Photos: Hillary Clinton's life in the spotlight. Clinton waves to the media in January 1996 as she arrives for an appearance before a grand jury in Washington. The first lady was subpoenaed to testify as a witness in the investigation of the Whitewater land deal in Arkansas.
1 Adding a basement to an existing house can cost $30,000-$70,000 or more, depending on the size of the existing crawlspace or half-basement or if the house is on a slab foundation, and how much of the work is do-it-yourself and how much is done by contractors.
1 Build Your Own House explains the pros and cons of a crawl space foundation. 2  A full basement foundation for an average home can cost $13,000-$30,000 or more, depending on the width and height of the walls, and whether utilities, windows or other features are included. Typically footers are poured along with short walls that support the home; some crawl spaces provide only 16-18 between the bottom of the floor joists and the soil, while others are tall enough to crouch inside. 2  Build Your Own House explains the pros and cons of a crawl space foundation.