Cellar Conversion Project with Lightwell at a Mid-Terraced House in Lytham St Annes, UK

Background

The property in question is a 7-bedroom, mid-terraced property close to the centre of Lytham St Annes in Lancashire. The damp, musty cellar was virtually unused except for storage. The owners wanted to use the cellar to create an additional living-space accessible from the ground floor. The main requirement was for an adults “chill-out” room with an adjacent wet room and sauna.

The Cellar Conversion (Interior Works)

The cellar conversion project was carried out by RTC of Blackpool who were recommended to the owners after having recently carried out another successful cellar conversion project in Lytham.

The floor of the cellar was damp and uneven. It was therefore excavated to provide a level base with additional material removed to increase head-height. A new floor slab was then laid incorporating Aquadrain drainage channel around its perimeter, leading to a sump and pump.

Oldroyd Xv Clear cavity drainage membrane was fixed to the cellar walls using special Oldroyd fixing plugs. The same membrane was also laid across the cellar floor, ensuring an overlap with the membrane already fixed to the walls.

A screed was then poured onto the Oldroyd Xv membrane on the floor. Wiring and plumbing were then installed before being covered by plasterboard attached to the Oldroyd fixing plugs on the walls.

Cellar Stairs / Sauna Before

Finished Stairs / Sauna

Finished Wet Room

Interior Design

Having provided a dry cellar, further works were carried out to provide a usable cellar space to the clients specification. The heart of the new space is a home cinema with flush-mounted plasma screen and surround sound system. The understairs area houses a bespoke sauna that was hand-built on site. The wet room incorporates a drain set into the newly tiled floor and a WC with macerator.

The Cellar Conversion (Exterior Works)

To provide additional light and direct access from the outside of the building, the existing wooden door leading to the cellar was replaced with a glass door. On the other side of the building, earth below a small cellar window was excavated and a wall “knocked-through” to provide a lightwell / second entrance.