Convert Your Loft

Published 23rd Mar 2007

A good loft conversion is one of the best value ways of expanding your living space, and chances are it’ll recoup its costs when it comes to selling your home. Our step-by-step guide will help ensure your conversion is stress-free.

What can you get?

If the last time you looked in your loft was to bung in a few surplus boxes when you first moved in, it’s time to grab a torch and find out what you’ve got. You must be realistic about the possibilities. Take a tape measure and note the ceiling height – it needs to be no less than 2.3 metres to give enough headroom. The steeper the slope (or pitch) of the roof, the more suitable it will be for conversion.

You should also take a note of what the support for the roof is like:
• Single roof is the most basic construction, with a triangle of rafters (these are the top of the triangle that support the tiles) and joists (at the bottom). The easiest to convert but not common as it’s only suitable for light roofs and short spans.
• Double or purlin roof is very common in older houses and is the next easiest to convert. Planks of timber called ‘purlins’ run horizontally to support the rafters about halfway up, with ‘V’- shaped struts bracing every fourth or fifth pair.
• Trussed roofs can be computer-designed and prefabricated off-site, so are more prevalent in houses built since the 1960s.
• The rafter and joist triangle is supported internally by a ‘W’ timber strut, making it the most awkward to convert.
Stick to the rules


To guarantee a safe and efficient end result, your conversion will have to comply with building regulations. They cover areas such as energy efficiency, lighting, insulation and fire safety. You will first need to submit the architect’s plans to the local authority, and then the building and fire regulation plans. The whole approval process should take about three to four months.

Planning permission, which governs the appearance of your house and how it affects those around you, should be sought before you get the builders in. You will need it if you live in a listed building or conservation area; if the house has been extended before; if you’re converting the loft above a flat; or your house is over two stories high.

You may also be affected by The Party Wall Act 1996 if you live in a terraced or semi-detached property. This ensures your planned changes don’t compromise the strength or soundproofing of the dividing wall.

See the government’s website on planning, building and the environment for information on all types of building controls. Local authority building inspectors will visit the conversion at various times to ensure you’re doing what you should. Failure to comply will emerge when you come to sell, as you won’t have the relevant certificates from your local authority.

Get the professionals in
Employing professionals will minimise the likelihood of costly and dangerous mistakes. If budget is a concern, get the design and structural work done by a pro then do the decorating yourself.

• A specialist architect should guarantee the best use of space coupled with fantastic design details (visit the Royal Institute of British Architects’ website).
• An experienced build or loft conversion team is a must. They will take care of all the paperwork for you – dealing with the council and building regulations, as well as securing skips and scaffolding. Get at least three written quotes to compare, see examples of their work, agree a time schedule, and ensure they have adequate insurance. Check out the Federation of Master Builders, who abide by a strict code of conduct.
Finally, do inform your neighbours of your plans. You may find that next door are also thinking about converting, which will give you the option of working together to create a balanced end result.

Budgets
How much the project is going to set you back depends on what you do. According to consumer watchdog Which?, it is possible to get a loft conversion for around £8,000, but a figure of £12,000 is more likely for a roofline (Velux) conversion. Dormer conversions cost from £18,000, with hip-togable conversions starting at around £20,000.

‘A loft conversion should always be a lifestyle choice,’ says Chris Wood of the National Association of Estate Agents. ‘Whether it adds value to your home depends on many factors, including the style of your property, the area it’s located in and the availability of similar properties nearby.’

Understanding the timeline
Understanding the building process and knowing what to expect will help your relationship with the builders and architects.
• Depending on the complexity of your conversion it could take from four to eight weeks and sometimes more.
• Before work starts, the relevant permissions should have been gained and scaffolding erected.
• The builders are going to gain access via the roof for the first half of the build. As the existing joists in the roof aren’t strong enough to support people and furniture, they will need to be strengthened with steel joists.
• Velux windows will be fitted early on along with other structural works, such as framing for a hip-to-gable or a mansard extension.
• Work on the interior of the conversion, such as erecting the interior walls, begins about half way through the build.
• Breaking through into the rest of the house to construct the fixed staircase happens next, along with plastering, electrical and plumbing work that is needed.
• Adding the final fittings (such as shelving), decorating and furnishing, will bring the project to a close.

Rooms, rooms, rooms
If you’re thinking about a loft conversion, you clearly have a use in mind for the space. The physical distance from the loft to the ground floor (where the kitchen and living space is likely to be) will influence the practicalities. For instance, a top-of-the-house dining room would be too far away from the kitchen – even if you install a dumb waiter, buyers would not be impressed. However, this distance would work in your favour if you want a study, as it will be pretty peaceful. What about a games room? There’s plenty of space for your snooker table or table football and you won’t be able to hear the rowdiness elsewhere in the house.

If you have a lot of belongings to store, you may want to preserve some of the loft for purely storage purposes. Many conversion designs include nifty cupboards in the ‘dead’ space right under the eaves.

Extra bedrooms and bathrooms – ideally en suite – are the most popular and logical choices, given their usual placement at the top of the house. However, it is certainly worth including the extras that will add to the room’s wow factor. Luxurious walk-in wardrobes are a desirable lifestyle extra that buyers love, so factor one in if you can. A teenager’s room can include space for additional seating to create a proper den.

