Home Building, Crawl Spaces

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A crawl space should be at least 18 inches high so that you can crawl beneath the house annually to inspect for such things as termite damage.


You can see why they are called “Crawl Spaces.”


The crawl space walls should have screened openings for ventilation.


The finished foundation should be waterproofed from the footing to the finish grade line. I recommend hiring a professional waterproofing company for this. Companies are listed in the Yellow Pages under Waterproofing. Don’t let one of your regular laborers do it in his spare time, if he offers to. A professional company will stand behind its work. Also, depending on your locale, you may need to have the soil treated for insects and pests, particularly termites. Hire a professional. This job is done after the foundation is in, but before any concrete is poured for either basements, porches, or a garage.