Cellar Conversion Westgate-on-Sea

According to the property specialists Savills, a converted cellar (or basement) can also add anywhere between 10-15% to the market value of your home. If you have already done a conversion on your loft to accommodate your ever growing family, a basement conversion gives you a good way to create much needed extra living space.

Before jumping into any basement conversion project, ask yourself the following questions: 1. What amount of work will have to be undertaken on the basement to transform it into a functional living area? 2. How can you stay clear of "cowboy" builders and locate a quality Westgate-on-Sea firm who will be able to convert your cellar and provide assurances and guarantees to all of the work that's needed? 3. Are the attributes of a cellar conversion actually worth the expense that is involved with doing it? 4. What precisely do you hope to achieve with the new space created with the conversion?

Unlike doing extensions and loft conversions, a cellar conversion doesn't normally need local authority planning permission if you're just making it into a functional living space, however if you have to do any construction works such as lowering the floor you should ask the local authorities what your options are. There are different rules if your home is in a conservation area, is listed or shares a party wall with a neighbour, however in most cases you are free to utilise the space as a living space with very few restrictions.

For most folks in Westgate-on-Sea, the reason that they want to have a cellar or basement conversion created in their property is to make full use of priceless extra living space. In Westgate-on-Sea, where space is sometimes in short supply, this is the top priority. A basement conversion can also be done as a means by which to earn a bit of extra money by changing that largely unused space into a self contained flat and charging rent for it.

The truth is the uses of a cellar conversion are limited only by your imagination.....and your budget of course. Maybe you've always desired a games room or home cinema, or you could install a bar and "hey presto", instant pub for you and your family. If you are someone who works from home a lot, a cellar conversion can create the ideal home office by giving you a bespoke space where you're less likely to be disturbed by children and family.

What is Involved?

As mentioned previously, planning permission may not be needed in many instances, but you will need to have Building Regulations clearance. This will make certain that your brand new living space observes all the Health and Safety legislation and guidelines for electrical systems, damp proofing, fire escapes, water supply, ventilation and ceiling height. Fortuitously your Westgate-on-Sea basement conversion company should deal with these regulations as part of the build process.

Even if there aren't any visible signs of mould or damp in your basement, it will still need some kind of cementitious tanking or waterproof membrane in order to remain water-resistant and make it acceptable for converting. Any damp proofing and waterproofing that you decide to use has to comply with the BS8102 guidelines which your Westgate-on-Sea builder is obliged to follow. To put your mind at ease, ask the construction company if they can provide you with an insurance supported guarantee to cover water ingress due to water proof membrane failure.

The heating system, electric wiring, water sources, insulation, ventilation, flooring and lighting will probably also need to be upgraded or installed from scratch. An efficient way to warm up your cellar and basement conversion is to install under floor heating, which uniformly circulates the heat around the area. Additionally it is hidden underneath your selected flooring style and needs very little upkeep.

Only certified electricians must be used to complete any electrical re-wiring that needs to be done on your conversion. Try to make use of recessed (sunken) lighting to reduce the worry about ceiling height problems, and with a wide range of affordable LED lights available to buy, your basement can feel airy and bright even where natural light is absent.

Ventilation and insulation are two important issues that have to be sorted out from the planning and design phase. The correct insulation should offer sufficient protection to stop damp causing cold spots from developing in your conversion. A lack of ventilation can also bring about a steady increase in humidity which can cause problems with damp and mould.

Before choosing your contractor in Westgate-on-Sea, obtain as many price quotes as you can to allow you to evaluate the different prices and services available. If you feel in any doubt about the working standards of a builder it should not be a problem if you ask to see their certificates of membership and accreditation of the appropriate trade bodies.

If you receive an initial quotation after an on-site survey it might only apply to the basic aspects of your conversion, for example waterproofing considerations, access issues and the floor. During discussions with your conversion specialist you will be able to incorporate your personal specifications, i.e. you may require a room to be separated, have a bathroom or kitchen installed or raise the ceiling height by digging out the current floor.

The final quotation should contain all necessary party wall agreement, building regulation and planning application paperwork relevant to the Westgate-on-Sea area before any work is able to begin. The final quote should also provide a job-by-job breakdown of the various elements of the cellar conversion to give you an accurate idea of the costs involved at each phase.

A decent builder should be able to offer advice on all these issues and recommend methods by which to improve natural daylight to brighten the space by opening up stairways or the use of light wells. This is also the time to confer with a qualified electrician regarding the installation of extra electrical wiring for sockets, lighting, computer networks and entertainment.

Subject to your planned use of your conversion it pays think seriously about the height and width of your entry points. Your elaborate design might be based on your dream of transforming your cellar conversion into a mock pub, home gym or games room, but if access is limited how will the equipment get down there?

It's obvious that regardless of what you choose to convert your basement into, you will need it to remain warm and dry at all times of the year. For this to occur you need your conversion specialist to be certified and guaranteed by membership and accreditation to the relevant building bodies.

You can find out if your Westgate-on-Sea conversion company is on the list of the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) to ensure that you're employing a trusted and reliable contractor. Yet another effective way to check up on a conversion company's integrity is to see if it's included on the Trustmark website. This is a Trading Standards Authority supervised scheme and it is backed by the government.

