Basement and cellar conversions in Dundee and Angus

Covering Dundee and Angus

We cover Dundee and Angus, including Dundee, Arbroath, Forfar and Montrose, and the towns around them.

Homes in Dundee and Angus

In Scotland many families extend bungalows and semis, while tenement flats bring shared ownership of roofs and walls that needs agreeing early.

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.

Building warrant application and completion certificate
Damp and structural survey
Underpinning or lowering the floor where needed

What is the guide price for a basement conversion in Dundee and Angus?

Guide prices for basement and cellar conversions, including VAT where it applies. Your fixed price is confirmed in writing after the survey.

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

Planning and building rules in Dundee and Angus

Scottish projects follow a different process from England: the council issues a building warrant before work starts and accepts a completion certificate at the end, alongside any planning permission needed. We prepare both applications.

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

What can change the price or programme?

Groundwater levels drive the waterproofing design and cost.
Headroom of about 2.1 m or more is needed, which may mean lowering the floor.

What happens after I enquire?

Send us the details. Give us a postcode, a rough idea of size and some photos, by phone, form or the guide price tool.
We visit and measure. A surveyor checks the house, the boundaries and the ground, and discusses what is realistic.
Design and fixed price. You get drawings and a written price for the agreed specification before anything is ordered.
Build and hand over. Our teams build to the programme, building control inspects, and you get the completion paperwork at the end.

Basement and cellar conversions: common questions

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.

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

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 in nearby towns

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