Benefits of a Basement
Here at Basement Builder, we have taken on and fulfilled a wide variety of clients’ briefs and each job makes us more inspired about the benefits of building a bespoke basement. It is not difficult to recognise the advantages of building a basement or converting an existing uninhabitable cellar into a bright and comfortable living space. The main benefits of a basement is increasing the square area of your home or building and being able to utilise that extra space to improve your lifestyle or increase the value of your home.
The joy of basements for the more creative among us is that you can style it as your heart desires. You can let your imagination take flight and create an ultra-modern sanctuary underneath your Victorian home, for example. Additionally, feel free to toss conventional interior design rules out of the window when you descend to decorate your basement!
There are many other benefits of building or converting a basement, however, which can be found listed and described below.
Environmentally Friendly
Basements are naturally environmentally friendly. A Basement Information Centre study concluded that properties with basements are up to 10% more thermally efficient than those of the same size yet constructed entirely above ground. The reason for this is that the below grade orientation of a basement provides insulation which the rest of the property doesn’t enjoy. These insulating qualities of basements have been.
The insulating properties of basements have been recognised for decades, in fact. For example, wine cellars are typically located in basements given they are able to render a consistent temperature throughout the year. In addition, recent environmentally friendly and energy efficient innovations have led basements to becoming even more green than ever before. The main reason basements are environmentally friendly is because they are energy efficient and there are various ways which this characteristic can be maximised. Some of these include installing insulted plumbing and relocating it from outside walls, fitting sealed or airtight recessed light fixtures, insulating walls, ceilings and foundations, caulk, seal and weatherstrip around areas such as windows, relying on solar tubes or fiber optic lighting solutions, utilise low-e and multiple paned windows with vinyl or wood frames, and much more. Lastly, an energy efficient basement will likewise reduce heating costs meaning it is not only environmentally friendly, but wallet friendly too! For more information regarding the specific details of how your basement can be built, please feel free to get in touch with us.
Compelling Economics
Although the addition of basement floors beneath existing buildings can be significantly costlier than a typical loft conversion, this is not always the case when ceiling heights and access are already adequate. In the same vein, even when major excavations, underpinning and drainage solutions are required, the cost of creating new square metre of basement space is still more cost effective than purchasing already existing basement space in areas of high property values. It can therefore be understood that the conversion or creation of basement space can be both less costly and more profitable than other means of acquiring more property space.
Large Extensions
Another key advantage compared to adding floors at the top of a building is that the extra space may be considerably greater. No top floor can be larger than the floor beneath it (at least, not under post-Elizabethan building regulations) and planning rules are almost certain to set maximum heights by which a building can be raised. A basement level build can extend not only beneath the house but beneath a garden, drive or car-parking area too.
Free Space
Obviously, but not less importantly, basements free up critical space in other parts of the house. If your home feels cluttered due to lack of storage space or could do with an extra living area in order to become less disorderly and more simplistic, basements are a great option. Whether its creating a room for your exercise machine rather than cramming it in the living room or simply lining your underground level with aesthetically pleasing cabinet space to hold the items your main rooms don’t have the capacity to, a basement can make a significant improvement to the organisation of a home.
Wide Range Of Uses
Top floor extensions have the tendency to convert into living spaces such as bedrooms due to how they are exclusively accessible via the property’s main living space. The ability to give a basement its own entrance, however, allows it to be used for a wider array of spaces such as home gyms, bars, theatres, studios etc.
Increased Home Value
On average, a fully renovated basement can add up to 20% in market value to a property. In certain areas of London such as Chelsea, Fulham and Islington, this figure can increase even further when homes are in possession of a mega-basement. Furthermore, basements are a great way to earn residual income on a monthly basis when they are converted into rentable bedrooms or studio room. Reaching out to an estate agency is an effective way to attain an accurate estimate of the market value of space in your area as a means to calculate how much value a new basement build or conversion would add to your property.
Reduced Heating Costs
Improved Lifestyle
Expanded Space
As opposed to over ground extensions, basements are able to expand your living space without losing any already existing space such as your garden. This means basements maximise the use of available land and as a result end up increasing the value you obtain from your property!