Assess the space
What you can do with your loft conversion will generally depend on how much space you have. For example, if you’re looking to turn it into a home office, there needs to be enough room for you to stand up straight and move around comfortably. Lofts with approximately 2.5 metres of headspace are fine for pretty much any kind of conversion, including an office or extra bedroom. If there’s much less space, you can still convert into a children’s play area, freeing up a spare room inside the house.
Get planning permission
Generally speaking, loft conversions don’t require planning permission. This varies from county to county, but all need varying degrees of permission. Loft conversions in Surrey need licenses that comply with local regulations as the area has many protected buildings which means certain additional legalities have to be undertaken.
This is one of the things that makes them so great. Converting the loft can add thousands of pounds onto the value of your property without the pain of cutting through loads of red tape. However, if you’re still limited by space, you can look into adding extra room by building on top of the roof or replacing it altogether. This is a big job that requires an expert hand. You’ll also need planning permission, so do lots of research before handing over any cash or signing paperwork.
Start from the bottom or build off-site
As well as building up, you could also build down. One option is to lower the ceilings of the rooms below your loft, thus creating some extra space for your ideal conversion. Again, this is a big job that’s best left to the professionals. Alternatively, you could look into a modular conversion. This is where the loft conversion is built off-site and then installed afterwards. Modular conversions can be more costly, but they do reduce the disruption to your daily routine.
Work off a vision
Knowing what you finished space will look like it’s a vital part of any successful loft conversion project. For example, how are you going to work around obstacles like chimneys, beams, or water-tanks? Where are the biggest pieces of furniture going to go? Where do you need those extra power sockets? All of this will prevent any nasty surprises during or after the project. So sit down with a pen and paper and draw out your plans. A rough sketch is enough to keep your dreams on track.
Speak to the experts
Most of us like to think we pretty handy with the spanner and the screwdriver. We can knock up some shelves, fix a leaky pipe, and change a fuse without receiving an unexpected shock. However, a loft conversion is a serious job where plenty of stuff could go wrong. So unless you’re a bonafide expert, then you need to speak to some real experts about converting your loft. Touchstone Lofts has over 30 years of experience and are experts at any loft conversion. Their friendly team of builders can cover a large area of the UK, including Birmingham, Bristol, London, and anywhere in between. Call them today for more info.