Basement
conversions
in Fulham, SW6
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We design and build Fulham basement conversions with basement excavation, cellar conversion, and underpinning for properties on Fulham Road, New King’s Road, Parson’s Green Lane - structural engineering, party wall coordination, underpinning, waterproofing, drainage pumps, lightwells and full interior fit-out for period homes, townhouses and prime London properties where ground conditions, neighbour risk and sequencing need handling properly.
Basement Conversions in Fulham: What You Need to Know
Every basement conversion project in Fulham is designed to respect the Fulham Conservation Area and the character of Victorian terraces, Edwardian cottages, Hurlingham-side villas. Our in-house RIBA Chartered Architects handle Hammersmith & Fulham planning applications, our chartered structural engineers specify any load-bearing work, and our directly-employed trades deliver the build under one fixed-price contract. We coordinate Building Control, Party Wall awards where needed, and all certifications through to handover.
Fulham has conservation area coverage in parts, so some properties will need planning permission for external changes while others may proceed under permitted development. We assess each property individually.
Our basement conversion projects in Fulham are delivered by our in-house team of RIBA architects, structural engineers and specialist tradespeople. Every project is managed under a single fixed-price contract with no hidden costs.
Fulham removed the guesswork from one part of a basement project: consent is always required. A borough-wide Article 4(1) direction has withdrawn permitted development rights for basement development across Hammersmith & Fulham — made on 25 April 2017 and in force from 26 April 2018, excluding the OPDC area — so every SW6 basement proceeds by a planning application. That application is judged within the borough's conservation-area framework, with the council scrutinising external change and applying Article 4 controls to protect the best Victorian streets and the riverside around Hurlingham.
There is a second procedural step to plan for. Demolition in Hammersmith & Fulham may need a Section 80 notice under the Building Act 1984, giving six weeks' notice before work starts, though internal demolition in an occupied building and buildings of 50m² or less are exempt. Fulham is classic Victorian family London — bay-fronted terraces and Edwardian cottages on Hurlingham Road, Peterborough Road and Munster Road — where the larger houses take a lower-ground level well, while party-wall coordination, facade repair and access shape the cost.
On rates, converting existing space runs £750–£3,000 per square metre (over £6,000 finished); a new dig with underpinning is £2,100–£4,000 per square metre before fit-out.
Basement Conversions in Fulham: Applied to the Local Stock
A borough-wide Article 4(1) direction removes permitted development rights for basement development across Hammersmith & Fulham — made 25 April 2017, in force 26 April 2018 (excluding the OPDC area) — so basement schemes in Fulham require a planning application. Fulham sits in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, with conservation areas protecting its best Victorian streets and the riverside around Hurlingham. Hammersmith and Fulham scrutinises external change in its conservation areas and applies Article 4 controls.
In Hammersmith & Fulham conservation areas, significant demolition needs planning permission (conservation area consent was replaced from 1 October 2013), a heritage statement is usually required, and demolishing a building in a conservation area without consent remains a criminal offence. Demolition work in Hammersmith & Fulham may need a Section 80 demolition notice under the Building Act 1984 giving the council six weeks’ notice before work starts (internal demolition within an occupied building and buildings of 50m³ or less are exempt); the council can issue a Section 81 counter-notice setting safety conditions, and a copy of the notice must go to the occupiers of neighbouring buildings.
Sources: LBHF - Article 4 Directions (planning policy page) (2026); LBHF — Conservation areas (borough list of 44 conservation areas) (2026); LBHF — Article 4 Directions (planning policy page) (2026); LBHF - Conservation areas (controls and applications for demolition works) (2026); LBHF - Demolition notices (building control guidance, Section 80 Building Act 1984) (2026)
What a Basement Conversion Involves
Digging out a basement adds a complete new storey without touching the garden or the street elevation — and it is the most engineering-led work we do. Ground conditions, foundation depths and the water table are investigated before a price is ever fixed, because below-ground surprises are expensive precisely when they are unplanned. Each project moves through four disciplines, delivered by one team under one contract.
