Time To Put Your Cellar to Good Use
If you’re looking for a way to add value to your home, or simply maximise the space you have, take a look at our basement conversion ideas. Thinking your basement is too dark, too small, or too creepy? Not at all; even small cellars can be transformed and put to good use. And the mark-up on your property is likely to be 18-20%.
The Basics of Basement Conversion
If you’re converting a single room cellar the process is fairly simple and can be completed in just a few weeks. If, however, you’re considering converting a cellar that extends beneath the whole of your house, this will involve underpinning and will be likely to take months rather than weeks.
The good news is that most basement conversions can be carried out under ‘Permitted Development Rights‘. If, however, you need to drop the floor or raise the ceiling, these are structural alterations that require Planning Permission.
The process is disruptive, although there are conversions that take place without the family having to move elsewhere for the duration. If you have access from your cellar to the garden front or back, and your ground floor is suspended timber, then the disruption will be significantly less. If your ground floor is concrete, it will need to be removed and rebuilt.
8 Basement Conversion Ideas
If you’ve always dreamed of an open-plan space that all the family can use, your basement is the ideal location. Basically, you’re dealing with one room that can be designed to function in the way your family will appreciate it most.
Table of Contents
- A Space for Play and Privacy
- Small Cellar Spaces
- Light Creatively For Maximum Effect
- Design Your Home Office Burrow
- Add a Guest Bedroom
- Look for Window Opportunities
- Make an Open Plan Kitchen
- A Den for the Family
1. A Space for Play and Privacy
Your children will appreciate a space that’s theirs to enjoy and adapt as they grow older. The basement play room is an ideal solution to toy storage and, when sleepovers become a thing, the room can easily be furnished with bunks or foldaway beds to create the perfect location. Cellar conversions can lack windows space, but children don’t worry about such things, so long as it’s brightly lit and welcoming.
2. Small Cellar Spaces
Older houses tend to have small, long, thin spaces that are not immediately inspiring. But don’t give up on them! Think about the opportunities your small cellar offers for storage. Whether it’s the perfect space for sports equipment, a wine collection, or that chest freezer you’ve never had room for, it could be the perfect way to de-clutter your house, and optimise the space beneath your feet.
3. Light Creatively For Maximum Effect
It’s easy to think that your main objective for converted basement spaces is to make them bright. Much better, though, to treat them like any other space in your home when it comes to lighting. Start with the function of the room, and the light that will serve that function. It could be that you need as much light as possible; alternatively you may wish to create a warm and cosy feel, with feature lighting for specific areas.
4. Design Your Home Office Burrow
There’s something quite delicious about descending the steps into an office space that is all yours. The basement home office provides a clear distinction between home and work, and relieves you of foldaway desks, or tables that may be in demand for homework or entertaining guests. It’s also a great way to pull all your books into one space, rather than adding more and more bookshelves in shared rooms.
5. Add a Guest Bedroom
Increasing the number of bedrooms in your home will certainly add value, and provide a comfortable option for guests, or family members. Add underfloor heating to make the space warm and welcoming, and use lighting creatively to provide a space that is a sanctuary from the busyness in the rest of the house.
6. Look for Window Opportunities
If there is no access to natural light in your basement, think about ways you can let it in. Walk on rooflights are inserted into the ground floor of the house, or your patio. They provide natural light from above and create a ground floor feature at the same time. Alternatively, a sun well, or sun pipe funnels light in to basement spaces.
7. Make an Open-Plan Kitchen
All those dreams of a kitchen that could be yours, if only you could start with a blank canvas, could come true if you relocate your kitchen to to the basement. There’s none of the problems with doors, windows or hallways down there; you simply have a space that you can configure in whatever way you want.
8. A Den For The Family
Whether it’s a luxury basement cinema you need, or simply a space to watch TV together, that’s what your basement conversion can deliver. With so many activities happening in the confines of the home, making a space that’s just for family activities can be a powerful statement about your priorities.
My Build My Way Removes the Stress From Basement Conversions
If you’ve been inspired by any of our basement conversion ideas, we can help you to turn one of them into a reality. My Build My Way is a build and design business that introduces clients to architects and trustworthy local builders offering the skills you require for your conversion project.
If you already have plans in place, we can provide quotes from verified local builders who would be appropriate to your project. We work with leading UK contractors to ensure that the introductions we make benefit the clients we work with.
Our job is to make sure you find the right contractor at a competitive price without having to compromise on top-quality workmanship. Once you’ve made your choice, we will arrange a building inspector to quality check the work at each stage.
Want to turn one of our basement conversion ideas into a reality in 2023? By Build My Way can introduce you to an architect or local builder to take your project to the next stage. Give us a call on 0333 772 2356 or message us.