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by CaseBlack

Loft Conversions London from Rigas-builders.co.uk

Loft conversions are ideal for homes in crowded urban areas such as London that have limited ground floor space for expansion. If your family is growing or you just need an extra room then a loft conversion can be a much more affordable option than moving house. If you are thinking about undertaking a loft conversion then there are a number of factors you will need to consider. To help you plan your loft conversion more effectively here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about this topic.

What kind of lofts are suitable for conversion?

When it comes to loft conversions the stepper the pitch (slope) of the roof the more potential living space can be gained.  You will need to look in your loft and see what kind of basic space is available. If you cannot stand up straight in your loft then a conversion will not provide you with much additional living space so you may need to rethink your plans. Typically houses that were built before the 1960′s are easier to convert as the roof spaces were built using individual rafters. This provides plenty of clear gaps between the supportive framework to be used as living space. Your roof will need to have a steep pitch and a sufficient amount of additional living space in order to create an effective loft conversion.

Will a loft conversion add value to the property?

A good loft conversion will add valuable living space to a property but it may not add enough value to your property to offset the initial costs of building. This is because many factors affect the costs of your property such as the area you live in, the state of the building and the parking facilities available. A loft conversion will add value to your property but you must not assume it will increase the selling price significantly. Most people invest in loft conversions because they provide a cost effective alternative to moving when more living space is needed. If you are interested in adding value to your property you must make sure the loft conversion is as high quality as possible and does not feel like an ‘add on’.

How long do Loft Conversions take?

It will depend on what type of loft conversion you are having done as to how long it will take. A basic loft conversion should take around just 4 to 5 weeks for the main construction and then another week for the decorative features.

Do you need planning permission for a Loft Conversion?

In general you will not need planning permission for a loft conversion as you are not extending the original ground space or height of your property. However you will need planning permission in some circumstances such as if your house is in a conservation area, is a listed building or you want to put dormer windows facing the road or in a position which could invade your neighbours privacy.

by CaseBlack

Loft Conversions London from Rigas-builders.co.uk

Loft conversions are ideal for homes in crowded urban areas such as London that have limited ground floor space for expansion. If your family is growing or you just need an extra room then a loft conversion can be a much more affordable option than moving house. If you are thinking about undertaking a loft conversion then there are a number of factors you will need to consider. To help you plan your loft conversion more effectively here are some answers to the most frequently asked questions about this topic.

What kind of lofts are suitable for conversion?

When it comes to loft conversions the stepper the pitch (slope) of the roof the more potential living space can be gained.  You will need to look in your loft and see what kind of basic space is available. If you cannot stand up straight in your loft then a conversion will not provide you with much additional living space so you may need to rethink your plans.  Typically houses that were built before the 1960′s are easier to convert as the roof spaces were built using individual rafters. This provides plenty of clear gaps between the supportive framework to be used as living space. Your roof will need to have a steep pitch and a sufficient amount of additional living space in order to create an effective loft conversion.

Will a loft conversion add value to the property?

A good loft conversion will add valuable living space to a property but it may not add enough value to your property to offset the initial costs of building. This is because many factors affect the costs of your property such as the area you live in, the state of the building and the parking facilities available. A loft conversion will add value to your property but you must not assume it will increase the selling price significantly. Most people invest in loft conversions because they provide a cost effective alternative to moving when more living space is needed. If you are interested in adding value to your property you must make sure the loft conversion is as high quality as possible and does not feel like an ‘add on’.

How long do Loft Conversions take?

It will depend on what type of loft conversion you are having done as to how long it will take. A basic loft conversion should take around just 4 to 5 weeks for the main construction and then another week for the decorative features.

Do you need planning permission for a Loft Conversion?

In general you will not need planning permission for a loft conversion as you are not extending the original ground space or height of your property. However you will need planning permission in some circumstances such as if your house is in a conservation area, is a listed building or you want to put dormer windows facing the road or in a position which could invade your neighbours privacy.

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by CaseBlack

Loft Conversion Costs – Are We Getting Ripped Off?

Loft Conversion Costs – Are We Getting Ripped Off?

With the property market in the doldrums and more and more homeowners looking to extend their property with a loft conversion, it’s never been a better time for the loft conversion companies but are they providing value for money or ripping us off with their prices?

What is the Cost of a Loft Conversion?

I wish I had a penny for ever time I was asked about loft conversion costs. It’s not rocket science to make the determination that loft conversion costs will be higher in London than they would be some where in the middle of the country side. Everything costs more in the heart of large cities as all the costs are different.

For starters tradesmen get paid higher rates in cities especially London. Materials cost more in the cities as does delivery. In fact almost every cost that form part of a loft conversion will be higher in the city so why are homeowners surprised that there are huge differences in loft conversion costs.

Loft Conversion Design

What about loft conversion design? The reality is that there are no two loft conversions that are exactly alike. You might have two loft conversions next door to each other but yet one is £10,000 more than the other. To find out why you need to look at design factors such as:

Roof finish – Is it slate, tile or vinyl cladding?
Flat roof – plain felt, zinc or asphalt?
What about the overall design – Is it a single dormer, twin former, semi-mansard or full mansard?
Roof windows – Is it Velux windows or a cheap alternative?
Staircase – Is it a cheap mdf staircase that gets painted or is it a custom timber staircase to match existing character and design?
Heating – Is it a few electric heaters or an extension of the existing heating circuits?
Bathroom – Did you install a bathroom suite, shower, pumps and w/c?

As you can see there are many areas where the costs can escalate and it’s not altogether surprising that a loft conversion can vary by £10/£15k depending on the loft conversion design.

Loft Conversion Size

Another huge factor with regard to loft conversion costs is the actual size of the loft conversion. For starters a loft conversion to a standard period terrace is probably the easiest conversion you can do. But what if it was an end of terrace property or a semi detached property? Go one step bigger and suppose you were considering a loft conversion to a detached house with a Georgian hipped roof, what would the costs be then?

Specialist Loft Conversion Companies

It’s abundantly clear the best loft conversions come from the specialist loft conversion companies. Their in-house design team will have the most up-to-date designs, materials and access to the best suppliers at cheaper rates than say the local builder. On average you are likely to pay about 10% more for a loft conversion by a builder than a loft conversion specialist.

Conclusions

Whilst the loft conversion market is getting a much needed boost it is highly competitive and homeowners are getting better value now than at any time in the past. The key to getting the costs down is to seek at least three comparative loft conversion costs.

You can prices and compare costs at Loft Conversion Supermarket The UK Leading Price Comparison ite For Loft Conversions.

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