ANSI issue with new home

[sailorboy]

View attachment 96907
This is from my house. Looking from my office into our game room.

Thanks, I think my situation is different as the area in question is all the same level. The issue is that the grade outside is uneven in relation to the floor. No interior floor changes but slight exterior grade changes.

 

[Tom D]

What will be worse, exception & explaining why GLA, or calling it a finished basement seemingly above grade with no such comps. No realtor, civilian or l&i would call this one a basement.
In my big urban city and surrounding areas saying ansi is a foreign language, thank you fannie savants.
If you have similar comps where GLA was ansied and broken out, then easy peazy. No such comps, you will be stiped to hell. I prefer the choice of least pain.
Common sense is an interesting technique when there is confusion.

 

[J Grant]

Yes I am sure, even went back out to measure and it runs from less than 3" to 1.77' for 20' of a 64' back length. I have also been dealing with the underwriter and told them I was going to use exception rule. After reading TerryRohrer, he is right. The sketch he shows is exactly what I am dealing with where a small portion is below grade so the entire level has to be shown as below grade. I will have to use all above grade comps because the market recognizes this as an above grade space and NOT basement. Large adjustments for square footages and room counts that cancel each other out. I see no way around this. It will be confusing but what FNMA wants, have to follow ANSI as ridiculous as it is. Tried to upload a photo here but it was too large.

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In that case, explain what you did and why you did it, to not be misleading in terms of the market and the overall utility of the layout, and why the sf on the grid does not match the Ansi horror show on the sketch. A sad state of affairs -

 

[Dublin ohio]

Yes I am sure, even went back out to measure and it runs from less than 3" to 1.77' for 20' of a 64' back length. I have also been dealing with the underwriter and told them I was going to use exception rule. After reading TerryRohrer, he is right. The sketch he shows is exactly what I am dealing with where a small portion is below grade so the entire level has to be shown as below grade. I will have to use all above grade comps because the market recognizes this as an above grade space and NOT basement. Large adjustments for square footages and room counts that cancel each other out. I see no way around this. It will be confusing but what FNMA wants, have to follow ANSI as ridiculous as it is. Tried to upload a photo here but it was too large.

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Without a photo it is difficult to comment. With that small of a difference, is it actual "grade" or was it done to facilitate positive drainage away from the foundation

 

[sailorboy]

Here are some photos. First oen shows bedroom stem wall, which was what originally alerted me to the situation. There was a 0.26' difference between finish floor and exterior grade.


Photo along side of home with sloping grade

Rear photo of home


Front photo of home

 

[sailorboy]

Yes I believe the foundation was set up like this for drainage. There the site continued in an upward slope to the rear as can be seen.

 

[J Grant]

It does not look below grade to me....

 

[sailorboy]

It does not look below grade to me....

Yes it does not look below grade and the market would not see it as below grade. In reality it is below grade by several inches so has to be shown as below grade. I am not calling it " basement" as I cannot find where ANSI requires it to be called as such. I am calling the levels " below grade" and "above grade" rather than basement and 1st floor, which in my opinion would be misleading.

 

[Dublin ohio]

Yes it does not look below grade and the market would not see it as below grade. In reality it is below grade by several inches so has to be shown as below grade. I am not calling it " basement" as I cannot find where ANSI requires it to be called as such. I am calling the levels " below grade" and "above grade" rather than basement and 1st floor, which in my opinion would be misleading.

If its for Fannie

Q18. Fannie Mae requires any area that is partially or wholly below grade to be counted as basement; what defines ‘partially’ below grade?

A floor level is partially or wholly below grade if any portion of its walls is not entirely at or above ground level.

 

[TerryRohrer]

If its for Fannie

Q18. Fannie Mae requires any area that is partially or wholly below grade to be counted as basement; what defines ‘partially’ below grade?

A floor level is partially or wholly below grade if any portion of its walls is not entirely at or above ground level.

Maybe they don't really mean it.