Loft Conversions

There are a number of very strong benefits which have made loft conversions so popular throughout the UK:

Add more rooms and living space without moving

Usually, the available floor area of a loft consists of the entire surface area of the property, frequently making it one of the largest areas of available space in your home. The right sort of loft conversion can provide a considerable amount of additional living space without the stress and cost of moving to a larger property. Plus, if a loft is large enough, partitioning walls can be used to create 2 or more extra rooms.

Add extra value to the home

Loft conversions can provide a powerful return on investment by increasing the value of your property. Many sources claim that the value of a property can be increased by 10% to 20%, with many homeowners doubling their original investment.

Add different types of living space

Turning a room into a different type of accommodation normally used to involve sacrificing a bedroom. However, by adding brand new rooms to the home via a loft conversion, you could enjoy different types of living space which offer new benefits and amenities. For example, alongside more common uses (such as bedrooms), many homeowners turn their lofts into an office, gym or entertainment room.

Some of the most popular uses for loft conversions include:

Bedrooms – Add an extra bedroom or even an extra two or three bedrooms with the use of partitioning walls if the attic is large enough. Bedrooms with en-suite amenities can also be created.

Bathrooms – You can add an extra bathroom to the home or even create an en-suite bathroom for a bedroom on the floor below by adding a stairwell.

Office space – If you operate a business, you could turn your loft into an office to separate work and personal living spaces and also create extra working space to improve productivity.

Gym – Turn your loft into a personal gym with plenty of space for workout areas, machines and weights.

Entertainment room – Create an entertainment room for the family with a home cinema, music centre, gaming area, pool table, home bar and more.

Storage – Loft conversions don’t have to be used to create living spaces. They can be used as basic storage spaces as well. A reinforced floor and adequate access means that you can step inside your loft to store items and free up more space within the rest of your home.

The extensive space available within a loft conversion often means that you don’t necessarily have to decide on only a single use for your loft. The use of partitioning walls can create multiple rooms within your loft for different purposes. Some common combinations include:

• Multiple bedrooms (1 to 4 or more)
• Bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms
• A bedroom and gym
• A gym and entertainment room
• A bedroom and storage area
• A bedroom and entertainment area
• Plus much more

There are many different types of loft conversion. Some of the most common include:

Conversion with roof windows

This is normal loft conversion where windows are inserted into the existing roof of the home in-line with the roof slope. This allows a lot of natural light into the attic space without the extensive task of reshaping or restructuring the roof itself.

Dormer conversion

In a dormer conversion, an extension is built out of the roof with a new ceiling and wall protruding out of one side of the sloped roof. Windows are then usually placed on the vertical wall of the extension. Alongside the benefit of being able to create normal vertical windows, dormer conversions also allow more headspace within the loft and can allow a larger overall conversion which isn’t limited by headroom due to the slope of the roof. Another added benefit is that a dormer conversion is easily visible from outside, therefore adding to the aesthetic quality both inside and outside of the home.

Mansard conversion

In a mansard conversion, the degree of the roof slope is considerably reduced to create four slightly sloped walls. A much steeper sloped roof is then placed on top of this. The result is that the loft space is turned into an entirely new floor of living space which isn’t limited by the extensive slope of a normal roof.

Hip to gable conversion

In a hip roof, all the sides of the roof slope down to the walls of the property, creating a ‘pyramid’ effect. A gable is a triangular portion of vertical wall which is between the two edges of a sloped roof. For example, if a roof was shaped like a triangular prism, then the gable would be the triangular ‘end’ of the prism.

As the name implies, a hip to gable conversion takes one side of a sloped roof and extends it to the edge of the wall of the property – creating a gable. This reduces the problem of a lack of headroom caused by the sloped roof, therefore allowing more usable living space. This can be done on one side of the roof or both sides, creating a double hip to gable loft conversion.

