Building a Passive House basement takes a lot of planning, a great structural engineer, and someone paying attention to how much everything costs. Basements are the most expensive space in a house in California. Dirt has to be dug up and removed, and then a very strong foundation has to take its place. If you want to know more about what it takes to build something that will withstand the next "big one" but doesn't break the bank, we invite you to watch this video.