basement---1,000 sq ft..  And it's plenty enough room for me and my AF layout and operation.  Sometimes less is more.  I once mostly filled the space with 2-rail O scale and 48" radius curves but haven't used the entire space for the AF.  Part of it ran on a shelf through the laundry/storage room and bathroom which I might do again with the AF.  BTW, the small sink and toilet are a nice convenience.  I also have a small work area for my bandsaw and other workshop elements.  I have a Modine heater on the hot water heating system down here in its own zone.  I also have a dehumidifier for the summer that cost less than $200.  I still have plenty of room for my needs.  I'm not in any flood zone.  It might not be enough room for some but it works for me, and it's very comfortable and still roomy.

 

Phil 

Thanks Dan.  I found a lot and really like it.  I'm not sure a walkout will work on this property, but I'm still going to have plenty of room and headspace.  Laundry will not be in the basement, so it will all be mine.

As long as you are tearing the house down to the foundation, it may be a good idea to prepare the basement for the next 100 year flood that seems to be happening every 5 years. That would be a good time to bust up the floors and install a french drain and a sump pump. As you start to build your train room think about keeping things elevated with some high-end shelves. Make sure that anything on the floor will not get ruined by water.

And don't forget to post pictures while the room progresses.

Im in Bellmore, pretty much right on Merrick Rd. A lot of the houses south of Merrick got flooded during Sandy so keep an eye out that the moisture isn't still there  

Hello Update 1 We discover the basement bath is illegal and the back room off the kitchen. Former home owner cut thru the basement floor and dug 2 feet deep channel for the waste pipe. Not to code. Asbestos clean up is going big mess. Two weeks for that going to have cover the house with plastic I guest anyone from the island know what mess is buying from 1950 out here Thanks

Yank, definitely walk away from that one!  Remember the movie, "Money Pit?"

 

Phil

Oh yes, the hazards of houses built in the 50's; do it yourself projects without permits, asbestos, lead paint, aluminum wires, pennies in the fuse box.........

Unfortunately on LI finding a house that didn't have unpermitted work done is difficult... always check the property records. My favorite are those advertised with X number of baths and then the town records state 1. Unless the Realtor is good they typically don't even say anything until it comes up in a title search and you fall in love with the house.... Phil - You've got Money Pit right on!

1,000 square feet would be too small for me.  By time you add a small restroom, a work bench with a fridge close by, a small area with chairs and a table for follow 3-railers to sit when they visit, and some storage there would not be enough room left for the size layout I would eventually want.  Since it sounds like you have already bought the property, I recommend you expand the basement and put a single story house on it.  I have a two-story, 3,000 square foot house but the basement is only 1,400 square feet.  My neighbor has a 2,500 square foot single-story house on top of a full basement, and his basement seems huge compared to mine.

A dry basement is essential, and I thought I had one.  My basement floor is several feet above the 100 year flood line, and rain water drains away from the house on all sides.  However, this did not keep my basement from flooding during a hurricane.  Why?  Because I have walk-up stairs outside to the back yard.  During the hurricane it rained for 18 hours, 12 hours of which there was no power to the sump pump (the battery back-up only lasts one hour).  Since I was 2,500 miles away taking care of my sick sister, so I could not start my back-up generator to run the sump pump.  The rain came into the basement through the outside stairwell and the water line on the wall showed I had 4” of water in the basement before the power came back on.  So, if at all possible, try to have a gravity drain from your basement to the outside so you will not have problems during extended power failures.

 

Ron

Ron I sorry about your house and sister. Any house we move in will have generac system with auto transfer switch. I willn't buy without gas Thanks

"have a gravity drain from your basement to the outside"-  if you are building/ buying a house/property, the most important words in the english language.-jim

You are absolutely right Mixerman - as was said one time "people buy houses on sunny days."

 

Water flows downhill and you can't go wrong if you have your yard graded properly and gravity drains.

 

If not make sure you have a good submersible pump - generator - and all your train stuff at least 6 inches above the floor.

I wouldn't do a walkout anyway, takes away from railroad space!  I had them build the basement deeper than usual so more headspace.  I also set the stairwell and furnace/water heater towards the center so I could run along all four walls.  Convinced my wife that it would be a PITA to haul laundry down and up so the laundry is on the main floor.  As I said above, I regret not knowing about the engineered beams - so I have to deal with 3 support posts which are in the wrong place.  I put in two extra 20 amp circuits, one for outlets (quad) and one for lighting.  I have a LOT of lighting - 9 four bulb 48" fluorescent lights, and a whole bunch of track lights on dimmers plus workshop and hvac room lights.  Be sure to waterseal and insulate basement walls.  If you will be on sand the floor slab will have to be waterproofed (condensation) - ask me how I know.  It's easier to do before then after the fact.

