transplanting who move to Texas from a different part of the country may notice something strange about homes in the Lone Star State . Basements — a stock characteristic in many house elsewhere — are a rarity in the Texas real estate grocery . It is n’t that Texans would n’t appreciate a subterraneous level in their household , both for the extra distance and protection from the tornadoes that frequent the region . But due to the state ’s way-out terrain , lay a foundation deep beneath earth stage is n’t always pragmatic .
According toSouthern Living , certain feature of the solid ground are the main reason basement are uncommon in Texas . The monotone state does n’t sit too high above sea horizontal surface , which intend its pee mesa is close to the surface in many places . In contribution of Houston , for example , you may hit water by digging down just 10 pes . This means any cellar in the area are especially prone to leakage and floods .
The composition of the soil also poses a challenge to home-builder . Much of the ground in the eastern one-half of the country containsexpansive clay soils , which puff up when wet and contract when juiceless . If a basement wall falls in the path of this eccentric of Lucius DuBignon Clay , it ’s at hazard of cracking when the soil expatiate .
Even in parts of Texas where Henry Clay soils and groundwater are n’t an issue , digging a basement may not be deserving the cost . In fundamental and West Texas , limestone basic principle lies airless to the surface , making hollow a basement an expensive pain . In northerly states , cellar are often a requirement because builders need to lay the foundation deep to get past the frost line — the point beneath the surface where soil does n’t freeze down . In Texas and other southerly states , the frost line is much gamey . Without rooted tube to interest about , twist team often bound off construct a basement to save money .
Though most Texas houses may be missing a spirit level beneath the background trading floor , they make up for that in other ways . According to a2018 report , Texas feature the biggest homes in the U.S.
[ h / tSouthern Living ]
