BASEMENT WATERPROOFING: HOW TO GET IT RIGHT
Building surveyor Andy Butchers reveals what you need to know to ensure you achieve a high-quality, leak-free basement
left: Surrey Basements’ specialist team mixes the Wykamol Hydradry floor slurry that forms part of the waterproofing system at Build It’s Self Build Education House
B uilding a basement can be a great way to get the living space you need, without gobbling up precious garden amenity. By digging down, you can potentially create a whole storey of high-quality, flexible and future-proof accommodation - and you may be surprised to find that doing so could represent excellent value for money on your self build, renovation or extension.
A case in point is Build It’s Self Build Education House (find out more at www.buildit.co.uk/ourhouse). Build It chose Self-Build Zone to provide an insurance, structural warranty and building control package for the mag’s self build in Bicester, Oxfordshire. The project includes a full basement, which was built and taken to waterproof shell stage (ready to fit out internally) for just £1,025 per m2 of extra floor space.