Dig Deep: The Path to a Successful Basement Room
When you can't extend up or out, how about building another room under your house?
Why has there been a sudden explosion of basement building in everyday homes? Until the last few years, basements were usually reserved for commercial projects or were, at best, a basic cellar for storing wine and food. A basement room was usually dug out after the house was completed by burrowing under the sub-floor, as my Dad did in our childhood home, without considering what digging a hole would actually mean (i.e. will the house fall down?).
The answer is simple: homes are getting bigger, land is becoming scarce and homeowners want all the comforts of what I call ‘accessory rooms’ – rooms for functions that used to be catered for away from home – such as a gym or cinema room. Building restrictions make it difficult in most cases to build higher than two storeys to cater for these extra rooms, so homeowners are making their own land by digging down and creating amazing subterranean spaces.
But don’t get excited about doing this at your house just yet – there is much to consider before going down this road, not least of which is how to bring in enough light and ventilation.
The answer is simple: homes are getting bigger, land is becoming scarce and homeowners want all the comforts of what I call ‘accessory rooms’ – rooms for functions that used to be catered for away from home – such as a gym or cinema room. Building restrictions make it difficult in most cases to build higher than two storeys to cater for these extra rooms, so homeowners are making their own land by digging down and creating amazing subterranean spaces.
But don’t get excited about doing this at your house just yet – there is much to consider before going down this road, not least of which is how to bring in enough light and ventilation.
Light and ventilation
Keep in mind that all habitable rooms need two basic minimum requirements: light and ventilation. These are usually obtained from a window but most basements don’t have a window, so mechanical means may be used to achieve this. Light fittings that simulate daylight, such as these ceiling-mounted downlights, is one option.
Mechanical ventilation, where an exhaust system or fan is used to change the air quality periodically throughout the day, can make up for natural ventilation through an open window. Basically, an external fan will remove air and substitute it with fresh air via a ducted system. It can be done using a timer or manually via a switch on the wall. In a gym room, this is especially important – the air quickly becomes stale with the build-up of moisture from all that exertion.
Keep in mind that all habitable rooms need two basic minimum requirements: light and ventilation. These are usually obtained from a window but most basements don’t have a window, so mechanical means may be used to achieve this. Light fittings that simulate daylight, such as these ceiling-mounted downlights, is one option.
Mechanical ventilation, where an exhaust system or fan is used to change the air quality periodically throughout the day, can make up for natural ventilation through an open window. Basically, an external fan will remove air and substitute it with fresh air via a ducted system. It can be done using a timer or manually via a switch on the wall. In a gym room, this is especially important – the air quickly becomes stale with the build-up of moisture from all that exertion.
A clever way to achieve natural light and ventilation is to dig your basement so that it is partially constructed away from your home, allowing you to build a side lightwell courtyard open to the sky above, as in this games room. With a wall of sliding glass doors, you could be forgiven for not realising you are actually underground.
Try adding additional landscaping in the lightwell or a vertical garden wall so you can look out to a natural landscape.
Cool things to build underground
Try adding additional landscaping in the lightwell or a vertical garden wall so you can look out to a natural landscape.
Cool things to build underground
A variation on the theme above, if cost is no consideration, is to excavate a large portion of your backyard and expose half of the new room to the sky with a glass roof. In this home, part of the basement roof also acts as additional outdoor space.
Restrictions may be such that building an entire habitable room underground may not be possible. But consider the possibility of combining a traditional window with a lightwell. This room is partially underground with an external lightwell that is not accessible from inside, giving glimpses of the world above. You can make the window as large as you like as long as you can accommodate a way to retain the earth away from the window, such as the use of a concrete wall.
A great way to simulate natural daylight is to borrow it from another source such as a room above or a skylight to the outside. Natural light floods into the basement bedroom in this house via skylights cut into the earth berm above ground. Hiding the light source in a recessed bulkhead gives the illusion of natural daylight bathing the entire wall. The trick here is to disguise where the light source is coming from.
Ceiling heights
Habitable basement rooms are like any other room in your home – you must achieve a minimum ceiling height for it to work as a living space. Since digging a basement is expensive, one way to achieve this height and not to have to dig too deep is by exposing the floor joists and beams above and stealing some of that ceiling cavity. This not only creates that additional height you require, it creates an interesting ceiling.
Habitable basement rooms are like any other room in your home – you must achieve a minimum ceiling height for it to work as a living space. Since digging a basement is expensive, one way to achieve this height and not to have to dig too deep is by exposing the floor joists and beams above and stealing some of that ceiling cavity. This not only creates that additional height you require, it creates an interesting ceiling.
Drainage
This is not the most exciting topic but locating a bathroom (or a kitchen, for that matter) in a basement room will make it harder for water to be drained away using natural gravity. In these situations, water pumps are used to move the water mechanically. These pumps are hidden from view in cupboards or walls and are activated only when a tap is turned on or a pit is filled with water from the shower recess.
