Not every homeowner can afford to move at present, with property prices escalating and costs spiraling. The cost of relocating must be combined with the price of the new house in addition to all the extra expenses when you're determining the total expenditure involved. If your family is getting too big for your home however you can't afford to relocate there are other options.
A quite expensive option is to put an extension onto your house to gain that extra room, but you may not be able to get the required planning permission, and also your home might not be suitable. A further possibility is a garage conversion, which would be much cheaper but will depend on you having a suitable garage and not needing it for your car. Potentially the best solution is to put in a loft conversion, which could add a lot of value to your house and shouldn't need any sort of planning permission.
For many of the reasons above loft conversion has gotten increasingly popular in the last decade. You need to make sure your house is in actual fact suitable for a loft conversion before making a final judgement. Homes with trussed roofs aren't usually suitable. More mature houses which were built prior to the 1970's are usually good for loft conversions as they were built using sturdy rafters and there was typically lots of headroom.
To take a look the situation with your particular loft space and make certain it's suitable you will want to speak to a conversion specialist. If everything is okay to go forward with your loft conversion, you can ask for an estimate from the builder. Bring in a few conversion specialists and get a handful of quotes so you've got a general notion of the probable cost. When choosing the ideal builder for the task you should utilize your instinct and not just go with the cheapest quote.
The majority of loft conversions carried out in don't need planning permission, so there's a reasonable chance that your conversion will not either. Check with your planning department or chat with your conversion advisor about whether planning permission is likely to be needed. Your local loft remodeling contractor should have resolved these problems many times before, so get their help and advice at the get go.
While for house owners, having their loft converted might be a good option, it does require a substantial financial investment. Lots of people put in for a loan for a project like this, or perhaps re-mortgage their property. As a broad rule of thumb you might assume a loft conversion to cost you about as much as a good sized brick extension and the chances are that you will achieve more additional space with a conversion while not raising your property's overall footprint.
Dormer LOft Conversions
Your property's style and layout will be the deciding factor for what sort of loft conversion is the optimal one for you. There are a few different sorts of conversions that you can get in including: loft pods, dormer conversions, mansard loft conversions, roof lift loft conversions, velux conversions, roof light conversions and hip-to-gable loft conversions. To determine which is the most appropriate and economical for your home, consult the builder.
Among the most popular kinds of conversion presently is the dormer type, a concept which delivers decent value for money, but still provides the maximum additional space. This style is a fashionable option with householders since it's both appealing and practical and provides everything which could possibly be needed. With a dormer conversion it is even possible to put in a small balcony to your extra floor, which means that you are generating supplemental outside space too. You will discover there are various types of dormers including Velux dormers, gabled dormers, shed dormers and flat roof dormers. Chat with an expert to find out which will be the most appropriate for your property.
Velux Conversions
One of the most famous names in roof windows, Velux, have been in business for more than sixty yrs and you can rely on them to supply loft windows which are both reliable and fine quality. These are made to be fitted in line with the gradient of your roof and therefore do not change the shape of the roof structure, they do not commonly require planning permission and they're pretty cheap to fit. Velux windows let in a good amount of daylight and in fact may require window blinds in the summertime. If your loft has a good bit of head room, a Velux windows might be ideal for you, especially if you're on a limited budget.
Just How Long Does it Take?
The amount of time that it may take to complete a conversion depends on several things such as the ability of the building contractors, the style of conversion, the climatic conditions, the availability of required components and the amount of planning that's done. As an approximate guide it should take around four to five weeks to accomplish a rear dormer conversion on a terraced home and around five or six weeks to do a hip to gable dormer conversion on a semi-detached home.
You'll discover quite a few purposes to which the conversion can be put, once it is complete. Some people use it as an extra bedroom, a home cinema or a new downstairs bathroom. However there are a number applications to which a nicely built loft conversion can be put, limited only by your imagination!