In Australia basements are less common than in other parts of the world however they offer unique opportunities to expand the liveable area of your home. Many of our clients in Melbourne’s established suburbs are choosing to include a basement in their design to work within council height requirements, or to accommodate narrow or sloping block conditions.
There are many reasons to consider adding a basement to your custom-built luxury home but they all come back to one thing; creating more liveable space to suit your lifestyle.
At Destination Living we have extensive experience in designing and building basements into our luxury home designs. Our architects, designers & engineers work together to create a space that is luxurious, functional and liveable.
Here are just some of the things we take into account when designing your basement space.
Site
Site Considerations such as neighbours and surrounding buildings, tree roots, existing slope, underground services and soil conditions are important when deciding on whether to include a basement in your design. Our unique design process includes extensive site evaluation to ensure we deliver cost considered architecture from design to build.
On sloping sites, the addition of a lower ground/cut-in basement is an ecological choice; closing in void spaces under floor and providing protection from the elements.
Purpose
Habitable vs non-habitable spaces will dictate many aspects of your basement build. Non-habitable spaces such as laundries, garages and storage don’t have the same requirements under the national construction code as living areas including home cinemas, studios, or gyms. Building a basement that is fit-for-purpose as well as fit-for-future uses is key to developing compliant spaces in your home for now and for future re-sale.
Cost
A basement is a considerable investment, our team bring construction methodology to the design process. This understanding allows us to consider the placement of your basement to minimise or eliminate slab overhang, the requirement for bored pilings, and mitigate the impact of water.
Light
The presence and absence of light is a selling point for basement areas. Home cinemas and wine cellars benefit from the natural sound proofing, temperature control and absence of light inherent in basement builds. This doesn’t need to be the only use case though; Clever ground level windows, light wells, and suntubes can direct natural light into the space and make you forget you are underground.
Ventilation
Windows are not just for light! They allow fresh air to circulate within your space. These can be used on their own or in conjunction with mechanical ventilation to create inviting liveable spaces.
Your custom designed basement may be a functional space for storage, parking and utilities or it may be a space for living and play with cellars, gyms and a theatre room. Or it could be any combination of both, our team will work with you to ensure that your basement is an integral part of your home.