Basement case studies in London.
Chelsea · SW3 · The mirrored gym, on the new lower floorCompleted work, photograph
Six basement projects in Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham. Each one has its own case study.
What we have built below ground.
- Three floors down
- Two new-build houses in Kensington W8
- Under the whole house
- A Chelsea SW3 townhouse, about 1,200 sq ft below ground
- Six case studies
- Kensington, Chelsea and Fulham
NU Projects has built London basements since 2010. In Kensington W8, we built two new-build houses of 6,500 sq ft each. Each one goes three floors below the street. Both were completed in 2018. In Chelsea SW3, a townhouse gained a basement under its full footprint. It adds about 1,200 sq ft below ground. Planning was granted in November 2012. The house was completed in 2015. A second Chelsea house gained a new basement and a kitchen extension in 2020. In Fulham SW6, we built four new-build houses, each with a basement level. They were built from 2016 to 2018. We have also built basements under Fulham terraces. And we refurbished a Fulham house throughout, with a new basement media room. Founder Nick Jeffries appeared in Bloomberg’s 2015 video, London’s Last Super-Basement.
Six basements, the largest first.
Kensington·W8·New build
Kensington new-build houses
Two family houses where a block of flats stood. Each one goes three floors below the street. The pool and the spa sit on the second floor down.
- Below ground
- Three floors
- House size
- 6,500 sq ft each
- Completed
- 2018
- Scope
- New build, Triple basement construction, Structural engineering, Architectural design, Interior design, Bespoke joinery, Full fit-out, Project management
- Press
- Nick Jeffries on Bloomberg, 2015
Chelsea·SW3·Townhouse
Chelsea townhouse, opened up and fitted out
A late 19th century terraced house with no room to build up or out. So we went down, under the whole house. The new floor holds a mirrored gym.
- Below ground
- About 1,200 sq ft, one floor
- House size
- 4,300 sq ft
- Planning
- Granted November 2012
- Completed
- 2015
- Scope
- Basement under the full footprint, Structural works, Interior design, Joinery, Full fit-out, Project management
- Press
- Nick Jeffries on Bloomberg, 2015
Chelsea·SW3·Townhouse
Chelsea basement and extension
A new basement and a kitchen extension came first. The interior was then transformed throughout. The house gained space below ground and at the rear.
- Below ground
- A new basement
- House size
- 2,500 sq ft
- Completed
- 2020
- Scope
- Basement construction, Kitchen extension, Interior design, Bespoke joinery, Full renovation, Project management
Fulham·SW6·New build
Fulham, four new-build houses with basements
Four new houses on a plot behind the street. Each one has a basement. Lightwells and glass floors carry daylight down to them.
- Below ground
- One basement level each
- House size
- 1,270 to 2,460 sq ft
- Built
- 2016 to 2018
- Scope
- New build, Basements, Architectural design, Interior design, Structural works, Full fit-out, Project management
Fulham·SW6·Basements
Fulham basements
Basements dug, waterproofed and finished under Fulham terraces. Media rooms, snugs and family rooms, each one used every day. Daylight reaches them through light wells and walk-on glass.
- Below ground
- Basements under terraced houses
- Scope
- Structural design and underpinning, Party wall agreements, Waterproofing and drainage, Light wells and walk-on glass, Joinery and fit-out
Fulham·SW6·House
Fulham house, refurbished throughout
A Fulham family house, renewed from the basement to the roof. Below, a new basement media room. Above, bedrooms and bathrooms renewed.
- Below ground
- A new basement media room
- Scope
- Full refurbishment, Basement, Kitchen and rear glazing, Bathrooms, Joinery and lighting
Completed work, photographs
What owners ask about our basements.
Basements by area
Before you dig
Who designs and builds an NU basement?
One team, under one contract.
Our architectural designers draw it, and engineers size the structure.
We carry design, excavation, waterproofing and fit-out under one contract.
We also build to another architect’s drawings, as on the Chelsea SW3 townhouse.
Who handles the party walls?
We do, as part of the basement.
Notices are served and awards agreed before any digging starts.
On the Fulham basements, party wall agreements were in our scope.
In Chelsea SW3, the party walls were underpinned in reinforced concrete.
Each section was dug one metre at a time.
How does planning work for a basement in Kensington and Chelsea?
The Royal Borough’s rule began as CL7 in 2015.
It is now Policy CD11, in the July 2024 Local Plan.
It allows one storey, and no more than half the garden.
On our Kensington W8 houses, planning came through first.
Then the borough paused new basements for a year, while new rules were written.
We check the rule against your property before design starts.
How deep have your basements gone?
In Kensington W8, three floors below the street.
In Chelsea SW3, one floor under the whole house, about 1,200 sq ft.
In Fulham SW6, one basement level under each of four new houses.
Tell us about your basement.
Your name and one way to reply are enough. It goes straight to the studio.
- Already have an architect or designer? We build to their design. Working with your designer
- An NDA on request, and your home is never published without your consent. How we work in confidence