Basements or cellars are not common in British homes. Since the 1960s, most new houses have been built with slab foundations, leaving no space for an underground room. However, quite a few older urban and suburban townhouses, especially around London and the South-East, do have a modest cellar, and if you’re lucky enough to have one in your home, it is a goldmine of opportunity for expanding your living space.
Here are five ways that a basement extension can freshen up your home, and often a cost-effective way to gain space over and an aboveground extension!
Basement Planning permissions are notoriously difficult to obtain due to relationships with neighbouring properties and possible impacts the basement could cause with water tables and also displacement of surrounding neighbouring walls. DS Squared Architects have extensive experience when it comes to design basements, whether they are new or an extension to an existing under croft.
The average UK cellar is a beautiful untapped resource for a customisable living space. With a professional extension and conversion service, you’ll be able to sculpt your space into whatever type of living environment you want, from a games room, to home cinema, office, or even a guest bedroom. Basements are fairly straightforward to keep cool in summer and warm in winter, and can even be made light and airy through the installation of sky lights and solar tubes to maximise the influx of natural light.
Basement extensions can be completely secluded from street noise, passing traffic, and prying eyes, with very little visibility from outside, offering a wonderful sense of privacy in busy neighbourhoods, as well as security.
By working with an experienced architect to choose the right materials for your renovation and extension, you can prevent damp and the risk of flooding, and make your extension extremely energy efficient, saving you money on heating.
Because townhouses are so difficult to extend, at least without eating into precious garden space, properties with basement extensions are extremely high in demand in urban areas, adding significant value to your property if and when you come to sell. And if you combine a basement extension with other property modifications, such as a loft conversion and internal restructuring, you can easily make your property one of the most desirable in your area, and secure a quick sale for a high price.
DS Squared Architects are specialists in designing and building basement extensions to homes of all shapes and sizes. Please get in touch for a free initial consultation, and we can start helping you extend your home downward!