The basement conversion was carried for Mr. & Mrs. Wilson in Didsbury.

The property is a Cheshire semi which means in the front it is single fronted but at the back the property is double backed.

The basement comprises of three very large rooms a corridor and a coal room.

Mr. & Mrs. Wilson wanted a large lounge type room a second kitchen/utility room, a bathroom, a store room and a wine cellar.

The first step was to excavate the floor down as low as the foundations would allow in order to maximize the available headroom in the basement. A new concrete floor-slab was then laid throughout the basement.

The walls and floors were waterproofed with Oldroyd Xv Clear cavity drainage membrane system. This system was chosen over a cementitious or epoxy-based system, as it redirects any water entering the basement to a sump or drain, rather than physically holding back the water pressure. This means that the system does not rely on the integrity of the soft, Victorian brickwork for its success. It also allowed the contract to be completed more quickly, as there was no need to sand-blast the walls in order to provide a key. An Aqua drain drainage channel was laid around the perimeter of the basement at the floor-wall junction, leading to a sump and pump. This provides additional drainage at what is usually considered to be the area most susceptible to water-ingress in basements. The Oldroyd Xv membrane was then applied to the basement walls and floors. Special self-sealing "Oldroyd brick plugs" were used to fix the membrane to the walls of the basement, whilst on the floor no fixings were required. Holes in the back of the brick-plugs, the walls were then fitted with a timber stud and plaster boarded. All external walls have an added insulation layer to conform to building regulations. New ceilings, lighting, sockets and plumbing were installed, as well a mains linked fire alarm and a humidistat-controlled extractor fan. This fan is intended to increase ventilation in the basement and ensure that the levels of relative humidity do not rise above those recommended for a Category III basement in BS8102.  

The Result

A huge lounge area with large flat screen on the wall. A new kitchen/utility room with cupboard for washing machine and tumble dryer. The largest of the rooms was divided into three giving the storage area wine cellar and fantastic bathroom fitted with a Philip Stark bath and walk-in shower.