Featured News - Basement Living Group
Today's Brickweb news feature comes from Basement Living Group's website.
The Biggest Basement Conversion?
A home in London is set to become one of the city's most luxurious places to live, with an expansion, renovation and basement conversion costing in the region of £50million. The above-ground portion of the building will contain 65 rooms, including 25 luxury bedrooms, 12 bathrooms and a sumptuous grand ballroom with imperial walnut panelling. However, this is just the beginning as the removal of 15,000 square metres of earth is to create a multi-level basement area which will bring the property's size to just 2,000 square feet smaller than its neighbour, Buckingham Palace.
The property has a rich history, some of it rather mysterious. It was built in 1774 by a wealthy stockbroker and became known for hosting masked balls and parties. In 1913, the house was acquired by the Liberal MP Sir Arthur Crosfield who, with the help of his wife Domini, completely replaced the original house with a Queen Anne-style mansion at a cost of £1million, around £20million in today's money. He renamed the house Witanhurst, from two Anglo-Saxon words meaning 'parliament' and 'hill'. The house changed hands many times until it was used to host the BBC television show Fame Academy; this arrangement did not last very long as producers were blamed for damaging the property by installing a gym and hot tub without obtaining consent. Subsequently, the house was sold again although nobody seems to be quite sure who to; even the architect receives orders from the mystery owner through a complex network of advisors.
The original plans for the renovation included a three-storey glass pavillion, quickly rejected for planning permission. Amended plans were agreed to after an appeal but local residents continued to object strenuously, fearing the character of the property and neighbourhood would be damaged. The natural decision therefore was to extend the property downwards and the main house will remain mostly the same except for the demolition of a newer wing to make way for the new Orangery. The super-sized excavation will contain a 70ft swimming pool, massage parlour, games room, two-tier cinema and even a hairdressing salon. A garage with room for 25 cars and an integral car lift will take up the lowest level while the creation of dedicated staff accommodation will complete the massive project.
Basement conversion or garden basement excavation is clearly a fantastic way to create extra space in any property, from the smallest terraced house right up to the luxury and grandeur of Witanhurst. At Basement Living Group, we specialise in all aspects of cellar conversion, basement waterproofing and basement construction; we have many years of experience in assisting property owners with remodelling or creating basements for a diverse range of purposes. Please contact our expert team for ideas, advice and support.