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Does your property have a basement or cellar?
Have you realised the potential for converting this sometimes dark, damp uninhabitable area into valuable living space?
Using modern waterproofing materials and techniques, a basement conversion is now accepted as a viable, cost effective way of using an existing area to create more living space within your home.
Using the correct methods, a basement can be converted very effectively into a dry habitable space and is able to be used just like any other room in your house. No matter how damp your basement, Hatchmore Space can create an exciting new area that can be utilised for many purposes and even if your basement floods, a conversion is still possible.
How could you use your converted basement or cellar?
• Extra bedroom(s)
• A study
• Living room
• Music room
• Kitchen or utility area
• Home office
• Gym
• Home cinema
• Games room
• Granny flat |
What's involved with basement or cellar conversion?
A complete basement or cellar conversion will most likely encompass a full waterproofing system, a new floor ( usually concrete), insulation, plastering, new electrical works, joinery and plumbing. Maybe a new staircase and the removal of internal walls to create larger open plan spaces,.Anything is possible and is only limited by your imagination.
Windows
Replacement or additional windows are commonly installed to provide additional natural daylight. If there is no external door within the basement and the area is to be classed as' habitable space' ,at least one window within the basement must conform to part B ( fire safety) of the building regulations. This provides an alternate means of escape in the event of a fire and is normally created using a tilt and turn window that opens inwardly.
Plumbing and Heating
Heating may come in the form of radiators fitted with thermostatic radiator valves ( TRVs), electric convectors or even under floor heating. The size and capacity of the existing heating system will be assesed to provide advise on the best system to install. Most conversions will require the relocation of some the existing heating, gas,water and waste pipes which may be attached to the timber joists or walls.Our heating engineer with over 25 years experience, has advanced City and Guilds qualifications and is ' gas safe registered.For more information regarding gas safety please visit www.gassaferegister.co.uk
Joinery
Joinery works may include new doors, skirting board, purpose made cupboards around boilers and gas/electric meters. Due to access restrictions and unusual dimensions found within some basements, internal staircases are generally custom built on site together with hand rails or balustrade. Our joiners are fully qualified at level 1 / 2 / 3 NVQ and advanced construction.
Electrical works
All new electrical installations ( 17th addition) must comply with Part P of the building regulations. All new circuits should be protected by a residual current device ( RCD ) and we will therefore generally install a seperate dedicated consumer unit to provide an electrical supply for the basement conversion. A smoke alarm or heat sensor will normally be required within the basement ( sometimes linked to a ground floor alarm) along with your choice of 13a sockets and light fittings .For further general information on our electrial works please visit. www.nmpelectrics.co.uk
Ventilation
Natural ventilation will normally be provided by means of an opening window/s. Extractor fans will be required if there is a utility or bathroom area within the project. For additional ventilation and air change we can consider installing positive input ventilation systems ( PIVs).These provide a constant supply of fresh air from outside the property. For further information on PIV units, please visit www.nuaire.co.uk . Click on products then residential products' and view ' Flatmaster' and the associated range of products.
Process of waterproofing
Modern innovation and technology has provided a range of ‘Cavity Drainage Membranes' (CDM) that are now widely accepted as a means of effectively waterproofing basements. Coupled with the installation of a water management system including sump pumps and drainage channels, CDMs are installed quickly and with minimum of wall preparation.
Method of waterproofing
Cavity drainage membranes
Oldroyd XV and P systems
The Oldroyd Xv and P system is particularly suited to waterproofing basements commonly encountered in the UK, as it does not rely on the soundness of the underlying substrate for its effectiveness. The membrane is sealed to walls by means of sealed fixing plugs, whilst on the floor there is normally no need for any form of fixing.
Oldroyd Xv can be covered with plasterboard using timber battens or metal dry lining System or in the case of Oldroyd P, dot and dab plasterboard may be applied directly to the membrane. Membrane over the floor area may be screeded, concreted or covered with a floating timber floor. Insulation is incorporated into the dry lining before the application of plasterboards and also before the laying of conctrete to the floor area. A drainage facility, incorporating a sump and a pump will need to be included as part of the system. The Aquadrain perimeter drainage channel may also be used to provide additional drainage at the wall-floor junction.
For further information about cavity drainage membranes and its application within a basement conversion, please visit www.safeguardeurope.co.uk
Building regulations
The majority of basement conversions will be subject to compliance with building regulations.
You should be cautious if any contractor offers to convert your basement or cellar without the involvement of the local authority or independent building control department. Please call us for further help and advise regarding building regulations or visit www.assentbc.co.uk
Also see our seperate page about building regulations
Guarantees
On completion of your project Hatchmore Space will issue a 10 year warranty (subject to conditions ) and a 30 year CDM guarantee.
New basement creation and underpinning
Sometimes an existing basement may lack sufficient head room to be used for everyday living. Occasionally the existing foundations of the building may be deep enough to allow us to excavate downwards to create more ceiling height but very often, significant extra head room can only be created by underpinning the basement walls. Underpinning is a method of construction that sees the depth of the foundations to a building being increased. The soil beneath the existing foundation is excavated and is replaced with foundation material, normally concrete, in phases. A structural engineer would be engaged to design an underpinning project and the work will be overseen by the building inspector involved with the project.
This process can be used expand an existing basement into an under floor 'void' area or to create a new basement from scratch. Please contact us for more information about underpinning.
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Basements
