We have 5 reasons for you to prefer a basement conversion in London to moving to another house, which is an expensive option. In such a place with a fast-moving market, moving to another place could be bothersome. So, why don’t you improve your home with an economical alternative like a basement conversion?
We have 5 reasons for you to prefer a basement conversion in London to moving to another house, which is an expensive option. In such a place with a fast-moving market, moving to another place could be bothersome. So, why don’t you improve your home with an economical alternative like a basement conversion?
Here are the 5 reasons that will explain why a basement conversion is worth it!
Many areas in London are conservation areas, which means it may be difficult to extend up to the side or rear. With the growing families arises the need for bigger houses. To adapt to the changing needs of the time, creating a basement can provide space to the ever-increasing families. Not all basements are necessarily turned into swimming pools and bowling alleys, as is believed generally. Many are being converted to generate extra space for bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, home offices, and playrooms. This extended space may help to keep family harmony as it always existed before.
The cost of moving to London has been increasing steadily. According to a 2014 study by Post Office Money and Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), the mean cost of moving to London in that year was £27,946. According to it, London is the most expensive place to move house in the UK. This number, indeed, does not take into account the new levels of stamp duty. The usual stamp duty ranges from two per cent to 12 per cent depending on the cost of the property. In 2016, a further three per cent surcharge was added on second homes or bought to let properties. The mean cost of making a basement under an existing house sits between £500-£750 per square metre. So, it is better for many to improve and not move.
Indeed, considerations about moving are not just about money. If you have a growing family and require more room, you may not prefer to move because you don’t want to move away from your family and friends. You may also not like the idea of increasing the distance between your children’s school and your new home. So, some investment in a basement conversion may provide some extra space that may spare you from all this.
It’s an ideal use of space to dig down your property for a basement. You won’t lose your garden area, nor will you eclipse views or light that you would if you planned to build up. In some London boroughs, it is likely to dig a basement under the property's footprints and expand under the garden.
Creating a basement means that floor and wall insulations are improved. It is because the house does not overheat or cool down quickly. In other words, a house with a basement may be up to ten per cent more thermally efficient than the one built wholly above ground. Allan Joyce is an architect who constructed a complete storey of his home underground. He told Homebuilding & Renovating magazine that “The house was designed as a thermal store, and with our family sleeping in the basement, we find it very warm.” He further said that there is no wind chill, and the average ground temperature outside is 14°. He said that they have a below-ground courtyard and plenty of natural light pouring in through roof lights. On a sunny day in winter, he said, the temperature in the basement surges as high as 25 degrees without heating on.
If you, too, are considering a basement conversion, the first thing you should do is to find professional help.