Space is a priority for most homeowners, and a cellar conversion can be an effective way to achieve a new, gorgeous and warm living space. However, before you go ahead with finding a quote, you may want to take a look at these top five things to consider before converting your cellar.
What are your plans for the cellar space?
Before converting your cellar, you need to first confirm your plans and ensure the result will be a space you can use and enjoy. You may decide to create extra living space like a bedroom, second living room, home office, storage room or a self-contained living space for a relative or tenant.
You may even choose a more alternative cellar conversion project such as home cinema, private gym, wine cellar, music studio or yoga and meditation space.
Is a cellar conversion the right choice for you?
Depending on which area in London you live, and the style and value of your property, you may decide that a cellar conversion is the right choice for you rather than an extension or loft conversion for example. As basement and cellar conversions are a specialist project, always ensure you use an experienced and trusted London cellar conversion company such as Refresh PSC.
Deep excavation to create lower levels isn’t always necessary, and it’s vital to work with what you’ve got when considering a cellar conversion. Many London Victorian and Edwardian homes boast cellar spaces with sturdy foundations that are ideal for conversion.
Waterproofing
As basements and cellars are below the level of the water table and are therefore susceptible to water ingress and damp, you must consider how you’re going to keep the space waterproof.
Refresh PSC offer basement waterproofing services during the structural phase of our cellar conversion process. We’re able to identify the most effective basement waterproofing method and are registered installers of Oldroyd, Safeguard and Delta membrane waterproofing systems.
Light and Ventilation
As cellars and basements are below ground level, you may need to consider light and ventilation. At refresh PSC, we aim to find innovative ways to introduce light to even the darkest of cellars using skylights, sun pipes and tunnels in our designs.
Planning permission
Planning permission isn’t always required for a cellar conversion as often transforming a residential London cellar into additional living space is simply considered a ‘change of use’. However, you should always check whether planning permission is necessary, especially if your conversion will result in a significant change of use or external changes.
In areas of London such as Westminster, Chelsea and Kensington, large-scale basement excavations and conversions have continued to become increasingly popular, resulting in these boroughs changing their policy regarding planning permission.
Contact your local planning authority to check whether planning permission is needed for your London cellar conversion project. Our dedicated structural engineers at Refresh PSC are on-hand to ensure that the design and planning process is complete and your conversion is able to go-ahead.
Party Wall Agreements
As well as planning permission and a building regulation application, you also need to consider whether a Party Wall Agreement is required.
The Party Wall Act provides residents with a legal framework for preventing and resolving any potential disputes during the cellar conversion. If you have any shared walls with your neighbours, then you will need to reach an agreement. You will need to issue a notice and obtain your neighbour’s consent at least two months before any structural work on your cellar conversion begins.
Choose a Trusted London Cellar Conversion Service
If you’re considering a cellar conversion and feel like it’s the right choice for your London property, then all that is left to do is to contact the experts at Refresh PSC for our specialist cellar conversion service.
As a trusted basement conversion company, we only use reputable brands and high-quality materials to complete our projects and can ensure a 10-year guarantee on all of our cellar conversions in London.
To find out more about what converting your cellar involves, don’t hesitate to book a no-obligation chat and receive a quote for our cellar conversion services in London. Using our online contact form and one of our Refresh PSC experts will soon be in touch, or simply call 020 8959 6424 to speak to our team.
