Richard Riley wrote:
I wish someone would convince homebuilders in California that
basements are a good thing.

Basements appear to be more common on newer California construction. Here's
an interesting article on the trend and why basements were more common in
the midwest and east but no so common in the west:

http://www.metroactive.com/papers/me...ews3-0116.html

The need to dig down at least 4 feet to anchor the foundation so as to get
below the winter frost-line was the reason I heard many years ago for why
basements were prevalent where I grew up (Minnesota). Once you have to dig
that deep, the thinking presumably went, you may as well dig down a few
more and have a basement. No such motive existed in most of California.