Simon wrote:
On 10 Sep, 13:21, Jethro wrote:
On 10 Sep, 13:10, "Doctor Drivel" wrote:



"Jethro" wrote in message
...
totally idle curiousity, but what would be involved if you wanted to
have a basement ... obviously a bit of digging :-) but what structural
aspects, and what planning ones ?
cheers
Planning? It may come under permitted development. Best have one that
does not go right to the house foundations - an inner basement - so the
foundations do not move. It needs to be tanked and have air vents . A lot
of mess, but if you are not living there and space is at a premium in your
area then worth going for. The utilities, hobby rooms, storage can all be
there. The staircase will take space from the ground floor. Make sure it
is very well insulated.
You could run a heat pipe around the perimeter of the basement, which will
cool and vent the house. Could be in the earth. Popular in Germany.
Some companies specialise in basements.
i was wondering what effect removing that much earth would have on the
rest, especially near the foundations ? I guess you could brace the
resulting void with steel girders ? I presume by tanking you mean
creating a waterproof seal to prevent flooding ? Never heard of a heat
pipe ?

Founds need to be underpinned somehow, with concrete piles and a ring
beam, girders etc. Job done a lot in expensive London houses.
It you remove earth within a 45 degree cone under the founds, you are
removing support. An "inner basement" could work it you had big house,
but note there may be internal loadbearing walls with foundations too.
Simon.
Thanks for confirming my suspicions.

And do people really do it? London eh? where horizontal space is
priceless..and people have more money than sense..