Cellar Conversion Reading

Reading Cellar and Basement Conversions

Cellar Conversion Reading Berkshire (RG1): Transforming an unwelcome and dark basement into a bright and airy living space is a great option for those folks wanting to generate extra room in their house without the need to build an extension. Whether you wish to use the additional space as a bar, home gym, games room or even turn it into a self-contained living area, a cellar conversion brings useable living space nearer to the main areas of your home than a loft conversion can do.

A cellar or basement conversion is also a good way to add to the value of your home; Savills the estate agents have stated it is generally in the region of 10-15% more than the value of similar properties in the Reading area. If you've already converted your attic to provide space for your ever expanding family, a cellar conversion gives you a good way to create much needed extra family living space. This investment not only enhances your everyday living but also positions your property more competitively in the real estate market.

Cellar Conversion Reading Berkshire (RG1)

Before jumping into any cellar conversion project, ask yourself these questions: 1. What work is involved in converting your cellar or basement? 2. Are the costs involved in a basement conversion really worth the rewards that you'll gain from it? 3. How will you select a building company that you can rely on to do a quality basement conversion in Reading? 4. What exactly are you going to do with the extra space?

Why Pick a Cellar Conversion in Reading?

If your property has already got a cellar, you won't have to apply for local authority planning permission if you're basically changing it into a living space, but if you've got to dig out the floor to lift the height of the ceiling then you ought to check with your local council first. Generally speaking you are pretty much free to utilise a converted and renovated basement with very few constraints, but if your property is a listed building, is inside a conservation area or shares a party wall with a neighbour, there are different rules that should be followed.

Actually the things you can do with a cellar conversion are only limited by your own imagination.....and your budget. Maybe you have always dreamt of having a home cinema or games room, or you could install a bar and "hey presto", instant pub for you and your mates. If you happen to be a home worker a basement conversion can become the ideal home office by giving you a tailor-made space where you're much less inclined to be disturbed.

What is Involved?

Even if your basement conversion requires no local authority planning permission, there are a set of certificates and approvals needed from the Building Regulation department, to make certain it's legal and above board. These regulations give you, and any subsequent buyer of your house, the assurance that your cellar conversion adheres to the guidelines and laws for ventilation, electrical systems, health and safety, minimum ceiling heights, damp proofing, fire escapes and water supply. Thankfully your Reading basement conversion company will be glad to address all of these legal guidelines as an integral part of the construction process.

Even if there aren't any visible indications of damp or mould in your cellar, it will still require some sort of damp proof membrane or cementitious tanking in order to remain dry and make it acceptable for converting. Your Reading builder will help you decide on which method is more suitable for your conversion and also make sure it follows the recommendations of the British Standards BS8102 regulations. A respectable contractor should be willing to provide you with an insurance supported guarantee for their workmanship, in the event that the membrane fails.

Seek the advice of the conversion company about the installation or upgrade of the water supply, heating, electrical installations, ventilation, flooring, lights and insulation, to get the most suitable products for your selected use of your basement conversion. An extremely effective way to warm up your cellar conversion is to put in underfloor heating, which uniformly disseminates the heat around the room. This space saving method of heating is concealed beneath your basement floor covering and calls for little upkeep once it has been installed.

Cellar Conversion Specialist Quotes in Reading Berkshire

Any sort of electrical re-wiring must be carried out by a skilled electrician. Efficient and cheap LED lighting can be sunk into the ceiling to give the maximum possible floor to ceiling height and make certain that your cellar conversion has a bright, natural feel.

There are regulations regarding adequate insulation and ventilation to cellar conversions and your contractor will want to discuss the various options. The correct insulation ought to provide enough protection to stop cold spots and dampness arising in your basement conversion. In addition inadequate ventilation can lead to complications, not only from stagnant air, but also by allowing a build up of humidity which is a serious worry where dampness is concerned.

Selecting a Cellar Conversion Company in Reading

Before choosing your contractor in Reading, obtain as many estimates as you can to enable you to assess the different prices and services on offer. Ask if you can see relevant building trade membership and accreditation certificates, if you are at all in doubt about their credentials.