Self-contained flats are also gaining in popularity even though they don’t have independent access. However, all those stairs aren’t ideal for granny – a loft is much better for the nanny.

Design ideas
It’s essential that the new space feels like an intrinsic part of the house. Flimsy windows, bouncy flooring and – the biggest crime of all – a flip-down ladder, will turn off prospective buyers (temporary stairs mean the loft can’t be considered as living space). The best arrangement is for the new staircase to follow on seamlessly from the old.

But this doesn’t mean that loft rooms can’t be statement pieces – the design and décor can be modern, even in a traditional home. It is even possible to create a truly unusual feature, such as opening up from the bedroom below to create a double-height room with a mezzanine level.

Windows will make a big difference to the headroom.
Roofline windows that lie flush to the roof look less obtrusive from outside and are easiest to install, but don’t add any headroom to the space. Dormer windows are built out from the roof so will add space in the loft, both physically and visually. For even more headroom, build out from the sloped side of the roof to make the edge flush with the exterior ‘end’ wall.

Full-height doors that either open onto a small balcony or simply have a metal railing to waist height (known as a ‘Juliet window’) are often possible, creating a feature in the room and flooding it with light. Note that your choice of window will also be dictated by what your local council allows.

The latest technology
New hi-tech gadgets are constantly being developed to ease loft living. If you want to use high, inaccessible windows, you could fit them with a remote-control opening device to allow ventilation. Roof domes range in style from simple polycarbonate slabs to wooden-framed, glazed skylights for an ever-changing vista. Windows that combine a fire escape are very compact – Velux sells these. Space-saving fixed stair options include alternate tread stairs and spiral staircases. A bathroom that’s a good distance away from the soil stack may require a special Saniflo macerator WC. Contact The Loft Shop for more inspiration.

Heating, lighting and layout
Lofts have unique structural challenges to overcome before they become spaces where it’s pleasant to be. Ensure the roof is well insulated as you don’t want to be cold in winter and hot in summer – your specialist builder will advise on this. It should be easy enough to run a couple of extra radiators up to the loft from most central heating systems, although as hot air rises lofts tend to be pretty warm anyway.

Roof windows (unlike wall ones) will not benefit from any shade from trees or neighbouring properties, so they do need to be properly screened. This isn’t for privacy, but to keep the strong sunlight out. As Velux windows hang at an angle, they need special blinds that are fixed at the bottom – choose between roller (especially if you need a blackout version), Venetian and pleated blinds. Dormer windows are vertical, an option that leaves you free to use whatever window treatment you like.

Plan your layout
Once the architectural plans have been drawn up, think about where you are going to put the furniture and, therefore, where you’ll need those all-important power points. These are generally positioned on-site, so it’s good to start thinking about this early on. Do you need a telephone point or to plug in a computer? Will you use floor or table lamps, or even require a shaving point in an en-suite bathroom? How you light the room will affect its feel. Recessed spotlights are great as they don’t intrude on headroom; wall-mounted lights above a bed are streamlined – you won’t need lamps with untidy cables; and dimmer switches create instant atmosphere. Make imaginative use of quirky alcoves and recesses for feature lighting or even task lighting above built-in desks and storage spaces. Also think about where the on and off switches will be for the lights, especially those that control the stairs.

Furniture and finishing touches
Be sure to allow a budget for furnishing the room, or it might look like an afterthought. With sloping ceilings, fitted furniture will make best use of the space – either get a local carpenter to install some or approach a firm such as Hammonds.

Often there are awkward corners and crannies that can be transformed into integral storage. Low-level furniture – low futon beds, coffee tables and floor cushions – will create the welcome illusion of extra height in the room. You may also want to consider space-saving bathroom furniture. To add character to the pristine new space, try antique or second-hand fittings for a more established feel.

When positioning beds and chairs, think about whether heads will bang on the ceiling – while your choice of layouts is bound to be limited, it’s absolutely crucial that you bear this in mind.

Finishing Touches
It’s the attention to detail that will make your conversion successful. Are there any quirky features, such as the rafters, that you can leave exposed or highlight in any way to draw attention to the structure and create a unique room? If you don’t want rustic wood, rafters and beams can be plastered and painted for a more urban look. Cladding the ceiling in pale wood planks teamed with wooden flooring can look very effective – think modern ski lodge rather than sauna room.

You may want to use a device to draw the eye to where the ceiling slopes to avoid banged heads. A row of pictures (they’ll need to be secured top and bottom) or stickers in children’s rooms will do the job. However, using the same neutral shade on ceiling and walls will draw attention away from low slopes and varying wall heights.

But as lofts are generally big and well lit, they can also take a strong colour on the walls to cosy up the space. Think about papering a feature wall to dramatic effect. Invest in good flooring – carpet adds a sumptuous touch and increases the soundproofing.

As you won’t be overlooked, you can go for gauzy window treatments or none at all to take advantage of the aerial views. And last but not least, don’t forget that due to fire regulations the room needs to have a fire door, but you could put this at the bottom of the stairs to make a feature of the staircase.

Source: ' Channel 4 '

View All Latest Articles