Conservatories

Loft Conversion

A loft conversion could add about 15% to the value of your home. However it could cut the value if you do not follow the Building Regulations, so it’s vital to get expert advice.

Andrew and Charlie Coe were lucky enough to inherit planning permission for their loft conversion. They employed loft conversion specialist Kevin Walker, an FMB Master Builder of the Year 2002 award winner “It was important that the extension felt like a proper room and flowed with the rest of the house. I did not want too many slopes, so we have disguised these by having plenty of built-in storage, including a false wall behind the bed, so we’ve made use of the low parts of the loft for storage and ended up with a room that feels big and uncluttered,” she says.

The cost of the job will vary depending on its complexity and where you live. A straightforward loft conversion for a three bedroom Victorian house in London could start from £30,000, whereas the same job in Lancashire might be around £20,000.

Is your loft suitable for conversion?

The easiest way to tell is to see if you can stand upright at its highest point, as this needs to be at least 2.3m unless you are prepared to have the ceiling below lowered.

Things to consider:

If your property was built before about 1975 it will probably be the most suitable for conversion. Properties built with modern trussed roofs can be converted, but more structural work is needed to keep the roof supported. There must be a permanent way of getting in and out of the room, so fold away ladders are out.

Planning permission will probably be required if you are changing the appearance of the roof. Make sure the mansard roof or dormer windows do not affect the amount of natural light available to neighbours or compromise their privacy.

The central heating will usually extend to the extra room but will the boiler be able to cope? Do make sure your builder strengthens the roof and the floor

Loft conversions