garden basement extension

Ways Of Increasing Natural Light In Basement Conversions

One of the issues when planning a basement conversion is how to increase the amount of light, as naturally, they can suffer from being dark spaces where very little natural light is able to get in. However, with careful design and construction, this is an ideal way to gain an extra room that is filled with light and completely useable.

When you’re planning a basement conversion you don’t want it to actually look and feel like it’s still a dark and damp basement, and choosing one of the basement companies in London will enable you to design a space that works for you and has plenty of light. We’ve put together a few tips on how you can maximise the degree of natural light that comes into the basement.

Lightwells

These are short trenches that can be dug along the front or back walls of the basement and filter light down into the room. You could choose to create larger lightwells so they can also be used as an outdoor seating area, which provides a nice view from inside the basement as well. There is also the option of digging a courtyard area to allow you to fit patio doors into the basement, which will make it feel more spacious.

Sunpipes

These are a fairly cost-effective way of maximising the light in a basement and they work by directing light through the pipes and into the downstairs space. The important aspect you will need to remember is that the pipes need to be kept clear of leaves and debris from the garden, particularly in the autumn months.

A glazed floor

Adding in a glazed floor will not only increase the amount of light, but it will also provide a stylish feature for the basement. However, there are important safety regulations that you need to follow, including ensuring toughened safety glass is used and that it provides fire separation, so talk to some basement companies in London to ensure you use a specialist engineer.

Interior glazed features

By increasing the use of glazed materials inside the basement you can boost the degree of both artificial and natural light that is reflected. For example, you could look at fitting a glass staircase and using a glazed balustrade to give the space a more welcoming feel as you walk downstairs.

Windows

One of the simplest ways of opening up a basement space is to consider all the options for installing windows, which will make sure that the room is not as enclosed. If the top of your basement is above the ground this is fairly easy and you can have windows fitted along the top. Where this isn’t achievable, you could dig out a section to give you space for some roof windows.

Implementing some of these ideas into your basement design will create a finished room that is full of natural light and that becomes a stylish and welcoming feature of your property.