If you were to ask homeowners what they would most like to have in their houses, one of the most popular answers would be more space. One way of getting this without getting an extension is converting your basement into a brand new living space. Whereas the most common conversion of an unused loft is into an extra bedroom, the basement has a wide range of possibilities as it is located closer to the main living areas and tends to be more easily accessible. Of course, this can be a time-consuming and costly task, so you need to ensure that you have thought everything through carefully. This guide is here to give you a helping hand with this.
The Main Options
There are two main options when it comes to a basement conversion. The first is renovating a pre-existing basement or cellar. The second is by creating a basement in your home if you don’t have one already, which you could either do by building it directly underneath or extending out to the front, side or garden area. Obviously, this all depends on whether or not you have a space to work with or if you need to create an entirely new one.
Choosing a Use
Now, you need to consider closely what you will actually be using your basement for. If you want to go down the practical route, a few potential options include a workshop, utility room, storage space or wine cellar. However, if you are looking to create a fun area, you could create a games room, home gym or chillout zone. Essentially, it all depends on your priorities and the amount of money that you have to spend.
Maximising Light
One of the main issues of converting a basement is that there is never enough light. To start off with, a good artificial lighting scheme is essential and you should also use neutral colours and natural touches to enhance the space. If your basement extends underneath your garden, you can use flat rooflights to bring in the light or consider installing egress window wells. Make the most of any light which is coming from the landing area with glass balustrading and open tread staircases.
Ceiling Height
Taller ceilings tend to improve the quality of the space that you have, and with a basement, you can simply dig a little deeper to raise their height. However, you need to bear in mind that the deeper you dig, the bigger the budget that you will require. Remember that the ceiling will need to be able to accommodate lighting, ventilation and plumbing. There are plenty of considerations that you need to think about closely to ensure that the space operates as you would like it to.
Waterproofing
Whatever method of basement waterproofing that you use, you should enlist professional support to make sure that you get everything right. After all, this is a room that is liable to suffer from flooding if you don’t put in place the proper provisions. At the very least, it is an area of the house where damp and mould could be an issue, so you should take extra care to reduce the risk of these issues striking where you can.
Work Out Whether You Need Planning Permission
Converting an existing cellar into habitable space shouldn’t require planning permission. However, if you are going to be reducing the floor level to improve the ceiling height, this may be treated as an extension and will require the appropriate permission. You shouldn’t have too many difficulties obtaining this as you are not significantly altering the appearance of the building. Always make sure to consult with your local authority before you start any work to avoid getting into any difficulties down the line.
Calculate the Length of Time Involved in the Conversion
The simplest of basement conversions can be completed in just a matter of weeks. However, if you are completing a job that involves converting and extending the cellar beneath the entire house, this is more likely to take several months. If your existing ground floor is suspended timber and there is access to the garden or road for the removal of soil, you may be able to continue living at home while the work is being done. However, if the ground floor is made of concrete and needs to be entirely rebuilt and everything needs to be removed through your house, you may need to find alternative accommodation options.
Create a Budget
Creating a detailed budget is important before work gets started. There are a range of costs that are going to be involved in the job including digging basement space, engineering fees, planning applications, drainage, and all the fittings and fixtures. It is always better to over budget in case things go wrong along the way – which is something that happens quite often when you are undertaking difficult work around the home. There are a number of different factors which could add to the costs including diverting drains beneath the house, poor access to the site and your home having concrete structures rather than timber subfloors.
As you can see, converting a basement into new living space is never going to be the easiest job in the world, but the potential advantages are there to be enjoyed if you do a good job. When you are deciding what to do with the space, make sure that you have thought through the practical implications involved. For example, if it is very difficult to get any light into the area, it may be best as a utility room rather than a place to entertain guests. Also, consider any disruptions which are going to be caused to your home life, as well as notifying your neighbours to ensure that they don’t have any objections when you are actually carrying out the work itself. Budget for all eventualities and always have a little surplus built in to take care of the unexpected issues that arise.
*This is a collaborative post*