I have a huge basement daycare...and I love it and all the parents who come for interviews do as well I have big, bright windows and it does not feel like a basement. I have the intercom system like Wonderwiper and it works great. My stairs to the basement are in the middle of the house too and yes parents have to come through the house, but it is worth it to not have to run kids up and down and leave others alone in the basement. The parents love this system! I love being able to close the door on work at the end of the day. I have a kitchen and bathroom down there as well so we only come up to go outside. So, I think basement is not necessarily a bad thing but it really depends on your basement...if it is dark and windowless, then as a parent I would not want my kid there all day.