Basement and cellar conversions in Inverness

Covering Inverness

We work in Inverness (IV2) and the places around it, including Dingwall, Nairn and Forres.

Because the Highlands covers a wide area, we confirm availability after the first call and include any travel costs in the written quote rather than adding them later.

Homes in the Highlands

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 included in a basement conversion in Inverness?

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
Ventilation, heating and electrics

What is the guide price for a basement conversion in Inverness?

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 can affect a basement conversion?

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

How does the project run?

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.
Design and fixed price. You get drawings and a written price for the agreed specification before anything is ordered.
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.

Who deals with the council for a project in Inverness?

We do. We prepare the drawings, submit planning or permitted development paperwork if needed, and arrange building control inspections.

Basement and cellar conversions in nearby towns

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