Pool nightmare

I can see that if it isn't built properly with the proper drainage and sumps. Goes for ANY basement.

In the area _I_ live in it's not much more to make 9' walls as opposed to 4' walls. I guess it makes a difference where you are as has been pointed out. 4' walls are a minimum here for below the frost line footings and a reasonable crawl space. Going another 5' is just a matter of a couple hours digging and a few more yards of concrete, and a floor.

Well, I'll admit there are some areas where a basement isn't practical. But then again, most of those places are not an area where I'd care to build a house anyway.

And plenty of people build houses in areas where NO houses should be allowed, absent a signed and recorded waiver of EVER getting public assistance when (not if) mother nature destroys them. Sandbar islands, the sides of mountains, bottom land less than 3 feet above the mean water level of the river or ocean a half mile away, or actually below sea level, etc. (I think it is criminally stupid that they are rebuilding the low-lying parts of New Orleans. It WILL flood again. Spend the money to buy them out, and build a New Ninth Ward on the high side of the lake, and set up a cheap shuttle bus service so they can get to their jobs.)

After a few interstate moves, we've learned not to be pack-rats. ;-) I'll cost me a fortune to move my tools next time, though.

Sure. My last house was in Vermont, where the frost went down 7-8' some years. As long as you're down there anyhow a basement is cheap. If the frost only goes down 6" in a bad year, as where I live now, not so much. There is good reason they don't do basements in Alabama.

What jobs?