This is not the most exciting topic but locating a bathroom (or a kitchen, for that matter) in a basement room will make it harder for water to be drained away using natural gravity. In these situations, water pumps are used to move the water mechanically. These pumps are hidden from view in cupboards or walls and are activated only when a tap is turned on or a pit is filled with water from the shower recess.
Exhausts and ducts
Any function that requires exhaust ducts to the outside world from your basement room (such as a dryer in a laundry cupboard, a fan in a bathroom or a rangehood in a kitchen) must be considered in the planning stage. Not all fans will exhaust adequately as they are specified according to the room size measured in cubic metres as well as the distance the duct has to travel to the outside. Take your plans to a specialist fan retailer who will be able to size up the appropriate fan for your task. If you do not provide an exhaust system, not only will smells be a problem but the growth of mould will be promoted as well.
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Any function that requires exhaust ducts to the outside world from your basement room (such as a dryer in a laundry cupboard, a fan in a bathroom or a rangehood in a kitchen) must be considered in the planning stage. Not all fans will exhaust adequately as they are specified according to the room size measured in cubic metres as well as the distance the duct has to travel to the outside. Take your plans to a specialist fan retailer who will be able to size up the appropriate fan for your task. If you do not provide an exhaust system, not only will smells be a problem but the growth of mould will be promoted as well.
Browse more laundry ideas
Water penetration and flooding
All basement rooms are constantly under threat of water penetration through the walls. To prevent water coming through the walls, a waterproof membrane and drainage system is applied, usually on the outside face. The water is then directed to a pit that is constructed within the basement room and a pump is activated when it reaches a certain level to discharge the water. This is to stop the basement from flooding.
A more expensive and highly desirable method is to provide two pumps with an alarm. If the first pump fails, a second pump will do the work and the occupants above will be notified via an alarm that a pump has failed. This gives them time to repair the first pump and not face a flooded room.
All basement rooms are constantly under threat of water penetration through the walls. To prevent water coming through the walls, a waterproof membrane and drainage system is applied, usually on the outside face. The water is then directed to a pit that is constructed within the basement room and a pump is activated when it reaches a certain level to discharge the water. This is to stop the basement from flooding.
A more expensive and highly desirable method is to provide two pumps with an alarm. If the first pump fails, a second pump will do the work and the occupants above will be notified via an alarm that a pump has failed. This gives them time to repair the first pump and not face a flooded room.
Services
Like all habitable rooms, services such as heating and cooling ducts, water and gas pipes and electrical wiring need to be provided. These are usually hidden in cavity walls. However building a basement room is expensive and the luxury of increasing the size of the room to cater for additional walls to hide these services is often not practical. One design solution is to simply show off these services and make them a feature, as in this basement room.
Like all habitable rooms, services such as heating and cooling ducts, water and gas pipes and electrical wiring need to be provided. These are usually hidden in cavity walls. However building a basement room is expensive and the luxury of increasing the size of the room to cater for additional walls to hide these services is often not practical. One design solution is to simply show off these services and make them a feature, as in this basement room.
Future uses
Basements are great for cinemas or home theatres because, although they are habitable rooms, they don’t require windows. To add to that cinematic experience, the floors are often raised and stepped to allow each row a good view and, importantly, to hide cables and electrical wiring. However, what may be in vogue today may not be tomorrow. Rather than permanently altering your floor heights, construct a floor at one level and build an artificial stepped floor inside. This will allow you the ability to remove the stepped floor in the future should you wish to convert the room for an alternative use.
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Basements are great for cinemas or home theatres because, although they are habitable rooms, they don’t require windows. To add to that cinematic experience, the floors are often raised and stepped to allow each row a good view and, importantly, to hide cables and electrical wiring. However, what may be in vogue today may not be tomorrow. Rather than permanently altering your floor heights, construct a floor at one level and build an artificial stepped floor inside. This will allow you the ability to remove the stepped floor in the future should you wish to convert the room for an alternative use.
Browse more home theatre photos
Soundproofing
As I discovered recently, after relocating my son’s drum kit to a basement room, the room wasn’t soundproof at all. Being underground, I thought we would be immune to the sounds of the beating drums. However this was far from the truth. Walls made of solid masonry simply bounced the noise around the room and up the stairwell. If you are
considering a function in a basement room that will be noisy, consider adding soft furnishings and padded walls and ceilings to absorb all that sound.
As I discovered recently, after relocating my son’s drum kit to a basement room, the room wasn’t soundproof at all. Being underground, I thought we would be immune to the sounds of the beating drums. However this was far from the truth. Walls made of solid masonry simply bounced the noise around the room and up the stairwell. If you are
considering a function in a basement room that will be noisy, consider adding soft furnishings and padded walls and ceilings to absorb all that sound.
