Daylight vs Walkout Basement: Which Option is Right for Your Home?

Basements offer desirable extra living space for couples and family homes. They can be divided into several bedrooms, bathroom suites, storage areas, or an entire ADU-compliant apartment for long-term living.

When it comes to basement design, you'll often stumble across the terms "walkout" and "daylight". Both styles add value and extra living space to a home, but what exactly do the terms mean, and how do they differ?

In this article, we'll compare daylight basement house plans vs walkout basement house plans, analyzing their key features, pros, and cons to help you determine the right basement for your home.

Definitions: Daylight vs Walkout Basements

Both are "traditional" basements in the sense that they are commonly found in American homes. In terms of their floor plan, they can have the same or very different interior features. The aspect that sets the two types of basements apart is their accessibility.

By definition, the key differences are as follows:

• Daylight basement: Has full-sized windows in its floor plan, but usually no exterior door on the ground level. Instead, it may have a stairwell that leads to the basement from inside the home.

• Walkout basement: Has an exterior door on the ground level that leads outside the home. It usually has full-sized windows and a sloped entrance from outside or a stairwell.

A basement without any windows (with or without an external door) is usually referred to as a cellar.

Key Features: What are the Defining Features of Daylight vs Walkout Basements?

There are key differences between daylight basements vs walkout basements.

Features of a Daylight Basement

Common features of a daylight basement include:

• Several hopper windows in each segmented area (e.g., in each bedroom and workshop)

• Natural light and artificial light (via windows and fitted lights)

• Flexible space, which can house bedrooms, bathrooms, workshops, home offices, media rooms, games rooms, laundry rooms, storage rooms, and/or a vault

• Access via a lockable interior door that opens to a staircase and leads directly to the basement

Example Home With Daylight Basement: Spicewood Trail II House Plan

This beautifully designed 2,383 sq ft house plan offers the perfect blend of comfort and style. Ideal for families, it combines space and functionality in its three bedrooms and spacious daylight basement. The 1,163 sq ft basement offers additional storage, extra bedrooms, a workshop space, or a completely customizable area to suit the needs of the home.

Specification and key features:

• Total Living: 2,383 square foot

• Basement: 1,163 square foot

• Garage: 973 square foot

• Bedrooms: 3

• Bathrooms: 2

• Foundation: Basement

• Basement Ceiling Height: 10'

Features of a Walkout Basement

A typical basement with walkout access usually includes:

• At least one full-sized window in each room of the basement

• Natural light and artificial light fixtures

• Code compliance for a secondary suite or ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit)

• Space for additional living space, like bedrooms, bathrooms, storage, or recreational areas

• Access via an external door (e.g., a sliding patio door) and sometimes an interior door inside the home

Example Home With Walkout Basement: Wayside I House Plan

This spacious 1,679 sq ft house plan is a cozy, functional, and low-maintenance modern retreat. Perfect for comfortable living, its two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and impressive walkout basement make it an ideal home for small families and couples. The 1,720 sq ft basement has great potential for future expansion, renting, or storage, with full access to outdoor areas.

Specification and key features:

• Total Living: 1,679 square foot

• Basement: 1,720 square foot

• Porch: 300 square foot

• Bedrooms: 2

• Bathrooms: 2

• Foundation: Walkout Basement

• Basement Ceiling Height: 9'

Pros & Cons: Daylight vs Walkout Basements

Explore the pros and cons of daylight vs walkout basements.

Daylight basements

Daylight basements are commonly used by homeowners as a storage space, workshop, home office, laundry area, recreational room, or bedroom with a bathroom suite.

Spicewood Trail House Plan

Pros of daylight basements

The advantages of a daylight basement include:

• Natural light: One of the main benefits of a daylight basement is its access to natural light. This makes the space feel like part of the home and ensures it can legally be used as a bedroom.

• Interior access: With a connecting door inside the home, residents don't have to go outside or into the backyard to use the basement, making accessibility easier, particularly for family homes.

• Livable space: With internal access and full-sized windows, a daylight basement feels like part of the home. As such, it can be used as a games room, living area, home gym, or even a bedroom.

• High security: The only access point is inside the home, meaning no additional security measures (like exterior doors, locks, or cameras) are needed to secure access to the basement.

• Suitable as a kids' bedroom: With no door leading outside, a daylight basement is a safer space for a child's or a teenager's bedroom, as they can't leave the property without the parents' knowledge.