Bischell have years of experience converting and extending houses, including loft conversions. Read all about our recent builds around London and discover why we’re a top-rated building contractor for loft extensions.

The process of a loft conversion can vary depending on the building company you use. However, the most common process is as follows:

1). How to use the space

How you use your loft conversion can heavily dictate how the project is carried out. The design and build company can not only install partitioning walls to break the loft up into rooms of your choice, but also install decorative features, fittings and amenities. Alongside deciding the use of the loft, you can also decide on the type of loft conversion you would like, such as a normal conversion with roof windows, a dormer conversion, mansard conversion or others. Advice can be sought on this from your design and build company if required.

2). Planning

Any design and build company should listen to you carefully to make sure that your dream loft conversion is built exactly how you want it. Attention to detail is important, not just with the layout of the loft conversion but also the fixtures, fittings, decoration and other aesthetic touches. Some features to consider are:

• The loft conversion layout
• Using partitioning walls to add rooms
• Using ‘dead space’ in the crevasse of the roof as storage space
• Light fittings
• Electricity fittings
• Heating
• Windows
• Painting and decorating
• Flooring
• Tiling
• Staircases/access

3). Feasibility

Cost estimates usually involve feasibility studies, where a company will check your loft to make sure there is enough headroom and area size for the conversion. Again, attention to detail is vital here, as there are a number of additional concerns depending on how you would like the loft to be used. For example, if it requires a hot water supply and/or heated radiators, does your existing water system have enough pressure to push hot water up an extra floor? Will your choice of furniture fit and allow enough room? Where will the electrical sockets and windows go? Considering all of these points allows for a smoother build project.

4). House value vs practicality

Many homeowners focus on how they would like to use the loft conversion and base their ideas around that. However, if you’re also interested in using the conversion to increase the value of your home, then you have to consider how potential homebuyers will see it. You should obviously build the loft conversion around your needs if you plan on living there for many years to come, but it’s also worth making sure some of the boxes are ticked when it comes to features which will really interest buyers when you decide to eventually sell your property. Bischell and any other good design and build companies can advise you on this.

5). Setup

Once the project is underway, there are a few things which need to be done before the actual conversion can begin. The building company can deal with any planning permission if required and also secure scaffolding, skips and anything else which is needed to begin. As most joists in a loft floor are not strong enough to support people and equipment, they may need to be temporarily fortified as well.

6). The loft conversion commences

The main structural work will be conducted first to fit in the primary floor, ceiling, walls and any partitioning walls. If more extensive structural work is required (such as for hip-to-gable or dormer conversions) then this building work will usually be conducted first. The installation of windows also happens at a relatively early stage. After this, creating access to the rest of the house occurs, and for a highly usable and accessible living space, this would usually involve the installation of a stairwell. Once that’s done, more interior work begins. Plasterers will finish the walls and ceiling, electricians will install any sockets and lighting, plumbers will install any water supplies and floor installers will finish off the floor of your choice. After this, it’s the last finishing touches of the interior design – including painting, fixtures, fittings (such as shelves, units and storage space) and any furnishing required.

After a thorough tidy up, you will then be left to enjoy your brand new loft conversion!

Here at Bischell, we can provide a feasibility study of your loft to discover if it is possible to convert the loft into a habitable space. The main issue is headroom due to the slope of the roof. Whilst the actual surface area of the attic may be large, a sloped roof means that only a certain portion of the loft area has adequate headroom for people to stand up and walk around comfortably. It is usually likely that at least some space is available, but this factor can dictate the overall size of the finished loft living space.

In some situations, a roof may simply be too steep to provide any available headroom in the loft at all. In this situation, the roof can be re-built with a steeper slope to allow for more room.

Other points to look at include any repairs which may need to be done to the roof. Whilst minor leaks or damp patches may not be noticed in the lower floors of your home, they are highly likely to be noticed in a room within the loft itself. If any repairs do have to be conducted, then they can usually be done alongside the loft conversion itself.