About 10% of UK’s houses have a cellar or maybe you’d prefer to call it a basement? Usually they can suffer from 3D – dark, dingy and damp – and consequently may be sadly neglected!
But with the correct attention, a basement can easily become a ready-made ‘extension’ providing valuable additional space for all manner of domestic purposes. And, of course, properly refurbished, finished and looking really smart, cozy and practical, it’s a great way to enhance your property and positively add to its value.
Indeed, an attractive, functional basement will boost any home’s profile.
So if you need more room to swing the cat, have got the budget and there’s a basement lurking below, you can soon turn it into a very special area such as an extra lounge, bathroom, walk-in shower, playroom, office and so on.
What’s more it’s not likely to need planning permission like other home extensions. But it will need Building Control assessment.
A refurbished basement will become a talking point for your friends and neighbours and can make a great place to entertain them if it’s to be a lounge or a recreational room. You can create plenty of artificial light in a basement and may even be able to introduce daylight through an attractive light well?
It is possible for a very good DIYer to renovate a basement themselves. But it’s far better to called in an expert who can provide a design, based on your ideas and requirements, and who knows exactly what is required and will make it easily accessible, damp-free, comfortable, safe and, very important, thoroughly energy efficient. Indeed, he should embrace all eventualities.
A special article on this website gives you further advice on how best to tackle your basement.
Photos kindly supplied by the Wykamol Group
More information: www.nhic.org.uk
