Basement and cellar conversions in Brighton

Covering Brighton

We work in Brighton (BN2) and the places around it, including Hove, Rottingdean and Burgess Hill.

Homes in the South East

Many South East homes are inter-war or post-war semis and detached houses with room for rear and side extensions, while historic town centres and villages bring conservation area and listed building controls.

What is included in a basement conversion in Brighton?

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.

Damp and structural survey
Waterproofing design and installation
Finished floors, walls and ceilings

How much does a basement conversion cost in Brighton?

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

Do you need permission for a basement conversion in Brighton?

Projects in England go through two separate checks. Planning (or confirmation that the work is permitted development) comes from the district, borough or unitary council, and building regulations approval comes from the council’s building control team or a registered building control approver. Where work touches a shared wall or digs near a neighbour’s foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies.

Converting an existing cellar with no external changes usually does not need planning permission in England. Digging a new basement or adding a lightwell often does, and many councils have basement policies.

What should Brighton homeowners check first?

Groundwater levels drive the waterproofing design and cost.
New basements nearly always involve the Party Wall Act in England and Wales.

From first call to completion

Tell us about the project. Call, use the guide price tool or send the form with a few photos and a postcode.
We visit and measure. A surveyor checks the house, the boundaries and the ground, and discusses what is realistic.
Drawings, approvals, written quote. We prepare the design, apply for the approvals it needs, and give you a fixed price in writing.
We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.

Your questions answered

Does a cellar conversion need planning permission?

Usually not if nothing changes outside. New basements and lightwells often do.

How long does it take?

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

How do I get a price for basement and cellar conversions in Brighton?

Use the guide price tool for a ballpark figure, then book a visit for a fixed written price for the agreed specification.

Basement and cellar conversions near Brighton

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