Looking at houses in Vancouver on the web, most of them seem to have basements?

Any particular reason for this, I fail to see the appeal

Also - some of the definitions - full basement / walk-out

Dunno about the west coast but here the foundation has to go down a way to get below the frost line, since the hole is there it might as well be a basement.

Most newer houses in canada have basements it's just the way they are built.some people convert them to living space ,good for an extra bedroom.Walkouts mean you can access the garden via a door from the basement.

Thanks - there had to be a logical answer

A house with a walkout basement often is built on a slope. On the uphill side of the house, the entrance door leads into the main floor. On the downhill side of the house, the door leads into the basement.

A full basement is one in which the basement is the same size as the footprint of the house that's on top of it.

The basement is a consequence of having to dig for footings beneath the frost line. You got the hole so you might as well use it. A crawlspace, usually about 2-4ft or full/partial basement. You have to be carefull of walkouts created after original construction as builders very often dont re-intergrate the drainage tile and skimp on structural elements and insulation.
Areas of Van also have alot of cut and fill which creates problems if the fill part was not overseen by engineers and passed by inspectors.
The final issue is statistically about 98% of basements will leak at some point.

Structural issues aside, a basement is a good thing. If finished (ie proper flooring, walls etc) a basement adds over 50% more living space to a house as seen from the outside. Ours contains a largish TV room, a den for the kid (that isn't being used as a bedroom, honest guv) and a laundry room, plus lots of storage. I've lived in flats smaller than my basement.

We lived in a basement apartment for almost a year. It had two bedrooms, and wasn`t so bad in the summer. However come winter it was horrible. The deep snow made the place extremely dark and depressing, and the fact when people walk by all you see are their feet!! I could never live in a basement apartment again.

Most places are built on top of basements which is great for extra storage. Just keep an eye on damp, especially in the spring. In our new place, we keep pallets on the floor and put boxes on top of those to avoid rising damp.

One other thing, if you have any drains in the basement. Make sure they are firmly sealed. We had major rat problems because the drain was open, and the sewer rats could come up. We also have our washer and dryer in the basement, which also saves on kitchen space.

To put this into context for you, brat2804, I think Souvenir is referring to the fact that most basement windows are too small and high up to be useful as fire escapes. Basement rooms that have those kinds of windows are not allowed to be used as bedrooms. In order for a basement room to qualify as a legal bedroom, it has to have a window through which a person would be able to crawl out.

Our basement is huge, with two double bedrooms, a bathroom, a bedroom sized strage room and a massive rumpus room and a strangle little officey/reading area and it is really light and airy. It also has underfloor heat to keep your tootsies warm in the winter And it's lovely and cool on hot summer days.

Our 2 yr home is a bi-level, ie, from the front door you can either go up stairs to the main living space, or downstairs to the basement, which is all open and feels totally like part of the house. Basements in bi-levels are usually light, with big windows. Ours has a huge family room, plus 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom, plus strorage space and the laundry room. Its plenty warm enough as we have a wood burning stove (fire) down there and its wonderfully cool come summer time.

When it comes to 2 story homes, then that is when the basement can sometimes feel like a cellar, ie , more of it is underground, hence smaller windows, hence a darker feel. Many people with 2 story homes, don't bother to 'live' in their basement space and leave it undeveloped, or use just for storage.

Walkout basements can be wonderful. Imagine the basement space with big French Doors and windows out to the garden. If you have a 2 story with a walkout, then from the back of the house it looks like a 3 story. A bungalow with walkout looks like its on 2 levels from the back.

Hope that helps.

Our basement contains a large rec-room with a bar at one end and monster TV at the other. It also has storage cupboards, a laundry room, a toilet and a room with the furnace, electric panel, water softener and pressurisation gizmo for the water supply (water supply via a well.) Its great, definately an addition to the house although we didnt really start using regulararly it til we got the big screen tv.

For the first 6 mths of living in Canada we rented a basement appartment. It was fine for a short while although digging the windows out from snowdrifts got a bit repetitive. Mrs AX lives away from home during the week (she teaches in a community some 2.5hrs away) in a basement appartment too. Its also pretty common here to have a '2 appartment house' with a 1 or 2 bed appartment in the basement with its own entrance let out. The idea being that the rent from the basement pays the mortgage and you live in the main floor for free. Compelling logic if you dont mind having tenants underneath you!

AX

Having a basement is no big deal. If you like the house in the right area etc., a basement shouldn't come into the equation. After all, it's Canada, most houses have basements. If you don't like it, don't go down there. You will find that it is the equivalent of the garden shed. Somewhere for Mr. to hide while he is wrapping up your birthday present!

Its also worth considering; if the basement has been converted to a suite with separate facilities if it has been done to code and legal. A basement passed will add more value to property and make a sub-let a viable option.
Home Inspectors would not necessarily be aware of legality or otherwise, worth checking out.

Don't forget the possibility of a sump pump...much depends on where the house is built with reference to the water table and or proximity of a lake/river. Many new builds are dispensing with a basement here in Southern Ontario in favour of a two floor house instead. As I say, much depends on where (exactly) the house is being built.. We bought a home last year and were flooded to a minimal degree (caught it early) and installed a new sump/pump arrangement in case of a repetition this year....but not a drop so far! Local information is the key.....this tells so much...as does what is in place in local recent builds in the area!