The vast majority of building companies in Westgate-on-Sea are legitimate and genuine businesses with trained and qualified tradespeople. A genuine company understands the fears of the public, due to a tiny minority of unprincipled "cowboys", and will do everything they can to verify their trustworthiness in a friendly and responsible way.

Basement Waterproofing Westgate-on-Sea

Just about the most vital element of a cellar conversion is waterproofing your existing basement. Discovering that your newly generated room is damp and mouldy a year after doing your conversion is certainly a thing that you want to avoid. This is the main reason why you need to find an experienced basement conversion specialist in Westgate-on-Sea to undertake the work. Essentially there are 2 main ways by which an underground basement can be waterproofed. The ingress of moisture into your cellar can either be redirected into a drainage channel using waterproof membranes, from where it can be noiselessly pumped from the building, or it can be curbed by a cementitious tanking material, applied as a slurry type mixture. You can also obtain basement waterproofing in St Peters, Westwood, Minster, Cliftonville, Birchington, St Nicholas-at-Wade, Monkton, Reculver, Manston, Marshside, Garlinge, Acol, Cliffs End, Broomfield, and in Westgate-on-Sea itself. (Tags: Basement Waterproofing Westgate-on-Sea, Cellar Waterproofing Westgate-on-Sea, Waterproofing Basements Westgate-on-Sea)

The Installation of Sump Pumps

A sump pump installation is a vital precautionary measure to prevent water damage to your home. To remove water accumulation in cellars and crawl spaces, sump pumps are commonly used devices. This is crucial because an overflow of water can result in mould growth, structural harm, and other associated difficulties. The installation process typically involves digging a pit in the lowest part of the crawl space or cellar and installing the sump pump inside. Next, the pump is connected to a discharge pipe that channels the water away from the home. To ensure the pump's continuous operation during power cuts or other similar emergencies, homeowners might opt to install a battery backup system. The installation and setup of a sump pump to manage water effectively in the home are best handled by a professional to ensure proper placement. Installing a sump pump is a valuable investment in safeguarding a property against the damage that water causes.

Other Useful Trades and Services in Westgate-on-Sea Kent: Naturally, whenever you are doing home remodeling in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, you'll probably be in need of all types of different tradesmen and apart from a cellar conversion specialist in Westgate-on-Sea, Kent, you may additionally need a carpenter in Westgate-on-Sea, basement surveys in Westgate-on-Sea, a home extension in Westgate-on-Sea, a building contractor in Westgate-on-Sea, condensation control in Westgate-on-Sea, basement waterproofing in Westgate-on-Sea, timber preservation in Westgate-on-Sea, a painter & decorator in Westgate-on-Sea, a tiler in Westgate-on-Sea, rendering in Westgate-on-Sea, black mould removal in Westgate-on-Sea, SKIP HIRE in Westgate-on-Sea, an electrician in Westgate-on-Sea, loft conversion in Westgate-on-Sea, damp proofing in Westgate-on-Sea, waste removal in Westgate-on-Sea, a plumber in Westgate-on-Sea, a flooring specialist in Westgate-on-Sea, and other different Westgate-on-Sea tradesmen.

Cellar Conversion Tasks Westgate-on-Sea

You probably arrived here trying to find basic cellar conversion, however your local Westgate-on-Sea cellar conversion specialist can offer a wide array of additional services and tasks, and these may include basement damp proofing, cellar waterproofing, cellar lighting Westgate-on-Sea, commercial basement conversions, cellar remodeling, basement tanking, basement surveys, cellar conversion ideas, woodworm treaments, cellar refurbishment Westgate-on-Sea, cellar conversions, cellar conversion quotes in Westgate-on-Sea, cellar surveys, basement conversion, residential cellar conversion, wine cellar installation, sump pumps, budget basement conversion Westgate-on-Sea, basement soundproofing, positive input ventilation (PIV), cellar conversion ideas, basement surveys, basement excavation, cellar electrics, cellar plumbing Westgate-on-Sea, basement remodeling Westgate-on-Sea, cellar flooring, cementitious tanking, and more. Listed are just a handful of the activities that are undertaken by a builder doing cellar conversion. Westgate-on-Sea providers will let you know their entire range of basement conversion services. You can always click HERE and submit our quote form, if you have basement conversion requirements in Westgate-on-Sea, that you cannot see here.

Basement Conversion Near Westgate-on-Sea

Also find: Cliffs End cellar conversion, Birchington cellar conversion, St Peters cellar conversion, Manston cellar conversion, St Nicholas-at-Wade cellar conversion, Cliftonville cellar conversion, Monkton cellar conversion, Acol cellar conversion, Broomfield cellar conversion, Marshside cellar conversion, Westwood cellar conversion, Garlinge cellar conversion, Minster cellar conversion, Reculver cellar conversion and more.

Basement Refurbishment Westgate-on-Sea - Basement Conversions Westgate-on-Sea - Condensation Control Westgate-on-Sea - Cellar Remodeling Westgate-on-Sea - Cellar Conversions Westgate-on-Sea - Cellar Conversion Quotes Westgate-on-Sea - Damp Proofing Westgate-on-Sea - Cellar Conversion Westgate-on-Sea - Basement Conversion Westgate-on-Sea