Is The Basement Coming Back Into Fashion?
In Victorian and Edwardian times, it was commonplace to build two or three storeys of house above ground and have another level underground. Whether you call it a basement or a cellar, these below ground level spaces were used for a variety of tasks and came to serve as bomb shelters during World War II. While only a small number of UK houses have basements, there is a growing trend to add them or to include them in new build properties – but why? Add Space Without Increasing Footprint Currently around 2% of new build properties have a basement included in their design, although around 7% make use of a sloping site than include some underground levels, albeit partially rather than completely. Back in the 1920s and 30s, the need to include these basement spaces waned as there were more houses being built and the requirement for homes was met. But today, we are back in the position of desperately needing more homes and more space in the home so the basement is returning. From a const...