2024 Cost to Dig Out a Basement: Average Basement Excavation Cost
Normal range: $60,000 - $150,000
It costs between $60,000 and $150,000 to dig out a basement and take advantage of the potential space beneath your home.
Converting a crawl space to a finished, 2,000-square-foot basement typically costs between $60,000 and $150,000—and can quickly climb to more than $200,000 if your home presents particular challenges, or if you opt for more expensive house-raising methods and basement finishing materials. Let’s dive into this and other cost considerations for digging out a basement.
- Average
- $105,000
- Low end
- $45,000
- high end
- $200,000
How Much Does it Cost to Dig Out a Basement per Square Foot?
The average cost per square foot to dig out a basement is between $30 and $75. Depending on your home’s age, structure, and other deciding factors there may be some variation from project to project.
Converting a crawl space to a basement, or excavating a new basement under an existing home, entails a substantial amount of home construction work that’s likely to be done by a general contractor and a few different subcontractors, and the labor costs of each will contribute to the total.
Factors That Affect the Cost to Dig a Basement
Adding a new basement to an existing house, or expanding a crawl space beneath an existing home, is a complex process that may entail any number of ancillary jobs and expenses. It’s usually a great investment, but you need to consider a variety of cost factors that could influence your price.
Size
The size of the area you want your contractor to excavate will be a major determining factor in the cost of your basement dig-out. The size of your home’s footprint will affect the total costs associated with raising the home, and you’ll also need to consider whether you want a partial basement or a full basement.
Since you’re going through the work of digging out a basement, it might make sense to splurge for a full basement. If you’re expanding your basement, every square foot will add to the cost.
| Square Footage | Typical Cost Range |
|---|---|
| 500 | $15,000–$37,500 |
| 1,000 | $30,000–$75,000 |
| 1,500 | $45,000–$112,500 |
| 2,000 | $60,000–$150,000 |
| 2,500 | $75,000–$187,500 |
| 3,000 | $90,000–$225,000 |
Permits
No matter where you live, a project that requires you to lift an existing home off its foundation and excavate below will almost certainly require building permits. Given the structural nature of this project, these permits will be pricier than standard ones, so expect a total of around $1,200 to $2,000.
Raising or Bracing the House
In order to dig into the earth, contractors will need to lift your home from the ground. There are two different ways of doing this: raising and underpinning.
The simplest, least expensive way of raising the house is for your general contractor to hire a foundation repair specialist to lift it with hydraulic jacks. Depending on the size and condition of your house, the average cost for this step is between $3,045 and $9,379. This is the less expensive option, but it may result in some cracking drywall and damage to your floors and ceilings.
The second method—underpinning—involves bracing the existing foundation footings individually, then raising the structure gradually to limit damage to floors, walls, and ceilings. The process can add up to $20,000 to your project due to significantly increased labor time and effort.
Excavation
Excavation costs vary based on factors like terrain and the equipment required. Professional excavators will survey the site and make bids on the project. When converting a crawl space or expanding a basement, expect to pay at least $75 and $150 per cubic yard of dirt.
Adding 1,000 square feet of the basement will require the removal of about 300 cubic yards of dirt—costing between $22,500 and $45,000. These costs also assume the crawl space floor is unfinished. However, if there's concrete to break through, expect an additional $500 to $1,500 to demolish and remove the concrete.
Drainage and Plumbing
Adding a new basement or converting a crawl space requires a plumbing system to make it habitable. Installing plumbing beneath the foundation costs between $1,000 and $3,000. Expanding your drainage system will add between $2,000 and $5,500.
If you’re only planning on an unfinished basement for storage, you might spend significantly less—between $500 and $1,000—routing plumbing for your boiler, and you could pay nothing for plumbing if you’re leaving your utilities upstairs.
Foundation
After the space is dug out and the plumbing and drainage systems are set, you can have a new foundation poured for $10,000 to $30,000. That cost includes the floor, the footing, and the walls.
Location
Basement excavation costs will vary depending on where your home is located. Average costs fluctuate from state to state, and the type of environment your home is in also matters. Houses located in urban areas or in places where it’s more difficult to get heavy equipment in or out may incur higher charges than those that are easier to access.
Additionally, prices will depend partially on the quality of the soil, as hard clay soil is more challenging to excavate and may require additional precautions to ensure the space drains properly.
The table below includes a quick look at the average cost to dig out a basement in major cities across the U.S.
| City | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Chicago | $66,900 |
| Dallas | $62,900 |
| Houston | $68,000 |
| Los Angeles | $70,700 |
| New York | $75,000 |
| Philadelphia | $78,000 |
| Phoenix | $59,200 |
| San Antonio | $54,200 |
| San Diego | $66,700 |
| San Jose | $83,900 |
Common Basement Excavation Add-Ons
Digging out a basement is the first step to adding space under your home, but there are several add-on services that many homeowners opt for to improve the space, make it livable, and keep it protected from the elements. You should consider your final goal and think about whether or not it’s worth coupling add-ons with your initial dig-out costs.