• Added home value: Homes with a daylight basement are usually worth more on the real estate market compared to homes with a cellar or no basement.

Cons of daylight basements

The disadvantages of a daylight basement can be:

• No exterior access: Without a door that leads directly from outdoor areas, this makes renting the basement more difficult, as tenants will have to access the main home to enter/exit.

• Energy efficiency: With increased natural light, this can keep energy consumption down in a property. This is particularly helpful if the area is used daily (e.g., as a home office or workshop).

• Property taxes: The extra square footage of a basement can increase property taxes. However, due to the lack of external access, taxes tend to be lower compared to a home with a walkout basement.

Walkout basements

Homeowners often use walkout basements for storage, family living, or as a rental suite. Our popular walkout basement house plans can include one or two bedrooms, a bathroom or ensuite, a vault, a recreational room, and an unfinished storage space that can be used flexibly.

Royal Palms House Plan

Pros of walkout basements

The advantages of a walkout basement can be:

• Access from outside: A separate entrance adds versatility to the space, allowing homeowners to use the extra living space as a guest accommodation or rentable area in the future.

• Blends indoor/outdoor living: With easy access to outdoor living spaces (like a backyard or patio), bedrooms on the basement floor enjoy a seamless connection to the outdoors.

• Ideal for storage: Walkout basements are great for providing additional storage, particularly for large or heavy items that would be difficult to transport or store inside the home.

• Apartment living: Can be used as a rental or holiday let to generate extra income, or as a separate place for family members to live on the property grounds (e.g., older children or aging relatives).

• High marketability: Basements add value to a property, particularly if there's potential to rent it for extra income. This makes a home with a walkout basement desirable and marketable.

Cons of walkout basements

The disadvantages of a walkout basement can be:

• Additional security measures: Since the basement can be used to gain access to the home, the entrance must be secure and lockable. For additional security, many homeowners install locks on connecting doors between the basement and the home interior.

• Property taxes: The additional square footage can increase property taxes, and walkout basements tend to have a higher tax increase compared to daylight basements.

Summary: A Comparison of Daylight vs Walkout Basements

Walkout vs Daylight Basement - FAQ

What is a Daylight Basement?

A daylight basement is below the ground floor of a property, and has one or more windows above the ground that allow natural light to enter.

It can be built mostly underground, with the top section of the basement resting above the ground, with interior windows at shoulder height. Or it can be built above the ground with full-sized windows, with access from inside the property only (via a staircase).

What is a Walkout Basement?

A walkout basement is either above or partially above the ground and has direct access from outside the property.

It usually has windows and a sliding door that leads directly to the backyard, side, or front of the house. The door is usually accessible either via a sloped terrain (found in partially underground basements) or at ground level outside the home.

What are the Disadvantages of a Walk-Out Basement?

The downside to choosing a walkout basement (over a daylight basement or cellar) is that property taxes can increase, since the extra floor is usually considered an additional living space under local regulations.

They also pose a security risk, particularly if young children or teenagers live in the bedrooms, as they can leave the property without parents' knowledge more easily.

What is Another Name for a Walkout Basement?

Walkout basements are generally referred to as basements, livable basements, basement apartments, English basements, basement flats, garden apartments, or walk-in basements. They may also be referred to as a "cellar", however, cellars don't usually have windows, which makes them quite different.

A walkout basement is not the same as a daylight or lookout basement, as you cannot access these from outside the property (like you can with a walkout basement). You can only access these from inside the home.

Are Daylight Basements Cheaper Than Walkout Basements?

Both types of basements require investment, and the costs can vary depending on the property's slope, existing foundations, excavation requirements, and other environmental factors. It can also vary by state in terms of the costs of permits, hiring contractors, and sourcing materials.

However, generally speaking, you can expect to pay less for a property with a daylight basement compared to a walkout basement. This is because a walkout basement can be more complex to install, with more finishing required.

For example, you'll need to install a patio, exterior door, full-sized windows, and retaining wall blocks in a walkout basement. Yet in a daylight basement, you may only need to install hopper windows and not an external patio or exterior doors.

Discover House Plans With Basements Today

Homes with basements offer homeowners long-term flexibility and a highly desirable functional space. Explore our collection of house plans with basements to find your dream home today.

Discover daylight basement house plans and walkout basement house plans.