Why most New Orleans Homes Do Not Feature a Basement.
The reason behind why a basement is not part of most homes
in New Orleans has a lot to do with our unique sub-surface clay. Our soil is
rich in minerals, which is a great environment for thriving plant life and the
many mini-ecosystems of the swamps and wetlands. This mineralogy also
contributes largely as to why many New Orleans homes do not have basements.
The sub-surface clay of New Orleans easily absorbs water.
Because of this, our soil can fluxuate 5-10 times its size dry vs. wet. With
this kind of movement, even a water-tight basement may crack after a few cycles
of hurricanes or flooding thunder storms. So what does the ever-resilient New
Orleans do? It evolves…
And so the raised-basement houses were born! Raised-basement
houses came about in the early 20th century as a result of our city’s
geographic location; a “hybrid” architectural solution to the problem. These
homes are unique to The Big Easy and are identifiable by their prominent stairs
leading to the 2nd floor living space. As seen in the photo above,
raised-basement houses feature a lower-ceilinged basement built at ground level
with a higher-ceilinged living space directly above. Raised-basement homes can be found in the Lakeview, Carrollton, Mid-city, and Broadmoor areas of the city?
Looking for your next home?
Homes for sale in Broadmoor area
Terez Harris NOLA Real Estate Group
(504)297-2619
Harris.Terez@gmail.com
Keller Williams Realty New Orleans 8601 Leake Ave. New Orleans, LA 70118 504-862-0100
Each office independently owned and operated. All brokers licensed in the state of Louisiana.
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