A loft conversion is the practice of converting an empty space (generally the attic) into a fully functioning room. This room might be a dedicated space for watching movies, a bedroom, gaming room, gym, etc. A loft conversion can completely change the essence of the house and when you have a dedicated space to do something you love, you enjoy the living experience even more.
Loft conversions are of different types and it depends on you on how you want the room to look. It depends on the creativity and the opportunities the house presents.
Advantage of getting a loft conversion
A loft conversion not only allows you to have a dedicated special space but also adds value to the house. Research has proved that a loft conversion increases the value of the house by at least 20% and the value can even go up later. You can use this lofted room as a place to host parties, meditate, play games, and just use it to spend some quality time with your family. The room can also be an extra guest bedroom for when your relatives are in town. The lift also gives a good look to the house and makes it stand out from all regular houses.
How to get started with a loft conversion
There are various types of loft conversions and some loft conversions are simple and some are complicated. You have to understand the structure of the roof, the flooring, and the insulation to know the type of converso that will suit your house. It is generally suggested that you go to an architect or a builder to know more about the plans for lofting but you can do the whole loft conversion by yourself.
You can find blueprints of the house and other important documents in the city library and you can download them or borrow them for free. These documents will help in giving valuable insights about the structure and the layout of the house. These blueprints have all the measurements like the length, breadth, and width of the rooms. You can carry out all the activities relating to loft conversion but it would be a lot of work to carry out alone.
There are pre-assembled lofts available in the market and you can simply purchase the lofted room, get the dismantled pieces delivered to your house, and reassemble them all on your own.
Cost of getting a loft conversion
The cost of getting a loft conversion depends on the type of loft conversion you choose, There are various styles and models of loft conversion you can choose and the maintenance costs of these lift conversions also add up.
Some loft conversions are very cheap and the overall cost for getting a loft conversion can end up costing as little as about £12000 or as much as £50000 or more.
It is better if you set a budget and then go forward with the idea of a loft conversion. When you are on a budget, you can compare the costs and can adjust in suitable places. If you select the best model, equipment, and utilities the costs can go sky high and you will have to make additional monetary arrangements that you can not afford.
What are the planning permissions?
If you are going with a basic form of loft conversion, you can go forward with the conversion without taking any planning permissions. The advanced and complex types of loft conversions demand planning permissions from the authorities because an illegal loft conversion can be a hazard to the house and the neighbors. The local planning authorities can grant you the required permissions and all you have to do is submit the blueprints of the house and the plans for the type of loft conversion.
It must be noted that the planning authorities allow the loft conversion only if the house is suitable for the type of loft conversion.
Various types of loft conversions
Rooflight loft conversion is one of the easiest and basic forms of a loft conversion. This includes turning the existing space into a lift and all you have to is create provisions for allowing light into the room. Their roof should have a strong ceiling and insulation to facilitate general living conditions. This loft conversion is cheap and effective. The only disadvantage can be a limited amount of headspace.
A dormer loft conversion is one of the most chosen types of loft conversion because it is economic and changes can be made according to the needs of the user. There are dorms added to the front, back, or side of the roof to add living space and the owner can choose to add a single form or a full-width dorm. These dorm loft conversions add much more value to the house because they are attractive.
A hip-to-gable loft conversion is also an economic loft conversion model where the roof slopes of one side are taken as a gable and extend over to create a triangle-like structure. This type of loft conversion is spacious. It is mandatory to get permission from the planning authorities when you are going for this type of loft conversion.
