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.
The budget will also include material and labor costs associated with building forms for the concrete, casting the footers and stem wall, and pouring and finishing the slab. At the time of publication, the cost of a typical slab foundation for a home between 1,600 and 1,800 square feet ranges between $7,000 and $16,000. A perimeter foundation consists of a perimeter stem wall resting on below-grade footings; the walls and floor of the structure rest on the stem wall.