basement company recommendations?? Post Reply

[kusch72]

Hi,

Can anyone help me out?

We're thinking of getting our basement dug out and if anyone can recommend some really good companies I would really love to know.

Many thanks.

[swlondonmum]

The London Basement Company have done 4 in the street i used to work in in Chiswick and everyone seemed pretty impressed. They all looked pretty good too.

[tooposhtopush]

Hi
We haven't had ours done but we're in the process of researching it.

Because a basement is a relatively large job I'd go for a company that can show you round other people's houses that they've done. You really want to see three or four basements that they've done. If they can't show you previous happy customers walk away!

Secondly, basements can involve a lot of work that impacts on your neighbours. At some point you might be digging almost underneath your neighbours house and their house will almost certainly show some effect. That means you need to see insurance and discuss in detail how they've handled grumpy neighbours. If they say they've never had them I'd guess they were lying. I know of one person who started digging for a basement (about three months of really heavy work) and had her neighbours incandescent with rage hammering at the front door within about two minutes. The work had started in Feb and the neighbours eldest was into the final stretch of A Level revision. Their relationship with next door has never recovered. And I mean really poisonous.

I have heard that London Basement Company (http://www.londonbasement.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) are expensive but good. Someone I know used them, even though they could get a cheaper quote elsewhere, because she felt that the premium paid was in effect was a "keep the neighbours happy" payment. On the plus side they washed everyones car in the street when they got covered in dust. On the negative side they charged her about 2k to put boards down in her house which she thought was included. Hurlingham Developments (http://www.hurlinghamdevelopments.co.uk/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) also have a good reputation and they advertise on this site but I can't reiterate enough go you need to see stacks of happy customers, look at the work and ask those customers what extras they got hit for.

If you go ahead please share!, I think building work is one area where sharing information is so important!

Good luck.

TPTP

[Laurie]

We did a basement and used the Big Basement company - they were really good - and the standard was brilliant. Any good company will take you round properties they have worked on so make sure you do that before you decide who to go with.

[London Handy Team]

Hi

Why don't you try Gajaro construction they are a locally based company that have done alot of work in the area. They did our basement and loft last year. http://www.gajaro.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mum4boys]

hi there,
We have recently refurbished 6 bedsits into a family home and intend on digging out the basement once the funds have recovered! Our architect is amazing and I cannot tell you how much money and stress he saved us. The builder we used was also great and it helped the project that they do a lot of work together - in fact they have just started up a new company digging out basements with a lot of experienced staff who perhaps might not have been so happy with their jobs at another very well known London basement company? Architect is info@jkwdesign.co.uk and builders were Qualitas : nwoodworth @btinternet.com best of luck!

[professionalidentity]

Hi

My advice, from bitter experience, is get a reputable firm to do the dig out, and then get someone else to do the fit out. I had a disaster with my fit out and it caused a lot of stress, cost a lot of money and left a bitter taste in my mouth. None of the companies mentioned so far were involved in my bad experience, but beware!

[fimorse]

Hi - I would recommend Pure Basements who have done a friend of mine's basement and did a fantastic job. they are based in wandsworth and as are local the directors get involved in all projects so you have a regular contact throughout which is a big plus point!! have heard the bigger co's like london basement etc are a bit faceless and you don't often get one person to help if things don't go to plan - no consistency!. there's photo's of their work on their website http://www.purebaements.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. they might not be the cheapest but the quality is well worth paying for.

hope that helps

[Northcote Mum]

i would strongly recommend hurlingham developments who happen to advertise on this site. What can I say - they just get the job done. We had our whole house refurbished by them and they were nothing but professional from initialquotation stage to the final stages - and they guarantee the workmanship for 6 months. They have examples of basements they have completed and we saw some house refurbs also. They are not a big company which i think works in their favour as you have more focus from them which is important. My husband gave me the taskof researching the refurb of our house and after having contacted many companies who failed to turn up on time for aninitial consultation and those who then failed to send the quotes back on time,and to schedule, I was happy to have found them them. Try them you really wont be disappointed. Good luck

[CeliaB]

I can recommend Nick Woodworth of Pure Basements and Qualitas ( I note he is mentioned below). His mobile is 07788440801. The quality of his work is excellent and he is extremely pleasant to deal with.

[AmyH]

We completed our basement dig-out earlier this year using North & South Basements. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Tidy, hard-working and fantastically good value (They come down from Manchester so you don't pay crazy London prices).

We got about 4 companies around to quote and North&South not only understood our requirements, and actually helped improve our plans but also provided the best quote. And I'm not a property developer so it was really refreshing to have someone explain everything in plan english.

It was also quite nice having some adult company during my maternity leave as all the guys were really polite & friendly.

[Claire M]

Hi

We are still dithering about a basement and wondered if anyone had anything to update / add to these posts made last year??

Thank you

Claire