In the UK, basement conversions aren’t as popular as they are in other countries. This is mostly due to the way our homes were built in days gone by. However, homes built before the 1960s can often have basements, although this isn’t too common.
Due to the lack of space in many built-up areas, the appeal of building down instead of out and using up valuable outdoor space has increased in popularity of late, especially in areas such as London or other inner-city spaces where the cost of living buying homes is considerably more expensive.
Image Source – Pexels
If you are considering adding a basement conversion to your home, what do you need to know before making plans? Firstly, there are three basic approaches if you wish to generate (or use) space below your home:
- Create a basement as part of a new building
- Renovation of an existing cellar or basement
- Create a new basement in an existing home either directly underneath or extending towards the front or side of the house’s garden.
Is It Going To Be Financially Worth It?
The cost of the work will determine the financial viability of a cellar conversion concerning the value of the surrounding property. When it comes to high-value places such as central London and other sought-after urban centres, it virtually always makes financial sense to add lower ground floor space to the building. You should be able to estimate how much space is worth per square metre in your particular neighbourhood by consulting local estate agents.
Always keep in mind that a high-quality, well-lit basement living space with direct access to the back garden will be worth significantly more than a gloomy, converted cellar space with limited headroom. It is also vital to consider the location’s maximum value: keep in mind that most suburban areas, and particularly estates, have a maximum value that is extremely difficult to exceed no matter how many upgrades you make.
Do You Need Planning Permission?
Planning permission is not required to convert an existing cellar beneath a house from a storage area to a livable space. This will be covered by the Permitted Development Agreement for your home (unless you are in a Conservation Area or specially designated area, or your home is Listed).
However, lowering the floor level of a cellar to raise the ceiling height is considered an addition. It may necessitate the submission of a building permit application for approval. Modest additions and alterations, on the other hand, can be carried out without the requirement to submit a planning application in some circumstances: for more information, visit www.planningportal.gov.uk.
Although planning policy on basements differs from one local authority to the next, it is complicated for a local authority to find acceptable grounds for refusal, particularly if the work does not dramatically alter the structure’s appearance. Recent high-profile incidents of people expanding their basements many floors above ground level, resulting in so-called iceberg basements, have prompted a reassessment of the planning policy on basements in the United Kingdom.
Building Regulations
It will be necessary to comply with building regulations in England and Wales for your new basement to be legally habitable. This will include achieving sufficient insulation levels, constructing emergency escape routes, and maintaining a minimum head height, which may necessitate the use of structural supports such as steel beams. To ensure that your structural work does not harm the remainder of your home or your neighbours’ properties, any structural work you do will need to be approved by a building inspector.
Party Wall Agreement
The Party Wall Act prevents and resolves disputes over boundary walls, party walls, and excavations near neighbouring buildings in England and Wales.
Unless you reside in a detached home, you must first negotiate shared walls with your neighbours. Before work may commence, the proper notices must be issued and consents secured from those neighbours whose boundaries may be affected.
An architect or contractor will normally deal with any necessary party wall agreements, as well as planning and building laws. If not, you must hire a surveyor; your neighbour may hire their own surveyor, and you must pay both fees.
Getting your neighbours on board for your basement conversion can remove any fees, but you must have their written approval on a waiver form.
Choosing to extend your property down instead of out can be a great way to add space; however, like with a building extension, a basement conversion needs proper plans before you even do any work, especially if you are creating a whole new basement.
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