A basement is an excavated area below the ground floor, typically at least 8 feet in depth, which includes the walls, a slab floor, and a stairway from the ground floor. A daylight basement typically has half the basement wall area above the grade level with the other half below the grade level.

Note: If the foundation type is basement, (below grade, daylight, and walkout), make sure that all of the following data fields are also included:

• Basement Depth
• Number of Basement Levels
• Staircase, Basement

When using the RCT standard entry method, if the ZIP code of the home is in an area where the foundation type is typically basement, the knowledge tables automatically supply values for each of the fields necessary to accurately calculate the cost of a basement.

If the foundation type supplied by RCT is something other than basement (for example, slab) and you need to change the entry to one of the basement foundation types (below grade basement, daylight basement or walkout basement) then the entries for the above four fields are required. If you omit any information, your basement costs will be incomplete.

In addition, you should also enter the following:

• Basement Stairs (under Basement Information) – the number of staircases to the basement from the level above. There is typically at least one staircase to either a below grade basement or a daylight basement. There may or may not be a staircase to a walkout basement. When the basement has 2 levels, include the staircase to each level (typically a total of 2 staircases).

When using RCT advanced entry method, you are building the homes from the foundation up, and RCT does not automatically populate any data fields from the knowledge tables. Therefore, if you select any of the basement foundation types (below grade basement, daylight basement or walkout basement), entries for Foundation Type, Foundation Material, Basement Depth and Number of Basement Levels are required to accurately calculate basement costs. If you omit any information, your basement costs will be incomplete. You should also enter Basement Stairs, under Basement Information, if you selected a basement foundation.

Enter a percentage between 0 and 100.

An excavated foundation area below a residence, less than 5 feet in depth, that is generally used for access to plumbing and heating equipment. It can also be used for storage.

Note: When entering this foundation type you must enter the following:

• Foundation Material – the percentage of each foundation material type (concrete, block, brick or fieldstone) with a total percentage of 100%.

Enter a percentage between 0 and 100.

A basement is an excavated area below the ground floor, typically at least 8 feet in depth, which includes the walls, a slab floor, and a stairway from the ground floor. A below grade basement is the portion of the basement that is below the ground or grade level.

Note: If the foundation type is basement, (below grade, daylight, and walkout), make sure that all of the following data fields are also included:

• Basement Depth
• Number of Basement Levels
• Staircase, Basement

When using RCT standard entry method, if the ZIP code of the home is in an area where the foundation type is typically basement, the knowledge tables automatically supply values for each of the fields necessary to accurately calculate the cost of a basement.

If the foundation type supplied by RCT is something other than basement (for example, slab) and you need to change the entry to one of the basement foundation types (below grade basement, daylight basement or walkout basement) then the entries for the above four fields are required. If you omit any information, your basement costs will be incomplete.

In addition, you should also enter the following:

• Basement Stairs (under Basement Information) – the number of staircases to the basement from the level above. There is typically at least one staircase to either a below grade basement or a daylight basement. There may or may not be a staircase to a walkout basement. When the basement has 2 levels, include the staircase to each level (typically a total of 2 staircases).

When using RCT advanced entry method, you are building the homes from the foundation up, and RCT does not automatically populate any data fields from the knowledge tables. Therefore, if you select any of the basement foundation types (below grade basement, daylight basement or walkout basement), entries for Foundation Type, Foundation Material, Basement Depth and Number of Basement Levels are required to accurately calculate basement costs. If you omit any information, your basement costs will be incomplete. You should also enter Basement Stairs, under Basement Information, if you selected a basement foundation.

Enter a percentage between 0 and 100.

An unexcavated foundation area below a residence, less than 5 feet in depth, that is generally used for access to plumbing and heating equipment.

Note: When entering this foundation type you must enter the following:

• Foundation Material – the percentage of each foundation material type (concrete, block, brick or fieldstone) with a total percentage of 100%.

Enter a percentage between 0 and 100.

A walkout basement is normally built on a sloping site where the foundation walls are partially exposed to allow for the installation of windows and a door. This type of basement allows for the door to open into the yard because the basement is at ground level. It also does not require an interior staircase. The exposed portion of basement wall could be unfinished (exposed concrete or block), have stucco and paint finish or some other siding material such as vinyl, wood, aluminum shingles or shakes, on the exterior of the exposed concrete or masonry wall.

Note: If the foundation type is basement (below grade, daylight, and walkout), make sure that all of the following data fields are also included:

• Basement Depth
• Number of Basement Levels
• Staircase, Basement

When using the RCT standard entry method, if the ZIP code of the home is in an area where the foundation type is typically basement, the knowledge tables automatically supply values for each of the fields necessary to accurately calculate the cost of a basement.

If the foundation type supplied by RCT is something other than basement (for example, slab) and you need to change the entry to one of the basement foundation types (below grade basement, daylight basement or walkout basement), then the entries for the above four fields are required. If you omit any information, your basement costs will be incomplete.

In addition, you should also enter the following:

• Basement Stairs (under Basement Information) – the number of staircases to the basement from the level above. There is typically at least one staircase to either a below grade basement or a daylight basement. There may or may not be a staircase to a walkout basement. When the basement has 2 levels, include the staircase to each level (typically a total of 2 staircases).

When using the RCT advanced entry method, you are building the homes from the foundation up, and RCT does not automatically populate any data fields from the knowledge tables. Therefore, if you select any of the basement foundation types (below grade basement, daylight basement or walkout basement), entries for Foundation Type, Foundation Material, Basement Depth and Number of Basement Levels are required to accurately calculate basement costs. If you omit any information, your basement costs will be incomplete. You should also enter Basement Stairs, under Basement Information, if you selected a basement foundation.

Enter a percentage between 0 and 100.

Residential construction that is suspended over sloped terrain or hillsides. A hillside foundation is typically made of materials such as wood or steel columns that are set on concrete caissons (or footings), allowing part or all the residence to be suspended out over sloped terrain.

As a "total component" valuation software, RCT does not assume an overall adjustment factor for valuing this type of foundation and the related costs associated with hillside construction. Instead, it uses appropriate construction components to provide the estimated cost of hillside construction.

Note: Do not use this option for ordinary foundations or basements where foundation excavation is merely dug into the side of a hill and the foundation is built as though on a flat surface.

When you enter this foundation type you must enter the following:

• Foundation Material – the percentage of each foundation material type (concrete, block, brick or fieldstone), with a total percentage of 100%.

Enter only the percentage, between 0 and 100, of the home that is suspended over a sloped terrain.

In addition to entering the hillside percentage, you must also enter the approximate degree of steepness of the terrain covered by the suspended portion of the home using the Hillside Slope field under Basement Information.