In one of my recent newsletters I considered the benefits that an additional outside living space can bring to a property with regard to a larger floor area and also in increased value. Many people are very creative with the space that they live in and they can transform mediocre or basic traditional housing into property masterpieces with contemporary designs and money saving innovations.
In my profession I see lots of lovely homes where the occupants have made absolutely the best use of the living space available to them and I’ve been reading up on several articles recently regarding the current trend of transforming basements/cellars into additional rooms. This trend appears to have really caught on in major cities where room for expansion outwards is very limited, and therefore people have been expanding their properties downwards in an effort to increase their living space and also to add value to their property.
In the Amber Valley area we have a substantial number of properties built in the Victorian era and many of these properties have a cellar or basement area beneath them. If you are lucky enough to have this space under your home then it seems that the possibilities of converting this into additional living space are endless. From playrooms, games rooms, shower rooms, kitchens and extra bedrooms the basement it seems can sometimes offer a more affordable way of increasing the living area in your home. As a rule, additional rooms do increase the value of property and therefore there might also be a financial benefit in converting this space.
As basements are usually accessed via the rooms on the ground floor, the opportunity to utilise the space underneath your house might just give you a chance to re-configure your living space, or if you don’t want to carry out a full basement conversion, move a smaller room like a cloakroom or utility room down to the basement. By relocating some items down into the cellar/basement area, you could transform the space that you actually live in, giving you more freedom to extend other rooms on the ground and upper floors.
As always, I would advise that you obtain the correct professional advice before embarking on any alterations to your property as there are generally structural considerations to be taken into account but don’t be deterred, as there are some great local professionals who can give you the advice that you need to help you to plan and accomplish your project. You should always consult your local planning office to make sure that any alteration that you are looking to make to your property conforms to the local planning laws.