I inspect homes for a living. I like a slab over a crawlspace, but it has it's drawbacks.

Slab. No moisture related mold issues. Less opportunity for pest intrusion, moisture intrusion and mold related issues than an average crawlspace. The downside, when water lines are under the slab (waste lines for certain and more often than not, supply lines as well, when a water line breaks, it's big money. It's harder to remodel and harder to change things in the home.

Crawlspace. When not encapsulated, there will always be moisture intrusion. Ambient air humidity is enough to cause issues. Pests love crawlspaces too. Water lines are much more prone to freezing in crawlspaces, but also easier to repair. Remodel is easy and you can change a ton of stuff relatively easily. A properly encapsulated crawlspace with no air movement to and from the exterior, a dehumidifier in place and properly sealed is a work of art and easy to get around in. These are rare, far and few between. Most crawlspaces suck.

Basement. You get the best of both worlds. Plenty of storage and access to everything. Moisture related problems are easier to prevent and easier to deal with when present. Water lines are easier to access, but in unconditioned spaces they can be prone to rupturing just like a crawlspace.

Proper grading and gutters, along with proper foundation prep work and moisture barrier will prevent many or most problems related to all these foundation types. Grading should slope away a minimum of 6" over 10'. Gutters should terminate and extend a minimum of 18" from the home. Preferably 3' or more. Those things alone will save you a ton of trouble.

As for me, any home I build in the future will have a basement. Concrete. 15' ceilings minimum. There is a lot of other things I'd do, but that's too much typing. I pity the builder if I ever build another home. But, he can tell anyone after that he built the perfect home.

Why 15' + ceilings ? That's a lot of extra cubic feet to heat and cool.

Thanks for the replies gents. Yall ever seen a slab then 2-3 block up on top of slab so you can run a creeper around?

I don’t know the cost difference. Don’t underestimate the pain of plumbing in the attic and burst pipes (which is usually how slab houses are built).

The big downside to a crawl space is the moisture and creatures that can get down there.

Thanks for the replies gents. Yall ever seen a slab then 2-3 block up on top of slab so you can run a creeper around?

My buddy has one like that. His may be a couple blocks higher but he had it wire with outlets and lights under there when it was being built. He opens the access door, turns on the lights, then scoots around on a creeper. If he needs a power tool, he’s always close to an outlet. It’s a pretty slick setup.

Encapsulated Crawlspace