Pure Basement Systems News

Basement Conversion Costs

We often get asked what the rough cost is for a Basement Conversion or a Cellar Conversion.

Rough costs are subjective given that they are based on opinions, and they are only “rough-estimates”.

There are lots of variables when estimating any construction project – size of project, site logistics, function of rooms / building and the quality of finishes to name but four areas which can affect overall cost.

Square metre values are used often in the construction industry as an arbitrary gauge to overall cost. If you measure the floor area of your basement or cellar and multiply it by a suggested rate it will provide you with a rough estimate of the Basement Conversion cost. Arbitrary square metre rates for a Basement Conversion can range from £1400.00 – £2500.00 per square meter (they can increase over £3000 in certain circumstances. The smaller the project the higher the square metre rate that you should consider – basically, with larger projects you can achieve economies of scale. Kitchens and Bathrooms increase the square metre rate required because large single purchases have to be absorbed into the square metre rate. New staircases, Acoustic systems (for flats) and high-quality floor coverings also increase the square metre rate required to provide a suitable budget cost.

Underpinning and Basement Excavation require separate consideration. It’s not ideal to use arbitrary rates until you have suitable information from a competent / qualified structural engineer about safe excavation depths and suitable underpinning depths.

Rough arbitrary costs can be a good initial gauge to Basement Conversion Cost because they can help determine if you’d have a suitable budget for your project – Once you have decided to proceed more accurate figures are an absolute necessity.

The most suitable option to understand more specific Basement Conversion costs or Cellar Conversion costs is to have an initial Basement Conversion Feasibility Visit – an experienced specialist can look over your basement and provide some ideas as to outline costs.

Over 12 years we have worked on hundreds of Basement Conversion Projects – Costs have ranged from £12,000 for a small single chamber conversion (say 8m2 of floor area) to £220,000.00 for a more complex high specification multi chamber project with Kitchen, Bathrooms, tiling and floor coverings.