Which is better, a 2nd floor or basement trainroom?

Hi Guys,
Some of you may recall that my wife and I are planning a new home and in fact have a builder looking at our ideas right now. At this point, we are planning my train room and my wife’s sewing room on the 2nd floor of a 2-story home. The upstairs is about 1,200 square feet with a bedroom and bathroom. She will use the bedroom for sewing and I’ll use the balance of the space for trains. We’re planning the master bedroom and a 2nd bedroom on the first floor, along with kitchen, family, dining, living room on the first floor. So, for the sake of resale, we will still have a 3 bedroom home, with the 3rd bedroom upstairs with a huge “game” room.

The builder just mentioned that due to the grade of the property, we could build a single-floor home with a walk-out basement that he could finish into a workshop, sewing room and of course, my train room.

We’re a little spoiled right now because while our condo is small, we have the upstairs for sewing and trains. It’s a real nice space that feels a lot different than basement space. However, we have seen some real nice finished basements, especially walk-outs, where there are plenty or windows to provide natural light.

What I’m asking you guys to comment on is the following:

If cost were not an issue, what would you rather have, a 2nd floor train room with windows on all 4 walls or a trainroom in the basement, considering the basement will be a walk-out with windows at least along the back wall where the walk-out is?

One of the benefits I can think of with the basement layout is that the workshop is close by, including things like a spray booth. Certainly, with the 2nd floor trainroom, I’ll have a workbench to build kits and work on freight cars etc., but I’ll have to go 2 flights down to the basement to do spraying or any other work that I currently do outside or out on my garage workbench.

One problem that always comes to mind with a basement “anything” is the potential for d

Mondo,
You hit the nail on the head about moisture control being key. If you have no neighbors to compare to and with new construction, it’s always hard to evaluate whether a new basement will be as dry as you might like. However, modern cast concrete basement walls and drainage systems can usually deal with most problems, especially in sidehill locations that offer the walk-out option…

Assuming dampness is not an issue or can be easily controlled, a basement will tend to have less seasonal temprature change than a second floor room will have. The less temperature change, the fewer issues with expansion and contraction, which can affect trackwork, wiring, and other aspects of a layout.

Another thing to consider is that with the good view out the window, you also get UV fading, depending on the exposure. In the basement, you have better control over this, particularly if you use UV filters on your lighting.

Be aware that depending on local codes, etc, the newer deepwell fire escape windows may actually be required for a basement. My brother installed a couple of these in his basement remodel and it really lights up the rooms he did, in which he and my sister-in-law produce homemade soap. So it is possible to get quite a bit of natural light into a basement with a little planning, if that makes it more appealing to you. Of course, like many model railroaders, I think windows just complicate layout planning, so who needs them!?!
[:D]

With your shop being close by, that is another crucial aspect. My old office/shop was upstairs, but I remodeled to relocate it to the basement next to my train room. The steps saved over the years add up to more modeling time, as well as lowering the threshold of what it takes to get me into the train room – alway a good thing!
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL

It’s easier to get stuff (like plywood, foam & lumber) into a daylight basement than it is a a second floor room. If you can walk the plywood around the building to an exterior entrance instead of having to carry it upstairs (don’t ding the drywall!) you are definitely ahead of the game.

You might find that a daylight basement is “cheap” enough that you can afford both areas - and just think of the resale value then!

2ND floor. Remember, dust settles DOWN [swg]

It’s a lot easier to keep a walk-out basement dry than it is to drain a well - which is what the conventional basement is. If it is fully finished, the central HVAC system should be adequate.

The advantages involving heavy items like construction materials (and entire layout sections, in case of future changes) have already been mentioned. As you get older, even cans of paint and a few pieces of dimension lumber become a stair-climber’s challenge.

It is also easier to add a little extra space (extension of the building) at ground level, especially if the walk-out is toward the rear of your property.

One thing I would suggest is that you specify a double door for your walk-out. A sliding patio door is NOT a suitable sub, as I learned when trying to get a large refrigerator into my all-ground-level house. That patio door has since been replaced.

Chuck

If the daylighted basement faces north the basement is choice one. If it faces south sunlight in the summer might be an unwelcome factor (w/ compensation come winter). Another factor is, if you go w/ the basement for the RR you can plan services (furnace, water heater, etc.) for minimal RR interference. You weren’t clear on whether the better half would have her sewing room in the basement w/ the RR or if it would be yours! all yours! If she doesn’t care for the subterrarean life (a phobia to be encouraged) you get more RR space w/ the basement.

Mondotrains:
Your profile indicates that you are 56 years old. This means that the second floor may become difficult to to reach as you get older. Also, keep in mind the resale value of a house is dependent on it’s size compared to other houses in the neighborhood that have recently been sold. If it costs $40,000 more to add the space to the top of the house as opposed to being on the ground, you may not be able to recoup this difference when you go to sell the house. The initial $40,000 you spend to add the basement can be recouped because you have a larger home to offer.
One other observation: There are a lot of 0ver 55 communities that have been built in Southern New Jersey where I currently live. I know of one community where they offered both single and two story homes when it was started ten years ago. The two story homes held their value, but the single story homes appreciated at a much faster rate and are now selling for the same price as the two story homes.

