Why Install a Precast Concrete Basement Under Your Garage?
Typically, there is dirt under the foundation of garages. If the ground is slanted, like near a lake, you have two options: purchase dirt to fill the space or invest in a precast basement under your garage. How you take advantage of a precast concrete garage basement is up to you.
A precast garage basement, or tuck under garage space, is an additional room in the lower level of a home that is made with prestressed concrete. Hollow core planks are used for the upper-level garage flooring. They bear on poured concrete foundation walls, providing affordable space beneath the garage to use however you see fit.
When designing a single-family home, precast concrete offers many innovative and efficient solutions where other building materials fall short. Namely, the structural stability and speed of construction with precast are next to none. As a result, installing precast concrete garage basements is quick and efficient.
Homeowners have used the precast concrete space under their garages in various creative ways:
- Home gyms
- Workshops
- Sports courts
- Dance studios
- Kids play areas
- Storm shelters
- Extra garage space
Precast concrete provides many benefits to homeowners in the design and construction of garage basements:
- Speed of Construction: Precast concrete is produced in a controlled environment off-site, with Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI) certified quality concrete products. Because it is produced off-site, it can be scheduled and delivered to a construction site when needed. Precast can also be installed in any weather, leading to shorter project schedules. Once at the job site, precast concrete components are designed for a quick installation to save time, reduce job site disturbances, and minimize risk.
- Sound Proofing: Precast concrete is a very dense material, making it ideal if sound proofing is a priority for the hom
eowner. Precast concrete’s dense, sturdy mass makes it an effective way to control the acoustics and vibrations resonating from a room. Homeowners can have a play area for their kids while keeping the rest of their home quiet and serene.
- Disaster Resistance: Precast concrete is one of the safest materials for shelter and protection during a storm, tornado, or other disaster events because of its structural stability. Most safe rooms and shelters are made with concrete systems. A precast concrete storm shelter on your property provides you with safety during the Midwest’s severe weather and high winds.
- Fire Resistance: Precast concrete garage basements are protected against wildfires and house fires because precast is naturally noncombustible. A precast garage basement can prevent fire from spreading throughout the home.
- Long-lasting: Being cast in a PCI-certified plant assures that the precast concrete will be high-quality and last for decades.
How Molin Installs a Precast Concrete Garage Basement
Precast concrete integrates well with other building systems because of its resiliency, efficiency, and versatility. With precast concrete, the new lower-level space costs a fraction of the already finished space in a home. Precast concrete garage basements are usually built as part of a new garage project.
First, the homeowner will contact Molin for a consultation on their project. You can send us a message to tap into Molin’s technical expertise for project clarity.
Molin will then work with the homeowner to decide how precast concrete would best suit their project and provide preliminary budgeting to the homeowner.
Once we produce the precast concrete components, they are delivered to the job site. Then, Molin’s field crew will install Hollow Core plank on the poured foundation walls. This process includes structurally connecting the Hollow Core planks to the walls and grouting the planks together. The field crew works grout into the top side of the Hollow Core planks, structurally locking them together. You can see the process below, where concrete has been worked into the grout joints.
Once installation is complete, the General Contractor will put a waterproofing membrane on top of the Hollow Core planks. They will pour a concrete garage floor over the structure and finish the garage. Afterward, the garage basement space is the homeowner’s to enjoy. What would you put under your garage?
Working with Molin Concrete Products
When you work with Molin you don’t just get the finished product. As a premier precast designer, manufacturer, and installer across the Midwest, Molin can do large and small-scale projects with the same attention to quality and service. We offer installation and design services to help you get your ideas from design to completion.
Molin precast garage basement spaces are featured in the 2022 Fall Parade of Homes. Get the opportunity to see many Molin Projects along the route, including precast concrete garage basements.
Recently, Molin also designed and built a custom precast concrete home on Spirit Lake in Aitkin County, MN that displays the versatility of precast home construction. This
particular precast lake home project provided many benefits to the owner, which you can learn about in the PCI video here:
2022 PCI Design Awards Winner: Precast Lake Home
Talk with a sales rep at sales@molin.com about precast garage basements for your next project.