Massive Basement Waterproofing Project

With 3,500 sq. ft. of living space, including a lounge with a ceiling towering 25ft above, you would expect Langtry House to dwarf its neighbouring buildings - yet this magnificent space is just 8ft tall! How is this possible? Read on to find out.

Hampstead Heath in London provides the location of this groundbreaking (literally!) structure which, just a few years ago, played host to an unappealing row of lock-up storage facilities. Planning permission was granted for these structures to be demolished to make way for a new family home but, due to building regulations, the home was not permitted to rise any higher than the buildings it was designed to replace. This left architects with a puzzling challenge which was cleverly solved by building underground with great emphasis being placed on making the basement watertight, creating one of London’s most innovative and well-disguised homes.

• Dubbed ‘the iceberg home’, alluding to the fact that the bulk of an iceberg’s mass is beneath the waterline and out of sight, the new structure is neatly tucked away behind an impressive mansion block

• There are three stunning bedrooms of generous size plus three bathrooms - one for each guest!

• Other rooms in the home have been used as a TV/family area, home cinema, wine cellar and state-of-the-art gymnasium

• There are also two outdoor patio areas and off-street parking to accommodate two cars

• Lillie Langtry, a famous actress who gives her name to the iceberg home, has a strong association with Hampstead Heath due to her cousin, Chairman of the Metropolitan Board of Works Philip le Breton, historically taking care of the area

• The house is now on the market and could be yours today - assuming you have the whopping £4.5m asking price!

The house has been variously described as ‘deceptively spacious’, ‘a breathtaking experience’, ‘masterfully conceived’, and ‘beautifully engineered’. A unique modern home, Langtry House is a seriously impressive structure.

Although clearly a major engineering project, the development of Langtry House echoes a wider trend for building below ground, as space becomes ever more valuable. Basement conversions offer a cost-effective method of creating extra living space and adding to the value of your property.

One of the most important considerations to make when building below ground is basement waterproofing and damp proofing and this is one of our key areas of expertise at Twistfix. As well as providing the highly-popular Registered Contractor scheme, linking professionals with the public, we also supply a comprehensive collection of basement waterproofing products including waterproofing membrane (also known as tanking membrane).