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Ten Questions to Ask About Your Loft Conversion
Many people move house to gain more living space. For some converting a loft may provide another option. In many cases it could be a considerably cheaper and less stressful option than buying a new house.
Loft conversions can be put to a wide range of use. Bedrooms, hi-tech cinema rooms, home offices and play rooms for children are common uses but loft kitchens and complete “granny” flats can be provided in some houses. Even in relatively built up areas one of the benefits of a loft conversion is the views. Looking out from the roof of your home may provide you with spectacular views which you did not even know were there.
If a loft conversion is a possibility which you want to explore, one way to do so it to contact builders in your area which carry out loft conversions and get their initial views on what could or could not be achieved within your attic space. You may, at a later stage, want to involve your own architect and surveyor but many of the firms specialising in converting lofts offer a service which includes advice from their own in-house professionals.
Obviously it can pay dividends to spend the time talking to a number of firms so that you get a range of ideas about what it possible and what would best meet your needs. If the companies to whom you are talking are able to arrange for you to view conversions at properties which are similar to yours, it can be extremely helpful in enabling you to visualise how your conversion could look. With sloping ceilings and additional staircases, loft conversions are notoriously difficult for home owners to get a clear idea of exactly what the end result will look like. Obviously having a look round another conversion which your prospective builder has carried out can be a great way to get a reference.
Once you have decided in principle what you want to do then obtaining several quotes based on the same specification can help you to be sure that you are getting the best value for money.
Choosing the best loft conversion company for your work is not just about choosing the lowest quote but of asking the right questions of the builders who are quoting for your conversion.
Ten Questions to Ask Loft Conversion Firms
1 - Do we need planning permission and who will submit and pay for the planning application, if necessary? Do you levy any charges for drawing up the plans? Obviously you should also check whether you need planning permission with your Local Authority.
2 - Will you, as the builder, take responsibility for making sure that all UK Building Regulations are complied with?
3 - How long will the work take? When checking references ask the referee whether the builder stuck to agreed timescales.
4 - Are the head heights shown on your drawings before or after insulation, plastering, flooring etc. Make sure that you understand all of the information relating to head heights on the builder’s plans. Head height is often a major constraint in loft conversions and a few centimetres can make the difference between a very useful space and one which has limited value.
5 - Will any of the doors to rooms or cupboards have their corners cut off to take account of sloping ceilings? Cutting the corner off one or more doors may not be a problem. It is, however, helpful to consider whether it is a problem in advance of completion.
6 - If you are having a bathroom installed, ask whether there will be sufficient water pressure for showers and baths to operate effectively. You should also check that the size of your hot water tank is sufficient for the number of bathrooms you will have following the conversion.
7 - If you are using the room created as a bedroom, ask your builder to indicate wall space which will be of sufficient height for wardrobes. It is not always easy to fit wardrobes into bedrooms with sloping ceilings but the careful placing of internal walls can create extra spaces for wardrobes.
8 - How much space on my driveway or garden will your workmen or women need for materials and a rubbish skip. Consider where you will park your car and ask the builders where they plan to park theirs.
9 - Who will arrange and pay for a skip for rubbish? Some firms expect the client to sort out the skips. This is fine if you know about it in advance. More of a problem if it is an unexpected additional cost.
10 - How will you ensure a good match for roofing tiles, windows, stair balustrades etc. Some builders take huge care to provide really good matches. Others are less careful.
If you convert lofts or you have had your loft converted by a building firm, please contact us (using the contact us tab above) with a recommendation for inclusion on www.LocalServiceGuide.com
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Loft conversions can be put to a wide range of use. Bedrooms, hi-tech cinema rooms, home offices and play rooms for children are common uses but loft kitchens and complete “granny” flats can be provided in some houses. Even in relatively built up areas one of the benefits of a loft conversion is the views. Looking out from the roof of your home may provide you with spectacular views which you did not even know were there.
If a loft conversion is a possibility which you want to explore, one way to do so it to contact builders in your area which carry out loft conversions and get their initial views on what could or could not be achieved within your attic space. You may, at a later stage, want to involve your own architect and surveyor but many of the firms specialising in converting lofts offer a service which includes advice from their own in-house professionals.
Obviously it can pay dividends to spend the time talking to a number of firms so that you get a range of ideas about what it possible and what would best meet your needs. If the companies to whom you are talking are able to arrange for you to view conversions at properties which are similar to yours, it can be extremely helpful in enabling you to visualise how your conversion could look. With sloping ceilings and additional staircases, loft conversions are notoriously difficult for home owners to get a clear idea of exactly what the end result will look like. Obviously having a look round another conversion which your prospective builder has carried out can be a great way to get a reference.
Once you have decided in principle what you want to do then obtaining several quotes based on the same specification can help you to be sure that you are getting the best value for money.
Choosing the best loft conversion company for your work is not just about choosing the lowest quote but of asking the right questions of the builders who are quoting for your conversion.
Ten Questions to Ask Loft Conversion Firms
1 - Do we need planning permission and who will submit and pay for the planning application, if necessary? Do you levy any charges for drawing up the plans? Obviously you should also check whether you need planning permission with your Local Authority.
2 - Will you, as the builder, take responsibility for making sure that all UK Building Regulations are complied with?
3 - How long will the work take? When checking references ask the referee whether the builder stuck to agreed timescales.
4 - Are the head heights shown on your drawings before or after insulation, plastering, flooring etc. Make sure that you understand all of the information relating to head heights on the builder’s plans. Head height is often a major constraint in loft conversions and a few centimetres can make the difference between a very useful space and one which has limited value.
5 - Will any of the doors to rooms or cupboards have their corners cut off to take account of sloping ceilings? Cutting the corner off one or more doors may not be a problem. It is, however, helpful to consider whether it is a problem in advance of completion.
6 - If you are having a bathroom installed, ask whether there will be sufficient water pressure for showers and baths to operate effectively. You should also check that the size of your hot water tank is sufficient for the number of bathrooms you will have following the conversion.
7 - If you are using the room created as a bedroom, ask your builder to indicate wall space which will be of sufficient height for wardrobes. It is not always easy to fit wardrobes into bedrooms with sloping ceilings but the careful placing of internal walls can create extra spaces for wardrobes.
8 - How much space on my driveway or garden will your workmen or women need for materials and a rubbish skip. Consider where you will park your car and ask the builders where they plan to park theirs.
9 - Who will arrange and pay for a skip for rubbish? Some firms expect the client to sort out the skips. This is fine if you know about it in advance. More of a problem if it is an unexpected additional cost.
10 - How will you ensure a good match for roofing tiles, windows, stair balustrades etc. Some builders take huge care to provide really good matches. Others are less careful.
If you convert lofts or you have had your loft converted by a building firm, please contact us (using the contact us tab above) with a recommendation for inclusion on www.LocalServiceGuide.com