Make your outlets as high as you wish. Between 18 and 72 inches usually suits me. Might your basement flood?
Personally I would put in a GFCI breaker and run the basement lights from that. You can also daisy chain through a GFCI receptacle which is cheaper by about $29 assuming that you still have to buy a single regular breaker.
You didn't say what loads (laundry?) you will have or how big it is.
Several separate circuits may be in order.
Is the load center in the basement?
Keep in mind that many tools are 9-15 amps.
One 20 amp circuit doesn't go very far when you start plugging big things into it.
Make sure all unfinished basement outlets are GFCI protected.
An unfinished area to me means that there is not padded carpeting wall-to-wall or girders or metal pipes are exposed.
You don't ever want water to get into your GFCI devices.
[This message has been edited by Dspark (edited 05-10-2001).]
