WHY BUILD UNDERGROUND

There are two answers, depending on what you are doing:

If you are designing a new house or commercial building:
A conventional basement provided by Understudy will increase the floor area of a building without increasing its ground footprint. By using the basement as a garage, study, boiler room etc it allows better use of the other floors. Windows either at ceiling height, or with light wells, can provide fresh air and daylight; nothing like an old dark, damp, cellar. Decoration can be entirely to the owner’s choice. Current uses for our basements include garages, swimming pools, music studios and studies.

An Understudy basement can often partially or wholly replace the foundations needed for the building above.

If you have an existing house:
We have developed the unique ‘Understudy’ garden room concept for home owners running out of space but who are unwilling to move house. An Understudy is a prefabricated room installed under a lawn, patio, driveway or other outside area. Even what seems a small outside space can provide a surprisingly large below ground room - just compare the floor area of an average living room against the same area of lawn.

An Understudy is in effect a basement without a building above and it can be partially buried with the above ground level tops of the side walls hidden under grass banks with very little visual impact.

Once installation has been completed, the ground above the Understudy can revert to its original, or any other use. Windows with light wells, or ceiling height windows provide fresh air and daylight; nothing like basements of old. Decoration can be entirely to the owner’s choice. The top could even be a raised playground, terrace or parking area.