Finishing the Basement
If you plan to finish the basement—a necessity if you want to maximize the space and get a worthwhile ROI—budget an additional $10,000 to $30,000. This amount is determined by the new basement’s size and the quality of materials. On average, finishing a basement runs between $15 and $20 per square foot.
Insurance
Digging a basement underneath your house involves a number of structural changes, so it’s important to verify that you’ve got the right homeowner’s insurance coverage in place before the project begins. Talk to a home insurance agent to ensure your existing plan applies and covers up to $100,000 to $200,000 for any necessary repairs. You might need to budget for a higher premium since you’ll be adding to the value of your home and the amount that you need covered.
Electrical
A finished basement needs outlets, lighting, and other electrical fixtures, so you’ll need to budget for electrical work. Plan to spend between $3 and $5 per square foot in wiring costs from a licensed electrician. For a standard 1,500-square-foot basement, that’s an additional $4,500 to $7,500.
Window and Door Installation
Depending on the layout and location of your new basement, you’ll want to install windows and doors, and local building and fire code will likely require them if you plan on using the basement as living space.
Interior door installation ranges between $375 and $1125 per door, and exterior doors can range from $525 to $2,000 each. Basement windows can cost between $50 and $650 per window installed.
Exterior Access Steps
If you’re installing an exterior door, you’ll also need to install concrete steps that lead down into the finished area. Even if you’re not planning on using the basement as living space, it’s a good idea to have a separate entrance for convenience. Installing exterior concrete steps leading down to your basement door will cost between $1,000 and $6,000, in most cases.
Waterproofing
It’s always a good idea to protect your basement against future water damage, and it might be worthwhile to include the cost of waterproofing your basement into your total project cost. In fact, you’ll pay more upfront to add waterproofing, but you stand to save thousands if you get the work done while the soil around your basement is already excavated.
Waterproofing a basement can cost between $2,300 and $7,600. Starting out with a waterproofed basement to protect it from water damage may save you a lot of money and headaches down the road, as well.
Ongoing Costs to Consider
Digging out a basement comes with a pretty sizable upfront price tag, but there are some long-term costs you should consider as well to make sure the project will fit into your budget.
Insurance
As mentioned above, your homeowner’s insurance premium could go up with the added coverage necessary for your basement. Speak with your insurance agent to see what the bump will be, and make sure to account for that on an annual basis going forward.
Repairs
All basements will need repairs at some point, whether that comes in the form of fixing a foundation leak or repairing some of the finished building materials down the road. It’s difficult to estimate what your basement repairs will cost, as every home is different, but on average it costs around $5,000. The likelihood is that you won’t need repairs very often, but budgeting for $5,000 in repairs every 10 years or so is a good idea.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro to Dig Out a Basement
While operating a skid loader might sound like a lot of fun, there are no circumstances under which you should attempt a DIY basement excavation beneath an existing home. Every step of the process requires specialized expertise and equipment.
Given the range of different skill sets involved, and the complex nature of the work, you should hire a local excavation company to get the job done correctly and safely.
How to Save Money on Basement Excavation Costs
While you never want to attempt to do this excavation work on your own, there are some ways you can save money even when you hire professionals to do the work for you:
Opt for a full basement. You’ll pay more for more square footage, but since you’re already jacking up your home and excavating, it makes sense to pay to dig out a full basement for a better ROI.
Add basement waterproofing. All basements should include waterproofing, and a big portion of the cost is excavation. Opt to add-on waterproofing services while the ground is already excavated to save in the long run.
Hire the contractors yourself. You will pay 10% to 20% more if you hire a general contractor to plan and oversee the project. It will save you a bunch of time, but you can save money instead by hiring your own team of professionals.
Finish your basement. Paying to finish your basement will add thousands to your total, but many contractors will give you a deal on the work if you package it with excavation, basement foundation pouring, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Adding additional square footage to your home will always increase its value, so it’s often worthwhile. Depending on where you live, converting a crawl space to a finished basement or digging out a new basement beneath an existing home can yield a significant ROI. Adding a walkout basement can also lead to a higher ROI. However, the most important consideration is area land values and what comparable homes are selling for in your neighborhood, since high project costs mean that your home's future selling price must increase significantly.
If you don’t wish to dig it out and convert it into a finished basement, you can still encapsulate your crawl space to protect it from damage for an average cost of $5,500. Finishing a crawl space beyond this isn’t really worthwhile, as the low ceilings mean you won’t be able to use the area as living space.
If you don’t have a crawl space, but a partial basement you want to make deeper, you can expect to spend a little less—between $40,000 and $90,000 on average. However, if you’re not adding new finished square footage, you won’t see much in the way of ROI.