Yes we can. Sixty cubic meters of earth is being painstakingly and carefully removed by hand in Shepherds Bush.
As each section of the old cellar is lowered, reinforced concrete plinths are installed to buttress the existing masonry walls. And as if that wasn’t enough to think about; the water table is about 20 centimetres above the new floor level! The water has to be pumped out of the excavation around the clock.
It’ll all be worth it in the end as the new lower ground level will provide a utility, wine cellar and extended kitchen.