An Layouts in Texas?


S

s10sakota

New Member
Hi All,

In the next year, I'm moving to Dallas, TX and I'm wondering where model railroaders build their layouts in TX since the houses don't have basements? I really wanted to build a very large railroad but I'm wondering if I'm going to be confined to one or two bedrooms.

Anybody here in Texas? What do you guys do for space? I'd ask if you just build a smaller layout, but everything in TX is bigger, right?? :cool:
 
usually in a bedroom or a garage. some will build a separate building, or build an addition for the layout. sometimes you just have to have a multi layer layout.
 
Converted part of an attic into a room and built in there. Room is about 200sq ft. Carpet , AC, etc.
 
Are there laws against building basements in Texas? I've always heard that nobody has a basement in Texas.
 
It could be due to several things, as I doubt that Texas has a law against basements. It could be due to things like high water tables, bedrock, and just the type of soil. It could also be due to cost. I don't know about Texas, but when we were, living and looking at houses to buy in Mobile, Al, any house with a basement that was below ground, whether it was in a hillside, or just dug into the ground where the water table allowed it, added about $30,000 cost to the house.
 
I built over 35 years ago, and at the time, a basement was the cheapest way to double the square footage. Prices were a lot less back then, especially for concrete, but a basement back then (1,600 square feet) added only $2,500. we slowly finished it over a few years ( I did all of the work ) for about another $4,000. Now that the kids are grown and out on their own, the only space that is used in the basement is the train room right now. I did want to expand but the war department ;) said that no more walls were going to come down.
 
D&J RailRoad said:
Are there laws against building basements in Texas? I've always heard that nobody has a basement in Texas.
Click to expand...

There are quite a few basements here in Texas, they aren't illegal or anything like that. Just uncommon. Coastal areas can have problems with the water table, but that's not any different than anywhere else. Much of our subsoil is limestone, so excavating isn't easy. Most of Houston's downtown is interconnected by underground tunnels, complete with stores and such. They're 20-30 feet down, farther than any basement. So it isn't impossible. Land is pretty cheap around most of the state, so the cost of adding square footage by going down thru limestone and such is often more than the cost of just going sideways.
 
As Kenw says, going sideways or adding a second story is usually less expensive. I am about 60 miles north of Dallas and my soil is known as black gumbo...it moves a lot, heaving and contracting depending on the weather and general environment. It is really not suitable for going down without a lot of expense. I've gone down 10' while excavating a pond without even hitting sub-soil...all topsoil. Since I own 15 acres, I elected to put up a separate building about 60' from the house. I visit many layouts on the local layout tours that are in rooms built above the two-car (or three) garages. Modelers who live in the country usually do like me and either use an existing out-building or build a new one.
willie
 
Here in central TX the ground is mostly claiche (Limestone/clay mix) some can be pretty soft, some can be so hard it has to be blasted. It moves allot in the wet dry cycles, an awful lot !! If the ground isn't that its just plain old hard rock again that sometimes has to be blasted. There are a very few basements (I know of only 3) around here and they did cost a ton to put in. I know ranchers that have had to have rock drills just to put fence posts in.
 
I live in North Texas and have taking over the Formal Living area since it was never used. I've been to some of my NMRA club members layouts and they have used the second floor media rooms which are popular to for their layout. The problem with using the garage is the dang heat here in the summer. Hope the move to Texas goes well for you.
There's a great shop in Addison just north of Dallas called "Discount Model Trains", no web site, but the service there is outstanding. They are a big NMRA supporter and have a great inventory
 
I think the basement issue has more to do with frost depth which determines foundation costs. In Texas the depth is about a foot vs over 4 ft for Colorado for example. Bad soil is everywhere and building codes can deal I with it all. From what I've read it just builder economics.
Joe
 
I've been looking at some houses online in the Dallas area and it seems like a two story is my best bet. I can use the upstairs media room and maybe a bedroom for the layout. Doesn't quite compare to having a full basement, but it looks like that's my only option. Unless of course I win the lottery and can have my own basement dug out!
 
I have a layout in Houston amd I use my upstairs media room. It's big enough for now but I would love to have a basement. Another thing I have seen is a detached garage with a second story. It seems to be pretty common here in Houston but I'm not sure what it would be like in Dallas.
 
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