Cellar conversions, new basements, tanking and underpinning, from a family-run Brighton builder.
Lots of Regency and Victorian houses in Brighton already have a cellar. Most are damp, low and used for junk. A basement conversion turns that space into a dry, warm room without touching the garden. On a tight city plot, it’s often the only way left to add space.
We’re a small family firm and we’ve been building for more than 35 years. The structural engineers we use on basements are people we know well, and Grant runs each job himself.
Got a damp cellar that could be a room?
Call Grant on 07885 325954 to arrange a visit.
Every basement is different. Some just need drying out and fitting out. Others need digging out and new structure.
If the cellar has decent headroom already, converting it is the simplest and cheapest option. We waterproof it, insulate it and add light, heat and air. It can then become a bedroom, office, snug, gym or utility room.
We look for about 2.2 metres of finished headroom. If it’s lower than that, lowering the floor is usually the answer. A bedroom down there also needs a safe way out in a fire, which may mean a lightwell and window to the front.
Lowering a floor, or digging a basement where there wasn’t one, is serious structural work. The walls above have to be supported while the ground comes out. That usually means underpinning, built in small sections one at a time so the house is never left unsupported.
A structural engineer designs it, and building control checks it as we go. Spoil comes out by hand or conveyor, which is slow on a Brighton terrace with no side access. We’ll be honest about that when we price the job.
Keeping water out is the part that matters most. British Standard 8102 sets out three types of protection, and many basements use two together.
Which one suits depends on the ground and how wet the cellar is now. Good ventilation matters too, or damp just becomes condensation. A cavity drain system relies on its pump, so it needs a backup and a yearly service. We’ll explain the upkeep before you choose.
Converting an existing cellar into a room usually doesn’t need planning permission. Digging a new basement, lowering floors a long way or adding a lightwell to the front often does. Listed buildings need listed building consent, and Brighton has a lot of conservation areas, so we check with the council first.
Digging near a neighbour’s foundations brings in the Party Wall Act, so notices have to go out before work starts. Notice has to go out at least a month before digging starts, and agreeing the details with a neighbour’s surveyor can take longer, so we raise it early. Building regulations approval is always needed. Building control will inspect the underpinning, waterproofing, insulation and fire escape as the job goes along.
Every job is different, so this is only a rough guide. Published Brighton figures start from around £40,000 for a basic cellar conversion. Lowering floors or digging a new basement can go well past £100,000. We give a written quote after a visit.
Often, yes. It needs to be dry, with enough headroom, light and ventilation, and a safe way out in a fire. Building control checks all of these.
You’ll need building regulations approval and usually party wall notices. Planning permission is often needed too, especially for new basements or lightwells.
We work on basements and cellars all over Brighton and Hove, including Kemptown, Hanover, Seven Dials, Preston Park and Hove itself. Our office is at Stanford Gate, South Road, Brighton BN1 6SB.
Structural Repairs · House Extensions · Refurbishment & Renovation · Loft Conversions
Call Grant on 07885 325954 or the office on 01273 950800. We will come out, look at the job and give you a free, no-obligation quote.
I can confirm that Grant has worked for me on two projects. The first project was to build two semi-detached houses in Hove. The second project was to convert an 1850s listed building in Brighton into four top-end apartments.
Grant is a very practical builder and gets on well with people, particularly neighbours, helping projects run smoothly. He works to a high standard and, should you decide to have him work for you, will leave you with a feeling that you would willingly use him again.
Grant and his team carried out our flat conversion (converting the top two floors of our Victorian house to two self contained flats) last year.
For our works they started on the agreed date and finished within days of the predicted finish date. For us the work was all to a very good standard and we have been very pleased with the finished job.
The team were friendly and approachable, happy to change or add little things as the conversion evolved. Grant and John were always at the end of the phone if needed. I would not hesitate to recommend them and if I need further construction works carried out would look to them first.
Tell us a little about your project and we will call you back. If you have drawings or photos, mention it and we can arrange a site visit.
County Structures Ltd
Stanford Gate
2nd Floor, South Road
Brighton
BN1 6SB
