Top Reasons For Loft Conversion
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- 21-09-2022
What are the most popular reasons for loft conversion in the UK? We look at why you may want to convert your loft into an additional living space.
Loft conversions have gradually become a common and trendy type of home renovation for several homeowners looking for ways to revamp and refurbish their property. Many homeowners utilise their remaining loft floor space for storage, as it's the perfect spacious place to keep any old furniture, boxes of belongings or memories, and various other unnecessary items you can't throw away.
However, if you have enough usable space for your belongings and storage, you may wish to turn your loft into a more practical and functional space.
Bob Trimble is a chartered architect registered with RIBA with 30 years experience in the industry. Trimble Architects work throughout Hounslow, Twickenham, Richmond, Kingston Upon Thames, Teddington and the surrounding areas of London.
WHY CONVERT YOUR LOFT?
For many reasons, one might wish to convert their loft into a brand-new space. It is a design choice that can provide you with a whole host of benefits for your home and household, with less cluttered or dead spaces and a new room to use for various purposes like a growing family, places to store belongings, etc. Here are some advantages to converting the loft space:
Regardless of how you wish to use your attic conversion, you'll have ample living space to do whatever you want. Loft conversions are often referred to as extensions as, whilst the easy process avoids altering the shape or size of your home, you're still increasing it through gaining one more room.
You can utilise this extra space for a wide range of purposes, such as studies, extra bedrooms, gyms, hobby rooms, playrooms, storage rooms, etc. No matter what you choose to opt for, once you've had your conversion extension, you'll have plenty of layout space available to be as creative or functional as you wish.
A loft conversion is far easier to install than adding additional house extensions to the landscape, as building upwards means saving plenty of your plot's width and length, allowing you to keep your outdoor space.
If you have an expansive garden, then you might not have any issues with loss of space; however, those with a smaller garden might not want to lose any precious outdoor space, so a loft conversion may be your wisest and only option.
Those with growing families with new members or someone moving back in may like the sound of a loft conversion to add extra living space to your home.The costs will most definitely be cheaper than moving house and finding a new place that matches your budget with the number of rooms you need. It can even mean you'd have to look outside your local community or town, leaving your immediate family, friends and other loved ones, and looking for new schools for your children.
That's why a loft conversion is a fantastic option for those searching for more room; extend your house's interior, allowing you to comfortably stay in the local area you love and have attachments to.
For those planning on moving home to a new property in a few years and wondering whether a new loft conversion would be worth the hassle, it might make for a fantastic investment in the long run.In most cases, having an extra room than what was initially built that you or new tenants can utilise as a converted playroom, home office, at-home gym, or simply for storage space can add stamp duty tax and value to your household.
Forging a new and functional space into your property can add approximately 25% and is an amendment worth considering as loft conversions tend to cost far cheaper than different types of extensions. With a conventional extension, you'll always know that your property is bound to go up in price when selling it.
The pursuit of building any extension onto your house or property can include red tape and many obstacles, and the legalities can be complex. Some extensions can be so much fuss concerning the various stages to complete it or the building regulations approval from a building control surveyor.
Planning permission is always something to consider when undertaking any extensive home improvement project; however, you'll be pleased to find out that you do not require planning permission, and the job is somewhat hassle-free. No planning permission enables you to save time on the overall loft conversion process.
Altering the internal structure of your building is a straightforward process under permitted development, yet altering the exterior requires the introduction of legalities. Loft conversions typically involve implementing a staircase and widening the area inside your attic to make it livable.
Those wishing to convert a loft space into an en suite or bathroom must know that this also doesn't require planning permission unless you're dealing with a listed building or a building in a conservation area.
Whilst a bathroom/loft conversion is far more challenging to attempt and has its limitations, it can be incredibly effective in terms of its design. Some extensions may require a completion certificate from the local authorities during a final inspection to check it complies with the regulations, yet loft conversions do not.
If you're familiar with the fact that hot air rises, it's essential to remember that plenty of the existing heat in your home is lost throughout your roof.
A loft conversion can significantly help these circumstances as your floors, ceiling joists and attic walls are reinforced and provided with insulation throughout the process, so you'll never experience heat loss. Ultimately, you unintentionally gain insulation by doing all of these additional things to reinforce the strength of your loft's walls.
Concealing heat in your home is far better for your central heating and energy bills, as the more heat you have, the less you will have to turn on or turn up your heater. It's the most effective way to save money during a home-building project.
One of the great advantages of loft conversions is that they can sometimes take less than four weeks to install completely. Lofts are also the least disruptive ways to expand the size and number of rooms in your home, meaning no interference with your daily home life during its installation.
You'll still be able to move around freely, perhaps less freely than usual, but it shouldn't cause too much hassle. Most of the process occurs within your attic, so you'll be free from dust, debris and piles of tools or materials cluttering up your bedrooms and hallways.
Loft conversions allow more space into your home as you open its roof and expand the sights, widths and depths inside to become the highest room on your property. In that case, you'll find that, as it is higher and has now become more open, there will be plenty more sunlight seeping into your household.
Choosing the right location to place brand-new large windows to flood the loft room with natural light, and you'll soon be able to bask in the sun's warmth. There are so many factors and benefits to new loft conversions; they provide so much for your household; for example, they add extra spaces, increased value to your home, increase sunlight or purely indulge in a new home improvement project.
For those with further questions or queries on loft conversions or how they work or are created, plenty of online websites can scour through that can provide you with expert advice and information.
Is my Home Suitable for a Loft Conversion?
Whilst you may desire a brand-new stunning loft conversion, you must remember that not all existing roofs are suitable for the job. Certain types of roofs can only achieve specific types of conversions, and some may require additional structural work that enables professionals at a loft conversion company to achieve what you're looking for. When assessing whether or not you have the right roof to implement such conversions, you'll want to judge it against the following considerations:
The roof's pitch
The roof's current structure
The available head height of your roof/the roof you desire
Any obstacles you may encounter, including chimney stacks, water tanks, etc.
You'll find that the most suitable type of roof for loft conversions, like dormer conversions, tends to be the traditional framed type. These often allow for space to be easily opened up, making the job straightforward and inexpensive. Houses curated before the 1960s had rafters running along the edges of their traditional roofs, which enabled tenants and homeowners to indulge in plenty of free space.
WHAT ARE GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK AN ARCHITECT?
Such existing rafters can be strengthened or have additional support added to them by a structural engineer. We highly recommend contacting your architects and engineers and getting their opinion; professionals can advise on what your premises will require. Many trussed roofs possess 'W' shapes rafters, allowing support for the floor and roof structure all at once. It's far harder to convert trussed roofs, but it's not an impossible task; often, the rafters can be replaced using a different structure, the most common choice being the 'A' shape.
Such a conversion of structural shape tends to involve steel beams being inserted between loadbearing walls; in doing so, the new floor joints can hang on tightly, and the rafters can use it for support, using steel beams at its ridge. Roof conversions require additional roof space, ideal for plumbing and water tanks; otherwise, it may mean your professionals must replace your heating and hot water systems with sealed systems.
Architects Near Me
If you are looking for loft conversion architectural services throughout Hounslow, Twickenham and the greater London area, then get in contact with our team today. We can offer advice and begin guiding you towards making the right decision.
Bob Trimble is a chartered architect registered with RIBA. Bob Trimble has 30 years of experience working with residential and commercial property projects. For 4 years, Bob Trimble has worked from his housing association and private architectural practice for clients throughout Hounslow, Twickenham, Richmond, Kingston Upon Thames, Teddington and the surrounding areas of London.