On Tue, 23 May 2017 22:20:02 +0100, newshound
wrote:

snip

Are there any countries where basements are the norm? You seem to see
them quite a lot on American based films?


I had a colleague who lived in Canada for many years, he said that the
norm for houses there was for everything to have a basement, except that
it was usually at ground level.

I've seen those that are sort of sunken into the ground with the
basement having just a small window at ground level.

I've also seen those where the house is on a slope so one end is fully
submerged (ala typical basement) whilst at the other it's 'at' ground
level. ;-)

So all the normal living space was first
floor or above.

That's also something you are now seeing when houses are built next to
rivers.

The "basement" was for the workshop, the laundry room
(with a drain in the floor), the car as well as storing garden tools,
bicycles, etc. Sounded very civilised.

Doesn't it just ... and you can see why some pay *millions* to have
one fitted underneath an existing house! ;-(

Now, that could be an interesting boundary dispute!

Cheers, T i m