How Home Construction Differs in Arizona
In Arizona, basements are a rare sight, except for homes built on hillsides featuring walk-out lower floors. In such cases, one wall is beneath ground level, two walls are partially below grade, and the remaining one is entirely above grade. Specifically, I’m referring to lower floors that are completely submerged below ground level on all sides.
According to Tucson, In Arizona, the depth to the bottom of a footing is generally 18 inches below grade. That depth is driven by what is known as the frost level and is likely to experience freezing soil. In the lower deserts, even 18 inches is unlikely. However, the building codes have established minimum depths depending on which climatic zone the home is located in. In colder climates, the depth may be as much as 60 inches. When excavating that deep, constructing a lower room makes good economic sense. In Arizona, 18 inches deep doesn’t really make much sense. An argument can be made when creating a subterranean room, which is a different discussion.
