Glatthaar Keller’s three prefabricated basements compared

With our three prefabricated basement variants; Practical basement, Twin Baby basement and Baby basement, Glatthaar Keller offers the right basement solution for practically every requirement. The most suitable system will depend on the individual customer’s needs, the planned use and the site the basement will be located. Our basements are built using the AquaSafe^® basement system. In this blog we provide a more detailed overview of our basement types and the most important elements of each:

1. The Practical basement

The size of the Practical basement is variable and can be planned as you wish. It can be used as a utility and/or living room and is suitable for any type of property. The Practical basement is an excellent solution for the majority of locations but especially for projects on sloping sites. It can be designed as a full or partial basement, and the room layout and window or door openings can be customised. Practical basements are sealed against soil moisture as well as temporarily or constantly pressing water. Additional thermal insulation, the so-called perimeter insulation on the outer wall, can also be offered as an option.

The Practical basement is made up of prefabricated concrete parts, known as element walls. The connection between the basement and ceiling elements is then created with in-situ concrete. Depending on the onsite environment and building footprint, the installation time of the Practical basement is commonly between 4-6 working days.

2. The Twin Baby Basement

Twin Baby basements are available in dimensions 9.6 x 4.8 metres. Due to their compact size, these usually serve as utility basements however, it is possible, and very effective to combine Twin Baby basements with a ground bearing slab to create double the space.

Despite being designed as a partial basement solution, the Twin Baby basement (for the most part) can be adapted to suit individual needs. In many cases, it is easy to adapt to local conditions and sealing is possible for all stress classes.

The product specification corresponds to that of the Practical basement. This means that it too is constructed using precast concrete and in-situ concrete. Depending on the prevailing conditions at the respective construction site, the assembly time of an effective Twin Baby Basement is between 3-5 working days.

3. The Baby Basement

Unlike the Twin Baby basement, the Baby basement with the dimensions of 4.8 x 4.8 metres, is designed exclusively as a partial basement with ground bearing slab and the external dimensions cannot be changed. This makes it ideal as a utility basement for heating equipment, washing machines and utility use.

The internal height of the basement is 2.4 metres which offers sufficient space for the installation of utilities such as heat pumps and living room ventilation. The Baby basement tanking is in accordance with BS 8102, Type B, including backfill protection and has a structural waterproofing guarantee of 10 years.

Thanks to the prefabrication, assembly on site only takes around 3-4 hours. It is possible to combine the Baby Basement with the Vario ground bearing slab without any problems.

We are happy to help!

As you have seen, prefabricated basements from Glatthaar Keller can be used on virtually every new building project. If you are planning to build a new property and are still unsure which basement offers the optimal solution for you, we will be happy to advise and support you in implementing your construction project quickly and effectively. Together we will lay the foundation for your new home!