Director Phil Jones, pictured, said more and more homeowners were seeking to “go downstairs”, rather than up as costs for loft conversions escalated.

Phil’s 16-year history in damp-coursing with Anti Damp Ltd, with offices in New Park Road, Shrewsbury and Liverpool, laid the foundations for the new venture – with the use of new waterproofing systems making the process much easier.

Phil said: “It’s always been a service we’ve supplied on request – making basements habitable – but inquiries have doubled over the past four years and it made sense to dedicate more time to this area.

“Because there are less structural issues in basement conversion, it means planning permission and building regulations don’t apply. This means it’s much less complicated to convert the space at the bottom of the house than add extensions or convert lofts.

“Now, instead of just preparing the space for homeowners to fit out, I’ve set up AD Basement Solutions which can produce the finished room.”

Phil said that depending on the fixtures and fittings required, a conversion can cost as little as £4,000, but could add much more to the value of a home.

He pointed out: “It is also a ‘greener’ option than undertaking major building works, allowing homeowners to upgrade using minimal resources.”

Basements can be converted for a whole range of uses, Phil said – including kitchens, laundry rooms and games rooms.

He said: “A lot of people use the space to add a little luxury that they wouldn’t be able to afford on top of an extension to their house – like the home cinema option that I fitted in a house in Allscott.

“Home studies are also a popular choice, or a fun ‘den’ for the kids. Some of the uses have even surprised me, like the operating theatre at an eye clinic in Southport.

“Once treated with the new waterproofing system, and fitted with the correct lighting, they can be used for any purpose.”

Phil’s new enterprise has recently teamed up with Shropshire Homes, which has tapped into his expertise, training its staff in the new technology Phil uses.

Gerald Rogers, production director for Shropshire Homes, said: “A third of our work is converting old buildings into state-of-the-art apartments. Providing lower ground units is an increasing trend in the industry.

“We’ve worked on various projects with Phil and Anti Damp for the past eight years, so we trusted his advice in adopting the new system for below-ground damp-proofing.

“He has provided our staff with the technical know-how needed to produce the high quality finish Shropshire Homes is known for in these below-ground apartments.”