Basement and cellar conversions in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Covering Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

We cover Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, including Aberdeen, Peterhead, Inverurie and Fraserburgh, and the towns around them.

Homes in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

Scottish homes range from city tenements and sandstone terraces to bungalows and modern estates, and the building warrant process shapes the programme for every project.

What is a basement conversion?

A basement conversion turns an existing cellar into dry, usable rooms, or excavates a new basement under a house. Converting an existing cellar is far simpler and cheaper than digging a new one, and often does not need planning permission.

Waterproofing design and installation
Lightwells and windows for daylight and escape
Ventilation, heating and electrics

How much does a basement conversion cost in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?

What basement and cellar conversions typically cost. These are guide ranges; the written quote for your house replaces them.

Basement and cellar conversions	Guide price incl. VAT
Existing cellar conversion	£1,900 to £3,000 per m²
New basement excavation	£4,200 to £6,600 per m²

What approvals does a basement conversion need in Scotland?

Projects in Scotland need a building warrant from the council before any building work starts, and a completion certificate once it is finished. Planning permission is a separate decision. The Party Wall etc. Act does not apply in Scotland; shared walls are governed by title deeds and the law of the tenement where relevant.

In Scotland new basements and external lightwells normally need planning permission; all basement work needs a building warrant first.

What should Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire homeowners check first?

Groundwater levels drive the waterproofing design and cost.
A pump for the drainage system needs a battery back-up.

What are the steps?

Tell us about the project. Call, use the guide price tool or send the form with a few photos and a postcode.
Free site visit. We measure up, look at access, drains and the structure, and talk through options and budget.
Drawings, approvals, written quote. We prepare the design, apply for the approvals it needs, and give you a fixed price in writing.
Build and hand over. Our teams build to the programme, building control inspects, and you get the completion paperwork at the end.

Questions about a basement conversion in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire

How do you keep a basement dry?

With a designed waterproofing system, usually a cavity drain membrane draining to a pump, sometimes combined with tanking.

How long does it take?

About 6 to 12 weeks for a cellar conversion and 16 to 30 weeks for a new basement.

Do you work in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire?

Yes. Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire is within our coverage for basement and cellar conversions, along with nearby Aberdeen and Peterhead.

Other towns nearby

Learn more about basement and cellar conversions, or see every project we cover in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.