Basement Renovations
In February, Channel 4 aired ‘Britain’s most expensive home building for a billionaire’ which included millions of pounds of renovations and the creation of an amazing living space in the basement of Phones4u boss and billionaire businessman John Caudwell’s Mayfair mansion.
Viewers may recall that this amazing living space created included a range of fantastic features such as a gym and spa, swimming pool and a huge entertainment area which many of us could only dream of - with a 17-seater cinema, night club and games room.
Unfortunately, during the renovations, a burst water pipe in the lift shaft threatened to cause severe damage to the basement area. The issue was solved but if it hadn’t been dealt with it would have potentially caused millions of pounds of damage to high tech equipment, carpets, furniture, artwork and even to cars!
Although many of us can’t afford to spend such huge amounts on a renovated basement area there is a very important lesson to learn from what was shown on the Channel 4 programme. If you are looking to renovate your basement area to create more living space, don’t ruin it or put all the work and effort at risk by not having basement pumps installed!
Converting a basement area into extra bedrooms or living areas is a great way to provide extra space in your home and will most likely add to the value of the home but basement renovations can be tricky and home improvements always carry the risk of having a burst water pipe or some other form of damage that needs to be repaired. Even after fixing a burst or broken pipe, there will still be residual water in the building that can create damp and cause potential long-term damage.
High-value items?
We often spend money on items that are proportional to what we earn and you might not be spending as extravagantly as John Caudwell, but carpets, equipment and other items still hold value to you, including personal items that can’t be replaced. Imagine deciding on a budget to renovate your basement. Finding the right people to do the work and selecting the furniture, fittings and equipment and then you find out halfway through the work that you need to replace damaged items and spend more than expected. Even without the extra costs, the thought of renovations taking longer and the loss of unrecoverable items that hold precious memories is enough to cause frustration and stress!
As well as individual items such as furniture and carpets, water flooding can also do structural damage that can cost a lot more and delay the renovations further. Severe flooding in basements could even mean stopping work altogether and could put the dream of that beautiful new basement living area at risk.
Invest before it’s too late!
If you are considering any work on your basement, no matter how big or small, make sure to invest in a basement pump straight away. Don’t wait for a potential disaster to happen before buying one as this can be too late and the damage could already be done.
If you would like to find out more about basement pumps, get in touch with us here at London Basement Pumps. We are happy to provide advice and make sure that the pump and pipes are set up properly so that you can act quickly in the case of any flooding. Call us free on 0800 009 21 20