Large, multi-room well-lit spaces aren’t exactly what first comes to mind when you think of a basement. But with shrinking land sizes and residential zone height restrictions, more and more people are opting to build down instead of compromising on the design of their dream home. This is changing the way we think about basements and has opened up a world of potential.
A basement is a great way to maximise the value of your property and get as much use out of the available space as possible.
The biggest driver for basements in inner suburb blocks is the need for more garage spaces. On a narrow block, or on a typical suburban block, it could be detrimental to decide to take up space with a double or four-car garage. Blocks are more frequently subdivided in a way that does not allow space for a garage, or provides space for a single car only. Designing your home with a basement can mean inclusion of multiple car spaces without compromising on the size of the living space in your home.
Think of the possibilities
Building underground unlocks the opportunity to use the extra space in many different ways to suit your lifestyle and situation. We’ve put together some options to get your inspiration flowing:
- Multi-car garage for easy access and security for your vehicles
- Gaming room for the gamers of the household
- Extra bedroom for the eldest
- Theatre room to get the full cinema experience at home
- Wine cellar to show off the collection
- Home office to get your work done in a quiet place
- A music studio for the musicians to escape, get in the zone and crank the volume
- Forget your gym membership and have a gym at home
Finding it hard to choose just one of these suggestions? That’s okay, you can have a multi-room basement that incorporates all the rooms you need.
So now you want a basement
The first thing an architect will look at when designing a basement is the slope of the land. A slope can sometimes help you or hurt you when it comes to a basement. If your neighbours have structures that are built on the boundaries, or close to the boundaries, you need a specialist to ensure that the work is done appropriately without disrupting the surrounding structures.
If you’ve got poor soil conditions or waterlogged sites, you’ll need expert advice on how best to build a basement specific to your land conditions.
The architect will also assess different ways to create light wells in basements or include highlight windows to combat the underground feeling, as well as design appropriate mechanical ventilation to make the area as comfortable as possible.
Building your home in the drier time of year is ideal, as excavation is needed to prepare to build the basement. Colder, wetter months will prolong the build as the excavated site can easily get filled with water and measures will need to be taken to drain and dry the area.
Don’t compromise on your dream home
Approaching a custom builder about your options to maximise the space for your home design can save you time and headaches.They’ll take care of things like arranging a geotechnical report to assess ground conditions, help to assess your options, and will design the basement to allow for the best amount of natural light to enter as possible.
An experienced design and build team can accommodate any request for the use of the basement area, be it an underground secure garage, theatre rooms or wine cellar, without taking away from the available living space that your block allows.
If you’re struggling to make the most of your block while staying true to your wants and needs, contacting Grollo Homes to discuss how to best utilise your space with a basement will mean you don’t have to compromise on your dream home.