- Excavation — the dig itself, planned around access, spoil removal logistics and temporary support of the house above
- Underpinning — foundations deepened in short, engineer-sequenced sections, with movement monitoring on your property and your neighbours’ throughout
- Waterproofing — a tanked, integral or cavity-drain system (Type A, B or C to BS 8102) selected for your site’s ground conditions, not by habit
- Fit-out — insulation, ventilation, light wells, staircase, plaster and finishes brought to the same standard as the floors above
How We Run Your Project
Below-ground work punishes improvisation, so every stage is closed out before the next one starts.
- Ground investigation — bore holes establish soil type, bearing capacity and water table before feasibility is confirmed.
- Design & consents — layout, light wells and stair position from our architects; underpinning sequence from our structural engineers; planning and any Basement Impact Assessment handled for you.
- Fixed-price contract — priced after the soil investigation, so ground conditions are our risk rather than your variation.
- Excavation & underpinning — sequenced digs and pours with live structural monitoring, never more than the engineer’s design allows at once.
- Waterproofing & shell — membrane or structural system installed and inspected before anything conceals it, with sump and pump provision where the site needs it.
- Fit-out & handover — services, finishes, building control sign-off and a certification pack at completion.
On site, expect 12–16 weeks for a cellar conversion and 16–24 weeks for a full dig-down — the curing time between underpinning sections cannot safely be compressed. Read the full basement conversion guide for waterproofing systems, ceiling heights and light-well design in depth.
The regulatory load is real: a chartered structural engineer must design and certify the underpinning methodology, and most excavations within three metres of a neighbouring building engage the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 — notices, schedules of condition and often a formal award before work can start. Many boroughs add a Basement Impact Assessment covering hydrology and construction management. Our planning guide library sets out what applies where.
Why Hampstead Renovations
Basements fail when design, engineering and waterproofing are handled by separate firms working from different assumptions. Here they sit under one roof: in-house RIBA Chartered Architects shape the space, our own structural engineers design and supervise the underpinning, and RICS surveying support through our sister company covers party wall and condition matters. Every project carries £10M public liability cover, a genuinely fixed price agreed after ground investigation, and a 10-year structural and waterproofing warranty. Send an enquiry before 2pm on a weekday and you will hear back from us that same day.
Basement Conversions in Fulham: Questions
Do I need planning permission for a basement in Fulham?
Yes — it is not a permitted-development matter here. A borough-wide Article 4(1) direction removes permitted development rights for basement development across Hammersmith & Fulham; it was made on 25 April 2017 and came into force on 26 April 2018 (excluding the OPDC area). So a basement scheme in Fulham requires a planning application as a matter of course, and the design is prepared for that from the start.
How does Hammersmith & Fulham assess a Fulham basement?
Within its conservation-area framework. Fulham sits in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, with conservation areas protecting its best Victorian streets and the riverside around Hurlingham, and the council scrutinises external change in those areas while applying Article 4 controls. A basement is judged on its impact on those protected streets, with the lightwells and front-area works the most visible points of assessment.
Is a demolition notice needed before basement works in Fulham?
It can be. Demolition work in Hammersmith & Fulham may require a Section 80 demolition notice under the Building Act 1984, giving the council six weeks' notice before work starts — though internal demolition within an occupied building and buildings of 50m² or less are exempt, and the council can issue a Section 81 counter-notice. Where a basement involves qualifying demolition, that notice period is built into the programme.
What does a basement conversion cost in Fulham?
The method sets the figure. Converting existing below-ground space is guided at £750–£3,000 per square metre of converted area, and above £6,000 per square metre once fully finished. A new excavation with underpinning is the larger undertaking — £2,100–£4,000 per square metre of dug area, before the fit-out. On Fulham's terraces, party-wall coordination, facade repair and access on residential SW6 streets all feed into where a scheme lands.
Which Fulham houses suit a basement?
Fulham is classic Victorian family London — long runs of bay-fronted terraces and Edwardian cottages. Hurlingham Road and Peterborough Road carry handsome bay-fronted terraces and mansion flats; Munster Road and the streets off the Fulham Road bring rows of family houses; and the riverside towards Hurlingham adds larger villas. The generous family terraces take a lower-ground level well, while converted flats bring shared structure and leases into the equation.
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