I’ve got my trainroom upstairs in the “family room,” which is a nice carpeted space. We also have a walk-out basement, which is finished and has a linoleum floor. The basement space is high-traffic, because that’s the entry into the house from the garage as well. The basement is dry, although we sometimes end up running a de-humidifier in the summer. (The basement also contains the washer/dryer, so that’s a big moisture source, even with outside venting for the dryer.) Most of the time, though, the basement has much more stable temperature, and doesn’t require additional heating and cooling beyond the natural heat of the oil burner and hot water system. Upstairs, on the other hand, needs AC in the summer and heat running in the winter to keep it comfortable.

I do make quite a few trips up and down the stairs between the layout room and the workshop downstairs. I’m 59 and I need the exercise, though.

I’d say go with the walk out basement. While my grandparents are not into model trains, I know what a pain it is to move stuff up and down the stairs. It’ll be a lot of trouble and more of hassle to be upstairs… especially if the staircase and room access isn’t quite straight foward (i.e. walk up the stairs straight into the room).

Mondo,I prefer 2nd floor bedrooms because of the nature light that filters in vs the harsh(my opinion) light from bulbs.

As far as heating/AC etc the 2nd floor room is already cool/heated by central heat/cooling system.
But,know and understand I never was one for dwelling in basements…

FRom someone who is sweltering in a second floor train room, I would vote for the walkout basement. I have lived in New England so I know that you have extremes in temperature which are magnified on the second floor and minimized with a basement. Not to mention the comparitive ease for transporting materials.

Mondo, I’ve had both and given an even playing field as far as cost, I’d go for the 2nd floor. The only comment I have is when I had the 2nd floor my workshop was on the 1st floor so I didn’t have far to go.
Now , regretfully, I have to use the basement as we live in a one floor home. Also the part of the basement available to me is away from the windows and walkout portion. Bummer!!

Jim

Another point of interest is entertaining railroad guests. Easy ingress and egress into your “Train Room” will make having visitors more enjoyable. A private entrance into your train world will enable to you host visitors without disruption to the rest of the family or household. As you are building the home you can look into having the Washer/Dryer put onto the main floor near the bedrooms so the laundry does not need to travel and this will keep a source of moisture from the basement and provide additional room. One last item I would suggest is do not fini***he space until after ALL TOWN inspections are done and the C.O.O. is in hand. Most locales do not consider basements as living spaces UNLESSS they are finished. Good Luck.

I would go the walkout basement route with nice big windows.

The bottom line is if all things would be equal, dry basement, same amount of room, not feeling uncomfortable if you brought guests to the second floor… Which way does your gut sway you? Would it be easier and more comfey on sleepness nights to sit up in a room on the second floor, or trudge down two flights. My personal opinion is that a train collection is a proud member of the family and unless your dog is put into the basement to sleep, I wouldent put the layout there unless I had too.

I have just completed building my second home with a full basement. (I live in Kansas, so basements are a necessity for weather reasons.) I have not had any problems with moisture or water with quality construction which keeps water away from the foundation and a quality HVAC system. Basements are much cheeper to construct, (basement about $40 sq ft VS house about $110 sq ft). You are paying for a foudation for your house anyway, why not make it a little larger and get some additional usable space? Speaking of utilities, basements are much less expensive to heat and cool and a good basement will make the rest of your house less expensive to heat and cool, as you get the benefits from the earth surrounding the basement.

Let’s take a minute to talk about wives and the nice things that they have in homes. My wife appreciates my model railroading hobby, but she would not appreciate me and my model railroad friends haulling lumber, paint, plaster through our home to get to the layout. (My wife selected hardwood floors and light colored carpet.) What about an open house or an operating session???

It has been mentioned above that adding a finnished bonus room on the second floor will add to the price of your home. It will significantly add to the taxes as well. (You need to be carefull with how far you go to finish a basement or the tax man will get you there too!) My basement is unfinnished, but the floors and walls have been painted and I have a 1/2 bathroom. In the bathroom I had the contractor install a utility sink rather than a vanity, so I have a place for cleaning paint and plaster. The cost of the utility sink was about 20% of the cost of a vanity with siginificantly more use to my hobby activities.

For the money and keeping the peace, a basement is the way to go!

Jim

Where is the wife going to put her sewing? If you are in the basement “playing with trains”, and she is on the second floor doing her thing, you are going to spend a lot less time model railroading than if your trains are close to where she spends most of her time. The downside of physical proximitity is that you will get interrupted more often. The up side of proximity is that it doesn’t become a hobby she resents because it takes you away from her.

I’m sure you’ve heard the real-element-of-truth jokes about the man, when forced to choose between his wife and his boat, says, “I’m going to miss the wife.” A good marriage can provide far more happiness than a hobby. She should have a real say in where the model railroad is to be located, and which option for buiolding out the house is to be chosen. And be careful to figure out what she isn’t saying for the sake of wanting to please you and not hurt your feelings. To me, these are more important than the objective and subjective arguments of which space is a better location.

my thoughts, your choices
Fred W

I’m going to cast my vote in favor of the basement option, for reasons already cited above. I just paid thru the nose to install a heat pump and insulation in my garage — my house doesn’t have a basement and man I wish it did!

Count me in on the basement side![:D]

I could not imagine doing modules and taking them to modular displays if I had to lug them down from the 2nd floor!! The walk out basement fits much better! Straight out the door and into the trailer (or vice versa).

My preference would be the basement for stable temperaturebut I have a suggestion if you do put it there. My basement has a single car garage door into it and isn’t finished in any way. It is very easy to back a pick up truck or trailer into it and unload. The house came this way and next year I am going to replace it with divided light doors that swing open to give me the same access with better insulating qualities. Make the entry bigger than you think you will need and you will not be disappointed.