I can't afford a Volcanic Island - basement conversion?

[JenBehavingBadly]

I'm looking to establish an evil empire, but appreciate that I have to start small. Ideally, I'd be looking to set up my base on a volcanic island (bit of a traditionalist) but since I don't actually have an evil army yet, it seems a bit wasteful to invest so much when I'm already struggling to get financial backing for my death ray development.

I looked into loft conversions, but worry about my evil experiments going on about my children's heads meant that I had to shelve that idea.

So, I was wondering if anyone had experience of having a basement dug out, as that seems like the next best thing.

If you've not had a new basement, what would you suggest as a good alternative for a lair?

TIA

Have you considered a cave? I'm not sure whereabouts you are, I suspect the further North you're will

...ing to go, the more you'll get for your money. Tbh most of the caves on the south coast belong to the richer, posher supervillains who only spend the summer months there, and prices are ridiculous. Plus the locals will gossip about you.

Some good bunkers for sale here or if you fancy making your own see here

I'd not considered a cave at all. I like it.
If I find one reasonably out of the way, I could use it sneakily.
Thanks :)

Who knew you might even find what you are looking for on eBay this listings ended but you never know another one might come up

Hmm - I've always thought witley park would make an amazing villians lair - sabotagetimes.com/life/the-rooms-under-the-lake do you have a pond in the garden?

Do you need minions??

A few cool ideas here

Well I was hoping to get henchwomen rather than minions. I can't help feel that no matter what minions I had, I'd be sad that they weren't yellow.

I do have a pond!

But bunkers are a line I've not really thought about either.

I think I'm going to have to resign myself on converting the rusting pigsty at the end of the garden or taking over one of the towers of the climbing frame.

Do you think a play house would be a good start?

You can get pretty impressive sunken wine cellars nowadays (they sink a shaft into the floor of your kitchen/utility and incorporate a spiral staircase).
Could this be adapted for your nefarious purposes perhaps?

If you are a multimillionaire in Central London, digging out a basement is a fashionable and popular way to become a millionaire.

If you have a large garden, there are certain exemptions to planning and building regulations for underground fallout shelters of less than 30m2 floorspace.

You're going to have to apply for change of use - the classes are summarised here.

I'm not sure whether a supervillain's lair counts as B1-Business or B2 - General Industrial, though.

I'm liking the sunken wine cellar idea. I've always thought there something menacing about spiral stairs.

Sadly I'm not a multimillionaire. If I was, I'd have my volcanic island.

Turnip - would I really need a change of use? It doesn't seem very, well, evil to adhere to planning rules.

That's true. In fact, if you want to be really evil, you could get somewhere listed and destroy all the original features in your quest for world domination basement conversion. And paint the whole place with totally unbreathable paint so it gets rot, that would be even more evil.

You could apply for the change of use retrospectively once you've taken over the world, and the planning committee will be too scared of you not to grant it.

Oh no turnip. Evil is one thing. Messing with a listed building is criminally insane.

You're giving me ideas now, for what sort of a supervillain I could be, if I was a supervillain too.

'The tank above which you are now suspended, Mr Bond, contains an identical paint to that with which you so unkindly smothered this unfortunate eighteenth century brick wall....'

And furthermore Mr. Bond, a civil servant is on his way right now to check that those windows are in keeping with the building.

They're PVC Mr. Bond, and so shall you die...
Moahahahahaaaa!

I've just found a somewhat surprising alternative - here