How Much Does It Cost to Dig Out a Basement? [2024 Data]
Normal range: $24,000 - $50,000
It costs $37,000, or between $24,000 and $50,000, to dig out a basement and take advantage of the potential space beneath your home.
You might need a basement if you’re dreaming of extra storage space, more rooms, or a place to entertain. Digging a basement beneath your home costs $37,000 on average, although it can go as low as $24,000 or as high as $50,000. Size also impacts the cost, and you can expect to pay $75 to $150 per cubic yard.
Costs can quickly climb to more than $150,000 if your home presents particular challenges or if you opt for more expensive house-raising methods and basement finishing materials. Let’s dive into these and other cost considerations for digging out a basement.
- Average
- $37,000
- Low end
- $12,000
- high end
- $150,000
Size
Excavation costs $75 to $150 per cubic yard of dirt, which is roughly $30 to $75 per square foot. Depending on your home’s age, structure, and other deciding factors, the cost may vary from project to project.
The size of your home’s footprint will affect the total costs associated with raising the home. You’ll also need to consider whether you want a partial or full basement. The ideal basement size will depend on what you plan to use the space for and your budget. If you’re expanding your basement, every square foot will add to the cost.
| Square Footage | Average 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 |
Raising or Bracing the House
Contractors will need to lift your home from the ground to dig. 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 near you 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, and 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 for routing plumbing for your boiler. 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 depend 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 in urban areas or 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 of digging 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 |
Additional Costs to Consider
Tackling a basement excavation project requires tracking many moving parts. Before getting started, you need to know about additional costs beyond the size, excavation, foundation, and utilities.
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.
Insurance
Digging a basement underneath your house involves several structural changes, so it’s essential to verify that you have the right homeowner’s insurance coverage 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 your home's value and the amount you need covered.
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 costs between $7 and $23 per square foot.
Insulation
Insulating basement walls costs $1 to $4 per square foot. Mineral wool or fiberglass insulation will cost $1 to $1.50 per square foot. The price increases if you opt for blow-in or spray foam insulation.
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.
HVAC Installation
If your existing HVAC system can handle additional square footage, you can install new ductwork in your basement to cool or heat the new space. This costs $1,800 to $3,100 and allows you to tie into your AC and heat.
Otherwise, you can install a separate mini split system to heat and cool the basement. Mini split systems average $3,000 for new installation.
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 codes will likely require them if you plan on using the basement as a living space. See the costs below:
| Window and Door Installation | Average Cost (Each) |
|---|---|
| Interior door | $375–$1,125 |
| Exterior door | $525–$2,000 |
| Basement windows | $50–$650 |
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 a living space, it’s a good idea to have a separate entrance for convenience. In most cases, installing exterior concrete steps leading down to your basement door will cost between $1,000 and $6,000.
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 budget. You’ll pay more up front 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. Protecting your new space from water damage by starting out with a waterproof basement may also save you a lot of money down the road.
Maintenance and Repairs
All basements will need repairs at some point, whether that looks like fixing a foundation leak or repairing some of the finished building materials. It’s difficult to estimate what your basement repairs will cost, as every home is different, but it costs around $5,000 on average. 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.
Basement Excavation vs. Crawl Space Conversion
Basement excavations cost $37,000 on average, and crawl space conversions cost $10,000 to $30,000. While you’re not starting from scratch when you’re working on a crawl space conversion, the process is still costly because you need to raise or brace the home, rewire electricity, install plumbing, and pour a new foundation.
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 skill sets involved and the complex nature of the work, you should hire a local excavation company to do the job 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 excavation is 7a big portion of the cost. Opt to add 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. While this will save you a lot of time, 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.
How Angi Gets Its Cost Data
Home is the most important place on earth, which is why Angi has helped more than 150 million homeowners transform their houses into homes they adore. To help homeowners with their next project, Angi provides readers with the most accurate cost data and upholds strict editorial standards. We extensively research project costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We rely on reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Want to help us improve our cost data? Send us a recent project quote to costquotes@angi.com. Quotes and personal information will not be shared publicly.
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.