If you are given an initial quotation after an on-site survey it may only cover the basic aspects of your conversion, such as damp proofing considerations, the floor and access issues. Follow up calls from the builders should look to provide some clarification about your requirements, for example increasing the height of your cellar by the excavating of the existing floor, or the installation of a toilet or kitchen in a separate room.

A definitive quote from a nearby Reading basement conversion company needs to include any necessary party wall agreements, building regulation applications and planning laws required before work can begin. The final quote should also provide a job-by-job breakdown of the various components of the conversion to give you an accurate understanding of the costs involved at each stage.

If you're concerned about how you can get more natural light into your cellar conversion, your selected builder will be able to offer solutions such as opening up stairs or the use of light wells, and should also address any other worries you might have. If you need new wiring for extra lighting, plug sockets or entertainment and computing systems these should all be addressed at this point.

Dependant upon your planned use of your conversion it would pay you to think seriously about the height and width of your access points. All things considered, exactly what is the point of designing an elaborate cellar conversion as a games room, bar or gymnasium if it's impossible to get the equipment down the staircase.

Keeping your cellar free from damp and warm is the main concern against whatever the Reading weather decides to do. For this you need your cellar conversion specialist to be qualified and endorsed by membership and accreditation to professional trade organisations.

Try to use Reading conversion companies that are members of the FMB (Federation of Master Builders) and if you are in any doubt you can ask the FMB to check if they are actually on their list of approved members. You can check up on how effectively a construction company has performed in the past by visiting the TrustMark website and looking at the dependability figures it has accomplished. This is a scheme run by by the Trading Standards Authority with backing from the government.

The majority of cellar conversion companies in Reading are legitimate and genuine businesses with a qualified workforce. But it only takes a small group of dishonest firms to create distrust, and a professional conversion company will recognise your fears and help to allay your worries if they possibly can.

Cellar conversion companies don't of course only offer their services in Reading itself, but additionally in nearby places like Calcot, Tidmarsh, Sonning, Tokers Green, Play Hatch, Chazey Heath, Mapledurham, Lower Earley, Caversham Heights, Shinfield, Norcot, Emmer Green, Sulham, Theale, Earley, Pingewood, Dunsden Green, Englefield, Trench Green, Caversham, Purley on Thames, Southcote, Binfield Heath, West Reading, Whitley, Pangbourne, in these postcodes: RG1 2AN, RG1 2PJ, RG1 1NF, RG1 2PQ, RG1 2LR, RG1 1SB, RG1 2NF, RG1 1DR, RG1 1DG, and RG1 1JF, and elsewhere in the region. Local Reading basement conversion specialists will likely have the phone code 0118 and the postcode RG1. Checking this will confirm that you are accessing local providers of cellar conversion. Reading property owners can benefit from these and many other similar services. To make enquiries and get quotes for cellar conversion, click on the "Quote" banner.

Home Cinema Conversions Reading

Out of all the various ideas about what you can do with your new cellar conversion in Reading, one of the favourites these days is to change it into a home entertainment centre or home cinema. This is naturally a great alternative for people who love spending hours watching movies or box sets. With an absence of natural light and a tendency to be dark, a cellar is an awesome location for a home cinema. Even more important, this sort of addition to your home delivers extra social space where your family members can gather together and spend quality time in a relaxed setting.

Small Basement Conversions Reading

Even a modest cellar or basement can be converted into a unique living area by a skilled designer, and a competent Reading cellar conversion company should be able to create the room you have wished for. Maybe it could become a utility room and a place to keep your washing machine hidden away and create valuable extra space in your kitchen.

Possibly you could do with a place to work from your home; even a small room can be used effectively as an office with tailor-made furniture built and installed by a specialist company. Your small basement could be turned into an oasis of peace, where you life's stresses and listen to relaxing music or enjoy a decent book. Add a bit of comfy seating, subdued lighting and a media centre or bookshelf and you're in business. The options for a small cellar conversion in Reading are limited only by the extent of your imagination.

