Grandpa’s Basement House
21st August 2021
Today just about every part of this plan is illegal, culturally unacceptable, and economically unwieldy in most locations. These basement homes are too small to be approved by local authorities. Minimum square footage requirements have been put in place to filter out the riffraff who can’t afford larger homes. Most municipal codes insist on two off street covered parking spaces which, in this case, would be the same size and likely the same cost as the homes themselves. Growing vegetables on what should be a lawn is verboten in many locations, if not by the government than by private association bylaws. And building anything in stages is frowned upon since the present custom is to create a finished product all at once and never change any part of it without interacting with a host of special committees and review boards. I have no doubt that the four children, now in their 70s and 80s, who spent their early years in the basement house would never tolerate such activity in their own neighborhoods today. It’s just too trashy and sets the wrong tone.