by Shauna Holmes
At CHRS’ May 21 Preservation Café, architect and long-time Capitol Hill resident Judith Capen will return for the second session of CHRS’ spring series on Making the Most of Your Basement. Having focused at the March Preservation Café on issues and code requirements involved in creating livable spaces in our basements, Ms. Capen will turn in May to questions and issues related to Digging Out Your Basement.
Capitol Hill residents might consider digging out basements for a number of reasons. Some of our row houses have no basements, some have only partial basements, and others have basements with little headroom. Therefore, in seeking more space, we might want to dig out to create a basement, expand an existing basement, or lower a basement’s floor to make the space more comfortable and pleasant.
Ms. Capen will address how you can figure out in advance how extensive a project digging out might be and what things you will need to consider — for instance, what underpinning means, when and why underpinning may be necessary, and how to factor in plumbing and other utilities. She will also talk about issues like red clay, preventing collapse of your house and your neighbors’ walls while work is underway, and getting the necessary permits and approvals.
Digging Out Your Basement will be held on Wednesday, May 21, from 6:30-7:15pm in the downstairs Community Room at Ebenezer’s Coffeehouse at Second and F Streets, NE. The Preservation Café is free, wheelchair accessible, and open to all members of the Capitol Hill community.
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