Basement and Cellar Conversion Surveys Reading

Cellar Conversion Surveys Reading (0118)

Many families in Reading will look at converting their cellar or basement into an additional living area at some point. The first step in this process is to ensure your basement is actually suitable for converting, and this involves a professional survey of your cellar/basement area.

A below-ground constructions qualified surveyor will take note of the planned usage of the new space while carrying out the survey. This will enable them to assess exactly what steps need to be taken to legally and safely do a conversion on your basement in line with your requirements.

There'll be a full evaluation of ceiling, floor and wall construction, as well as making an allowance for the requirements for ventilation, plumbing and electricity. Your certified surveyor will also have to assess the specific British Standards requirements and building codes relating to basement conversions. Such regulations include stuff like minimum ceiling heights, fire escapes and party wall agreements, along with guidelines of damp and waterproofing.

Waterproofing Cellars Reading

Probably the most important aspect of a cellar conversion is waterproofing your existing basement. Discovering that your new room is mouldy and damp 12 months after carrying out your conversion is certainly a thing that you want to avoid. This is exactly why it is imperative to employ a highly professional conversion company in Reading to manage the project. When you're waterproofing an underground basement, there are essentially 2 ways that you can approach it. The seepage of water into your cellar can either be prevented by cementitious tanking, applied as a slurry type mixture, or it may be redirected into a cavity through the use of waterproof membranes, whence it's noiselessly pumped out of the building. (Tags: Waterproofing Basements Reading, Cellar Waterproofing Reading, Basement Waterproofing Reading)

Basement Conversion Near Reading

Also find: Tokers Green cellar conversion, Caversham Heights cellar conversion, Southcote cellar conversion, West Reading cellar conversion, Lower Earley cellar conversion, Mapledurham cellar conversion, Norcot cellar conversion, Theale cellar conversion, Calcot cellar conversion, Sonning cellar conversion, Purley on Thames cellar conversion, Dunsden Green cellar conversion, Emmer Green cellar conversion, Binfield Heath cellar conversion, Earley cellar conversion, Caversham cellar conversion, Whitley cellar conversion, Pingewood cellar conversion, Pangbourne cellar conversion, Tidmarsh cellar conversion, Shinfield cellar conversion, Trench Green cellar conversion, Englefield cellar conversion, Play Hatch cellar conversion, Chazey Heath cellar conversion, Sulham cellar conversion and more. There are firms that specialise in basement conversion in all of these towns and localities. These skilled professionals have a wealth of know-how and expertise, making them well-equipped to convert your cellar into a functional and welcoming living space. A cosy basement lounge, an additional bedroom or a home office - whatever your vision, these specialists have the skills to bring it to fruition. To get quotes for cellar conversion, local householders can go here. So, there is no reason not to get cracking on your cellar conversion project today!

Cellar Conversion Tasks Reading

Such things as basement architectural design, cellar conversions, cellar tanking in Reading, basement flooding solutions, cellar flooring, cellar conversion underpinning in Reading, cellar remodeling, basement surveys, basement conversion, budget cellar conversion Reading, small cellar conversions, basement plumbing, cellar waterproofing, basement surveys in Reading, basement conversion ideas, cellar conversion quotations, cementitious tanking, budget basement conversion Reading, timber preservation, condensation control, cellar soundproofing, cellar damp proofing, basement damp proofing, cellar refurbishment, woodworm treaments, residential cellar conversions, low ceiling basement conversions Reading, obtaining planning permission for basement conversion, commercial basement conversion, basement rendering are just a taste of the services and tasks that your local Reading cellar conversion specialist can offer. This is on no account an exhaustive list of what's on offer from someone doing cellar conversion. Reading companies, when contacted, will be delighted to keep you abreast of the full range of cellar conversion services which are available when needed. You could always go to this QUOTE FORM and submit your details, if you have other Reading basement conversion conversion requirements that you need but cannot find here.