The Difference Between a Basement and a Cellar

You have heard some people refer to the area of a home that is below grade as a cellar, and yet others call it a basement. Is there a proper term for this area of your house?

Your parents or grandparents may refer to the area of their home that is below grade differently than you do.  The way that your family has referred to the lower level of their home may also have a big influence as to how you refer to it as well.

Sometimes different areas of the United States have different regional terms that describe houses- for example you might find many ramblers for sale in California, and in Connecticut you might only think of a Rambler as an old model AMC automobile. A rambler, for those of you in Connecticut and on the East Coast  is what we call a ranch.

What about condos and townhouses? Around here, they are not really interchangeable terms, although a condo is referred to as a townhouse in many parts of the U.S.  In Fairfield County, a townhouse IS A CONDOMINIUM, however, specifically it is only a two-story condominium, and that would be the only way that description that would be accurate in this neck of the woods.

... and in Manhattan, as another example, you OWN your apartment, and that would generally be a co-op. In  Connecticut, we refer to apartments as homes, condos or multi-family dwellings that we reside in, but pay rent to a landlord, and do not own.

Back to the cellar vs. basement-

A cellar is generally referred to  as a below grade area of the home that is NOT finished. It may or may not have a dirt floor, stone foundation,  or an 8' ceiling height.

The term basement is used more frequently and refers to the below grade, or partially below grade area of the home which may or may not be finished, may or may not have an 8' ceiling height- the difference being that it is "finishable".

All that being said, I wouldn't change your personal  terminology if you prefer one descriptive term  or the other - everyone will know what you are talking about.

And if you are ready for your next home, whether you require a cellar or a basement, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'd love to be of assistance :)

And a note From Judy: If you have a question about buying or selling Real Estate in Fairfield County, and are in need of an Realtor to represent you, I invite you to contact me, and if you have an idea for a topic that you would like to see on The CT Realty Blog, please include it in the "Post a Comment" section link below this post. We appreciate the feedback and look forward to providing you with the best real estate content, advice and service in Fairfield County, Connecticut.