Need Extra Space? A Loft Conversion Could Be The Answer

Many people are realizing that building a professional loft conversion is a lot better than moving home if all you need is one extra room. In an area like London where the housing market is constantly changing, so moving house at the moment can be very risky just to get that additional room and you could lose out heavily. (With the additional costs of stamp duty, increased mortgages, conveyencing fees and paying removal companies it can really be expensive|Not forgetting all of the usual moving costs such as a bigger mortgage, stamp duty, normal removal expenses and solicitors fees it can really mount up|Then there are the costs which are always associated with moving home such as removals, the cost of hiring a solicitor, higher mortgage payments and stamp duty}.


So if you need that extra room what do you do? Think about a loft conversion as it will likely increase your house’s value as well as providing the extra room. A leading UK building society (the Alliance and Leicester) conducted a survey recently and discovered that a quality loft conversion can increase your home’s value by up to £40,000.There is also no need to move home with all the upheaval and extra costs associated with moving.


A change in the planning laws in 2008 has seen a real surge in loft conversions. What it means is that the majority of loft conversions don’t require formal planning permission but instead can be constructed under a term called “permitted development”. This should not be confused with building regulations as these still need to be adhered to as the conversion will be used for additional living space.


It is natural to consider the price as a high priority when deciding upon loft conversion estimates. But don’t just jump at the lowest quote as a low quality conversion could actually lower your home’s value rather than raise it. Don’t accept any proposal with a temporary staircase as this will add little value in the eyes of your local estate agent. Paying for a professionally designed and constructed job may seem painful now but it will pay back in spades when you come to sell your property.


What kind of advantages does a loft conversion offer over a normal house extension project? Well there are many. Whatever kind of house that you own it is very likely that it will be suitable for a loft conversion. A traditional house extension should be far more expensive than a loft conversion and you won’t lose any valuable outside space either. Most home extensions will require planning permission which can take months whereas a loft conversion will probably not. Another major advantage is that loft conversions often take less time to plan and build which means that you are not sharing your home with local builders for weeks on end .


You can go a step further with your loft conversion and help the environment by installing solar panels to generate electricity, heat your water or both. Your electricity bill should be reduced also. The government are offering incentives to people who use solar electricity and a scheme for solar water will be available soon.


The final price that you can expect to pay for your loft conversion depends on the structural requirements for the flooring, the size and shape of your loft, whether or not water tanks need to be moved and a whole host of other factors. Regardless of the price a loft conversion should always be worth considering.



There are many advantages to choosing a loft conversion if a quality solution is sought. To find out more about quality loft conversions visit this link loft conversions London.