BASEMENT SERVICES
Basement Services Felixstowe
We are the experts for Basement Conversions and Basement Tanking or Cellar Waterproofing in Felixstowe!
Basement Conversions: Purpose & Advantages
Converting your basement into useful living space is becoming more common, as is digging a basement for a variety of purposes. When it comes to a home repair project, homeowners are presented with many options. Some things accumulate over time. Others continue to expand. Building/renovating down is a fantastic option. You might be wondering, though, if your home is suitable for such a renovation.
A basement conversion is undeniably a significant undertaking, maybe the largest a homeowner will do outside of a complete house remodel. Consider the following information before deciding whether or not to convert your basement.
What is the purpose of basement conversion, and how long does it take?
“Down is the new up!” If you do any research on a basement conversion project, you’ll come across this phrase. Nobody wants to be displaced for an extended amount of time because of a significant building project, so the second question you’re probably asking is how long it will take to convert a basement. As you may expect, the scope of your project determines this. Do you plan on excavating a basement or simply remodelling your home?
A minor conversion can take roughly four weeks in most cases, barring any unanticipated obstacles. Extensive projects involving earth excavation might take months, even up to five months in the most difficult cases.
You should also think about the materials you want to use in the project: would they have to be custom-made, or are the materials you seek rarely? If this is the case, it may have an impact on the timeline.
Working closely with your designer and maintaining strong communication with your contractor are all crucial components of the project, as is a rigorous planning process that begins with your idea of how you want the project to look once it’s completed Staying on track with your deadline requires careful planning and sticking to your strategies.
Basement conversions: Advantages and Drawbacks
The advantages of converting your basement are self-evident: you have a fresh place in which to do whatever you want with it. You are only restricted by your ideas when it comes to home gyms, entertainment areas, and new bedrooms or playrooms for the kids.
Another benefit is that having a completed basement will appeal to practically any homebuyer, decreasing your time on the market and increasing your chances of getting your asking price.
One of the most significant disadvantages of a basement redesign is the cost, particularly if it entails moving dirt, waterproofing, and considerable foundation work. Even if you’re renovating an existing basement, you’ll have to deal with ventilation and plumbing, which will take time and money.
Moreover, if you live in a flood-prone area or have a high water table, you’ll need to put in place ways to keep water out of your property during the rainy season or when the snow melts.
There’s also the issue of time, which many homeowners view as a disadvantage. Converting a basement might take a long time, especially if it’s a complicated undertaking. If you despise construction noise and mess, you’ll find this to be a disadvantage as well.
Whether you excavate a new basement or convert an existing one, a basement conversion can increase the size of your home.
Basement conversions are becoming more and more common as a home remodelling option. Converting a basement could provide the extra living space you need in your home while excavating beneath your home if it doesn’t already have one can be a terrific option to building out.
The second option is a huge effort, but it can be well worth the time and money, allowing you to add a home gym, a kids’ playroom, guest space, a studio, a movie theatre, and more to your house.
Whatever your basement remodelling or conversion plans are, it’s critical to learn how to plan and construct a successful project.
PROFESSIONALS TO HIRE FOR A BASEMENT CONVERSION
A structural basement conversion contractor or a specialist basement conversion firm will surely do the greatest job converting your basement. A local contractor will be aware not just of the rules in your area, but also of aspects like soil kinds, so hiring a local expert should make the process go more smoothly.
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Basement or Cellar Tanking & Waterproofing!
Why Is Basement Tanking Necessary For Your Home?
Basement tanking, commonly referred to as cellar tanking, is a damp-proofing technique. The inside installation of watertight cavity drain membranes directly into the walls, floor, and often the ceiling of an underground area is the basis of this cavity drain membrane system. This material will act as a moisture barrier between the walls and floors.
This is especially crucial when it comes to underground structural waterproofing, which is typically employed to keep a building dry. Basements and cellars, as well as subterranean parking garages and new projects with earth retaining walls, are among the many domestic and business applications for structural tanking.
The level of protection provided by the tank is dependent on a variety of factors, such as the hydrostatic pressure surrounding the property foundations and any external motions or vibrations that could cause the tanking material to fracture or be damaged. If the weather is right and the tanking is done correctly, it might be a highly effective approach to keep a space dry.
Why Is Tanking Necessary In Your Property?
Tanking is a type of basement waterproofing that has been utilized in basements, cellars, and other underground places for decades. The tanking will eventually produce a smooth concrete wall surface that is both visually appealing and resistant to moisture ingress and subsequent damp difficulties.
To keep hydrostatic pressure from the earth surrounding a property’s basement level at bay, tanking was invented. If underground walls were not tanked, they would frequently crack or leak.
Cementitious tanking systems are what “Type A” waterproofing systems are referred to as. The British Standards Institute’s structural waterproofing rules are known as BS8102, and Type A is the industry designation for it. This means that while this type of waterproofing prevents moisture intrusion, it does not actively eliminate water.
Basement tanking has the added benefit of protecting the above rooms from rising moisture, in addition to preventing damp basements.
How is a Basement Tanked?
When it comes to waterproofing a basement with wet walls, there are two basic options:
- Install a hollow drainage system.
- The cellar has been flooded.
There’s substantial confusion over what constitutes cellar tanking. The name is now used to refer to above-ground damp proofing and cavity drain membrane systems that are part of a basement drainage system.
Cellar tanking or basement tanking is the application of a liquid waterproof coating/cavity drain membranes (tanking slurry) to the walls and floor of a cellar. This chemical damp proof course is used to repair wet walls by preventing water from entering the walls and making them waterproof indefinitely.
Because basement walls are below ground, they frequently have damp walls. Water from the retaining soil can penetrate the walls and into the basement, causing penetrating and increasing dampness. As it passes through the wall, moisture can carry salts and minerals with it. Damp walls are chilly, resulting in condensation and, eventually, mould. These concerns are addressed via slurry tanking. It’s sprayed on moist walls directly. When the tanking slurry dries, it forms an unbreakable waterproof barrier, keeping water out and damping away. Tanking slurry, as opposed to a cavity drain system, keeps water from entering your cellar rather than allowing it to enter and regulating it until it reaches an evacuation point.
Where Can Tanking Be Used to Prevent Damp Problems?
Tanking is a process that can be done in any room. However, it is especially important in underground buildings, walls, or floors that have direct contact with the ground.
Cellars are occasionally moist and worthless for anything other than storing a bottle of wine and an old can of paint. If you want to make maximum use of your cellar or basement, you’ll need to keep it dry. Tanking systems cover the walls and floors with an impervious waterproofing layer, which keeps cellars dry and allows for a more broad range of uses for these specific places.