Case Studies

The owners of this Victorian house in Altrincham wanted to convert their cellar into a large room in order to free up a bedroom prior to the arrival of their first child.

In order to maximise available headroom, the floor was excavated as low as the original foundations would allow. Waterproofing was carried out using the Oldroyd Xv cavity drainage system. New ceilings, lighting, sockets and plumbing were installed as well as a mains-linked fire alarm. In order to improve ventilation and keep levels of relative humidity below those recommended for habitable accommodation (BS8102: Grade 3) a humidity-controlled extractor fan was installed.

Specialist Basement Contractor: Best Cellars (Chester)

This basement was located underneath a detached house in Lytham St Annes and had been prone to flooding in the past. The concrete floor had cracked in several areas due to a build-up of hydrostatic pressure.

The clients wanted a dry habitable area for use as a home gym together with adjacent wet room and bespoke sauna. The floor level of the main gym was lowered to allow the use of a treadmill (which required increased head-height). The new wet room was sited under the staircase leading directly to the ground floor and the sauna was constructed on site by a specialist contractor in the area opposite the wet room.

Waterproofing was carried out internally using the Oldroyd Xv cavity drainage system.

Specialist Basement Contractor: Remedial Treatment Consultants (Blackpool)

This large detached property in Sale required a conversion to give the owners more living space, utilizing the cellar area of approximately 65 square metres.

Firstly the floor was excavated and existing lintels were replaced around the window and door casings. The existing concrete internal staircase was removed and replaced by wooden open plan stairs. All windows and doors were replaced. Oldroyd cavity drainage membrane was installed to the walls and floor and screed was applied directly onto the floor membrane. Steel studwork and dry lining was used to cover the walls ready for final decoration. A full rewire was carried out with new spotlights and sockets. Three humidistat fans were fitted to control the humidity levels, this brought the rooms up to a grade 3 living environment (BS 8102). A separate utility /wash room was added and a toilet and basin installed.

Specialist Basement Contractor: Base2Space Ltd. (Cheshire)

This large domestic basement conversion in Didsbury was carried out using the Oldroyd cavity drainage system.

The basement comprised of three very large rooms, a corridor, and a small area originally intended for coal storage. The homeowners wanted to have the space converted to provide a habitable environment (BS8102 Grade 3) to provide a second kitchen / utility room, a large lounge / living room, a bathroom, a store room, and a wine cellar.

As well as waterproofing the basement, the specialist contractor installed insualtion, new ceilings, lighting, electrical sockets, and plumbing. Ventilation was also installed to ensure that levels of humidity in the basement do not rise above those permited in a grade 3 environment (BS8102).

Specialist Basement Contractor: Best Cellars