Home insurance - Tips & Advice - Home improvements
Ashamed of the state of your basement? Or maybe you need extra space in your home and have realised the potential benefits of ‘extending’ underground? Whether you’ve got your sights on a new office, music den or even an extra bedroom, the trend for ‘moving down’ is fast catching on and a wealth of resources and experts now exist to provide advice. Here’s what to do – including changes you may need to inform your insurer about – to turn your basement conversion into this year’s home-improvement success story.
Why ‘down’ is the new up
Rules, regulations and expert advice
Victorian and older-style properties that have timber-suspended floors are often ideal for cellar conversions, as you might be able to dig from the outside and continue to live in your property while the work is done. However, older houses often have shallow foundations, so you may need to underpin your property first. The bottom line is, before you undertake any cellar conversion, you need to do your homework first and make sure you comply with all legal requirements. Use the following checklist as a guide:
Cost and market value
Check if your conversion is cost-effective with several estate agents before you take any action. One study reports that to create 40–50m2 of basement, it can cost between £80–£100K. However, if you do your sums first you could add substantial market value.
Planning permission
Once you have an idea of your basement specification, check with your local authority about Planning Permission. Cellar conversions that don’t change the outside of your property generally don’t need one, but new, dug basements often do. However, all listed buildings require permission before you do any work to your house, even out of sight. You should also check out specifics on any plans for extending or changing your basement in the future. Whether or not you need planning permission you will need to comply with Building Regulations (see below). For more see www.planning-approval.co.uk or www.communities.gov.uk.
Building regulations
Get building regulations approval to cover ventilation, damp-proofing, electrical wiring, safe access, ceiling height and a fire escape route – for example, a door of at least 30 inches wide in most areas is considered okay but a window has to be a certain size and a minimum distance from the floor in order to be considered safe. Remember, building regulations are designed for your safety. Details can be found at the Office of Public Sector Information www.opsi.gov.uk and the Basement Information Centre at www.basement.org.uk.
Structure
Employ an underpinning firm or specialist builder to assess feasibility or cost. Major factors include deepening or strengthening foundations, waterproofing or damp-proofing walls and providing a suitable access point.
Water table
The ground conditions of your home will determine what kind of construction process is needed for your basement. A high water table could affect the waterproofing, but this can be controlled if you build using the right materials. Check for history of flooding on site and in the area near your home; your water board should also be able to provide details. You can also check the water table height in your property by digging two metres below where you want the foundations to stop. For details of approved waterproofing contractors visit www.structuralwaterproofing.org.
Party Wall Agreements
If you live in a property that is attached to a neighbouring house, such as a terrace, bring in a surveyor to provide structural details on Party Walls. It is also well worth consulting an independent architect or structural engineer. Your neighbours are entitled to enquire about subsidence and request a report at your expense. If a dispute does arise, you may need legal advice. Invest in a Direct Line Family Legal Protection Policy, (this cover is provided as standard with Direct Line Home Insurance Plus), and get 24-hour access to legally qualified staff through our legal helpline. For just £22.05, the policy also covers up to £100,000 in legal costs to help you to pursue your legal rights as long as the cause of action occurs at least 90 days after cover starts.
Buildings insurance
Direct Line advises customers that converting your cellar will affect the building costs of your house, and this in turn may affect any future claim you may need to make against your buildings insurance. It’s worth talking to Direct Line before you embark on a conversion, to find out exactly how much your new premium may cost.
Lifestyle
Talk to a cellar expert about ventilation, heating and the possibility of bringing in some natural sunlight. This could impact later if you want to sell or not. You may also want to think about how versatile your project is now, as you may want to change its use later (depending on planning permission granted).
Five more sites to help you benefit from your basement:
www.basement-living.co.uk
www.basementsuk.co.uk
www.tlbc.co.uk
www.selfbuild.co.uk
www.concretecentre.com
For details of amending your Direct Line Buildings insurance if you extend or convert your home, give us a ring, or get a free online quote now.
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