Please tell, this is all good information.

Hi

 I  looked at so manny houses that had small or fluded basments.

 a yesr latter we found a nice ranch house with dry and big basment. 50ft & 25 ft.

I use just over 3/4 for layout.

With all that room started North Penn 'O' gauger club with my brother and friends.

    What size basement you should be looking for has many factors. First of all, what size equipment and minimum curve radiuses do they require? How much time do you have (and money) to construct a layout, be it large or small? How much equipment do you have (never enough)? What type of house are you looking for, ranch, colonial, cape cod or split level? The type of homes you look at sometimes dictates the size basement that you end up with.

     Most important, is the basement dry AND deep enough? A shallow basement does not leave much room for lighting, finished ceiling, etc. A wet basement is not good either. Dampness is a very serious enemy to our hobby. You don't want your prized possesions to get rusty or the boxes to get damp and moldy. It is quite expensive to repair a wet basemnt.

    Is the area in the basement whrere you are planning to build your layout finished? Is there a ceiling with adequate lighting? Are the walls finished? What about the floor, is it carpeted or atleast tiled? AND, what about your electrical requirements? Are their enough outlets and hopefully a dedicated circuit for your train room/layout? The cost of all of these things can add up quickly and become quite expensive.

    My wife and I bought our current home in 1998. Like alot of posters before me posted, what was above the basement was utmost on our priority list (darn!). We bought a four bedroom/3 bath spilt level home because it was a very nice sized home for us and our four children. What I got in exchange was a rather smallish FINISHED basement room which could also serve as a 5th bedroom. It has a walk-in closet for my train storage and is carpeted, finished ceiling and walls, and a light switch controls one wall electrical outlet. That is where I have my power strip and transformer plugged in.

    Happy house hunting! I hope that this helps. Keep those future rails polished!

   Cobrabob.

My train room measures 8'6" X 16'0", yes I do wish it was larger. Now, there is a second bedroom on the uppermost level that measures 11'0" x 16'8" that could serve as a second layout when my oldest sons move out!!! HMMMM, two layouts! What more could I ask for?? And my wife says it would be okay, as long as she could have the third and fourth bedrooms one day!!!! Oh, yes!
Cobrabob.

We are looking at houses too now that we have one child and another on the way. A nice benefit of sizing up would be a basement. In the house we have seen and liked recently there is a finished basemen with 30' by 14' usable for a layout. That seem massive to me coming from a 10' by 6' layout (which was torn down for the baby). Looks like that would be about 2000 sq feet shy of why has been recommended... But seriously, I could make something respectable in that kind of space right? Ben

Hello Update 2 They reject the our offer last week. Wife and I are plan to move to north Caroline in the next couple of months after our lease is up. Long Island(Nassau) property tax is more then our mortgage. Long Island is losing a lot of people to do to this. Thanks Jon

Good luck trying to find a basement in North Carolina. I had the opportunity to move to Charlotte many years ago and I didn't due to the summer heat and the lack of basements in houses. You may be able to find a split level with a downstairs walkout which would be perfect for a train room. My cousin lives in Boone, NC and there are some houses in that area that would be suitable for trains. That is where I plan to retire.

First it must be a dry basement.  Second, make sure you have a deal in writing that the basement is yours for the trains....the rest of the house can be hers.  Third be sure to install an Aprilaire dehumidifier to keep the humidity below 50%.  Fourth, after your divorce, think how you will use the guest bedroom into a wall to wall area to store/disply your train collection.

My layout is not in my basement. 

 

 

Fortunately I have a spare bedroom that has allowed me to build a small layout. 

Hmmmm..... I see see room for a loop of 031 tubular track, maybe a tunnel, hmmm....          Yeah, lucky you have an extra bedroom.

Cobrabob.

I have a nine by twenty-three foot layout with a drop leaf runnin down one side. When this twenty four inch wide leaf is in the up position I have plenty of room to move any appliance in or out of the basement.

That said I have seen many smaller layouts that are just beautiful and fun to run trains on.

The size is never enough for what we wont, but me make do with what we have.

 

Things to consider is "DRY-DRY-DRY" as stated on the previous page.

Access to all sections of your platform and a theme you enjoy.

 

Any good layout must be built as a serries of vignette's joined together by tracks.

The rest is up to you, now go have fun.