I live in a Victorian Terrace with an existing cellar, which I would like to convert into habitable room to use as a Study / playroom. the room is about 4m x 4m and the house is built on a hill so there is a place where a window could be fitted to the front wall. The cellar is dry.

Does anybody have any experience of such a conversion ? Roughly how much should I budget to have it done ? I guess the floor will need to be dug down a couple of feet and at least 1 or two windows installed.

Cheers Dave

I live in a Victorian Terrace with an existing cellar, which I would like to convert into habitable room to use as a Study / playroom. the room is about 4m x 4m and the house is built on a hill so there is a place where a window could be fitted to the front wall. The cellar is dry.

Does anybody have any experience of such a conversion ? Roughly how much should I budget to have it done ? I guess the floor will need to be dug down a couple of feet and at least 1 or two windows installed.

Cheers Dave

Hi Dave,

What is the ceiling height of the room at present?

A Prohibitive factor on this kind of conversion that many people dont factor in is that the 'digging the floor down a couple of feet' could actually undermine the foundations of the house.
Which will require underpinning.
Which costs a LOT of money! and also makes your house uninsurable (almost) and possibly unsellable (almost!)

Its not really feasable to do the conversion unless you have the ceiling height already in all honesty.

Well I am 6 foot 3 and I can stand up in the room as it is. so it wouldn't neccesarily need much digging, the floor is made of bricks, I guess if these bricks were removed and a concrete floor poured, it would give enough headroom.

give Tony a call on 07773009797 he will help you out

hi give me a bell as im able to do the plastering work. Also you could have settled water under the ground, if this is the case if u dig up the ground you will have problems. Please call and will explain and can give you a quote: 07900908394

I can recommend ab basements in sheffield, unfortunately we had to stop the job because of flooding last summer but they were very kind, they did my friends and did a fab job they were the middle quote at about 13000 but they really seemed to no what they were talking about. If you google them you'll find it.

Hi, Lola2 is right ab basements are very good, but if there busy give me a call 07950818472 check out my profile on mybuider.com thanks John

Cellars tend to cost more than attics, can you extend upwards instead?

Are you thinking about a loft conversion?

I'm in the process of having mine done, but it's a little more extensive than your planned work. A friend of mine had something similar done and it cost around £10k.

We have had this done but I can not recommend the people we used - Basement Dreams - it was a total nightmare.
But £12,000 is about right but you must get Building Regulations approval and ensure the window meets the standards required to allow it to be an emergency exit in case of a fire. It has to be a certain size to get out off. If you do not fit a window which meets the standards you will have to fit fire doors etc. If you do not do this you will have difficulty selling it as anything but a cellar in the future and you will have difficulty proving you haven't jeopardised the structure of your building.
All i can really say is make sure you are very clear with your builders exactly how they are doing it and what is included - check they are legally allowed to do the electrics or Building Regs will not sign off the job (I speak from bitter experience) - think about insulation and make sure the radiators are bigger than the BTUs suggested as cellars do feel cooler and seem more difficult to heat.
I don't in anyway regret getting it done but be ready for a vast amount of disruption and mess!!

HI,
many opinions. And here is mine. I been doing basement conversions for the last two years. more than 40 conversions so far.
AB basements are good.
You may need underpinning. In 60 % cases I had to underpin. Yes, underpinning cost. But proper builder should say what is possible room high without underpinning. That may work out.
Building standards have to be involved! And no mater what builder saids. After all they will sing completion certificate. And they came to check quality before and after every single pin and stage of conversion. Fees or building standards and affordable. (depend on builders quote. And for 10K should be about 200 pounds).
I can not agree that selling would be more difficult. Normally basement conversion adds about 15 % to the value of the property. Any property developer would say same.
If you planing to rent property you will have to sort out some more things. (like HMO license). So if you'll hire someone make sure that they know about hmo and building regs.
Hope this helped. Any questions PM me. My advice is for free.
p.s. don't forget party wall notice.
Mario Construction

I am a building control officer , I can carry out buildings regs for your basement conversion, let me know if you require any advice or my services.
give me a ring 07515928544 Imran