Knowles: Setting The Trend For London Basements
Building subterranean palaces equipped with swimming pools, vintage car garages and even ballrooms has become a trend among celebrities and the super-rich in London according to press.
These so called “iceberg homes”, famed for having more living space below street level than above, have been in development all over Central London for the last few years, with areas like Kensington and Chelsea receiving the most planning applications. The numbers have increased significantly since 2001 when the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea received only 46 planning applications for basements. In 2013 it received 450.
London Basement Excavation
Central London’s prime real estate is in constant low supply and high demand. This is most true for areas such as Kensington, the most densely populated borough in the entire country. There is no ground space to build outwards, and it is practically impossible to obtain permission to build upwards, so the only direction to extend a property is to go down into the basement.
There is also the issue of stamp duty, which currently stands at 10% for £1 million houses or 12% for £2 million homes, making moving house less than desirable. The result of this has been the rise of the underground basement, why move house when you can build a new one underneath?
This surge in subterranean living has received a lot of press for the extreme underground mansions that many celebrities and tycoons are building. The likes of Kate Moss and Roman Abramovich have built multi-million pound basement constructions and many basements are now reaching three or even four storeys below ground.
But it is not just celebrities and oil barons building their dream basement design, the average family is now choosing to extend below ground too. Lack of living space is encouraging families to design modest single-storey basements for playrooms, dining rooms or bedrooms, following the basement interior design trend.
False Lighted Window
Most basements are built without windows, but with a false lighted window you can create the illusion of one. Paint a section of your basement wall with white reflective paint, fix several inexpensive fluorescent fixtures to the wall and fit them with daylight-spectrum bulbs then hang a slightly translucent shade or blind over the lights to give the illusion of a window with sunshine beaming through.
Knowles Basement Construction
Knowles is one of the leading basement construction companies in London and has played an integral part of the basement boom. Building a range of multi-storey basements for various clients, from families to the rich and famous, Knowles knows the basement construction industry inside out.
To find out more about Knowles’ basement construction, contact us today.