Atmosphere
Descending into a basement with the anticipation of seeing an amazing space can be disappointing if no consideration has been given to the interior styling and materials used to finish the walls, floor and ceilings. This casual living space exudes all the warmth of a timber cabin despite being underground, with the use of materials such as stone, timber and concrete, and mood lighting.
Consider what kind of atmosphere you’d like in your basement room early on so you can incorporate relevant materials and lighting.
Descending into a basement with the anticipation of seeing an amazing space can be disappointing if no consideration has been given to the interior styling and materials used to finish the walls, floor and ceilings. This casual living space exudes all the warmth of a timber cabin despite being underground, with the use of materials such as stone, timber and concrete, and mood lighting.
Consider what kind of atmosphere you’d like in your basement room early on so you can incorporate relevant materials and lighting.
Access
A place for a traditional stairwell to a basement room is not always possible, so alternative means have to be explored. This basement cellar is accessed by a transparent hatch that, once opened, allows you to descend via a spiral staircase into the void. Once closed it acts as an interesting feature within the room above without losing valuable space.
A place for a traditional stairwell to a basement room is not always possible, so alternative means have to be explored. This basement cellar is accessed by a transparent hatch that, once opened, allows you to descend via a spiral staircase into the void. Once closed it acts as an interesting feature within the room above without losing valuable space.
A basement room is a room that most homeowners don’t have and therefore there is a mysterious curiosity when someone is guided down into the burrows of an underground room. If you want to heighten this curiosity, then a hidden passageway behind a book shelf or concealed doorway will arouse the senses and create a sense of anticipation that a traditional entry simply won’t do.
Size
Basement rooms are expensive to build and size sometimes is the compromise. Try using floor-to-ceiling mirrors and wall cavities that appear to extend the room beyond its borders to effectively make the room feel bigger than it is.
Basement rooms are expensive to build and size sometimes is the compromise. Try using floor-to-ceiling mirrors and wall cavities that appear to extend the room beyond its borders to effectively make the room feel bigger than it is.
If your budget and brief allow you the luxury of a large footprint in your basement room, treat the space as you would a regular floorplan and create rooms within this volume. An effective way to do this is to let the ceiling hover over the rooms hidden within their own box, which also makes the ceiling height appear to be taller than it actually is. Not only will the basement feel larger but it won’t dissect the spaces into smaller rooms.
Storage
If your basement room is non-habitable room, such as a storeroom, health requirements such as light, ventilation and ceiling heights are not as important – the primary function is purely to house goods. You may, however, want to future-proof this space for alternative uses by providing minimum ceiling heights and future ducts for light and ventilation.
If your basement room is non-habitable room, such as a storeroom, health requirements such as light, ventilation and ceiling heights are not as important – the primary function is purely to house goods. You may, however, want to future-proof this space for alternative uses by providing minimum ceiling heights and future ducts for light and ventilation.
Garage
A garage, although a non-habitable space and accessed via a ramp from the outside, still needs ventilation for car fumes and consideration as to how the transition lobby to the upper level presents itself. Why not try designing this space to allow habitable uses so when the car is not parked inside, it can be used for other functions?
A garage, although a non-habitable space and accessed via a ramp from the outside, still needs ventilation for car fumes and consideration as to how the transition lobby to the upper level presents itself. Why not try designing this space to allow habitable uses so when the car is not parked inside, it can be used for other functions?
Cellar
In the past, little consideration would have been given for waterproofing and ventilating spaces under the house as they were only used for storing food and beverages. The main aim was a stable temperature in winter and summer months so that food was preserved. Moisture and the penetration of water were not an issue and nor was ceiling height. The space was purely pragmatic. A little dampness would not have prohibited its primary function.
In the past, little consideration would have been given for waterproofing and ventilating spaces under the house as they were only used for storing food and beverages. The main aim was a stable temperature in winter and summer months so that food was preserved. Moisture and the penetration of water were not an issue and nor was ceiling height. The space was purely pragmatic. A little dampness would not have prohibited its primary function.
A cellar is also a great way to store your wine and because it’s only storage, it doesn’t need to meet all of the requirements of a habitable space. The stability of the temperature and its aesthetic appeal is the focus of this room. You descend into the space, choose your wine and resurface above.
Wonderful wine cellars to suit every taste
Wonderful wine cellars to suit every taste
Should the cellar include somewhere to dine, the basement room now reverts to being habitable and all the minimum health requirements described above come into play. So remember to consider this when lodging your building permit as you may be disappointed if you haven’t.
Tell us
What design considerations have you adopted when building your basement room? Tell us in the Comments section below.
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Browse more basement rooms
Tell us
What design considerations have you adopted when building your basement room? Tell us in the Comments section below.
More
Browse more basement rooms
A habitable room is used for people to live and play; a non-habitable room is usually utilitarian in nature, such as a storeroom, garage or cellar. The answer will dictate the minimum regulatory requirements for allowing you to occupy these spaces.
Let’s have a look at the implications for both, and other considerations when building a basement room, including how to achieve sufficient light and ventilation.