There is a growing demand of individuals wishing to increase the value of their homes, as well as the usable space of their property. There is a particularly cost-effective and efficient way to achieve both of these objectives in one single action: loft conversion. Many buyers love having an additional living space and use it as an office, or some of them have long focused on the kitchen areas.
It is really important for you to inform yourself and take some tips about decisions on improving your home and its value. We know that bigger isn’t necessarily better in today’s market, but strategically increasing the amount of living space is.
Here is why loft conversions are a simple yet effective home hack for increasing the value of your home spaces:
What Is A Loft Conversion?
A loft conversion is the act of increasing the usable space of a home by expanding it into the loft. This means that the loft is converted from being an otherwise unusable space in a house into a room that is habitable. And it can be created into whatever the inhabitant of the house chooses.
Quick Tip: Some people even choose to convert a loft space and rent out the additional room as a living space to temporary residents/tenants.
How Long Does It Take To Convert A Loft Space?
Converting a loft can take around 6-10 weeks, with the length of time mostly dependent on the specific requirements of the customer. Some customers prefer to have more complex constructions than others. This can have a bearing on both time and cost.
To convert a loft in this time-frame, you will need one builder and two laborers (or two builders and one general laborer).
The good thing is, if you work with a specialist at a loft conversion management company, you will not have to worry about arranging any of the above, as there are building companies out there that will take care of all the different components of the loft conversion – all the way from applications for planning permission to the completion of the build and the cosmetic finishing.
According to James Roberts, from Bristol Conversions, loft conversions are one of the most cost-effective means of which you can increase the usable space and value of your property. It doesn’t cost excessive amounts of money and it can be completed in a relatively fast time period.
How Much Will A Loft Conversion Cost To Complete?
Prices for conversions of lofts vary from anywhere between £20,000-£35,000. The price is predominantly dependent on the following factors:
- Size of the loft conversion.
- The bespoke elements you’d like included within the conversion. This includes bespoke decorations, bespoke furniture, paints, wallpaper, carpets, rugs, mirrors, pool tables, TV screens, and so on.
- Type of the loft conversion. An example of this would be that mansard, dormer, hip and gable tend to generally be more expensive than the more standard velux loft conversions.
- The quote you receive from the company you choose to take up the project with. You should compare quotes from more than one building company before undertaking a project of this size and scale.
- The cost of the materials and how they are sourced. You should talk to the building company if you wish to know more about this, but some materials are more expensive than others. This is often down to the choice of the client/customer.
How To Choose The Right Loft Conversion Management Company
Now that all of the main talking points have been covered, how do you go about making sure you have the right company working for you to help you increase the space and value of your home with this loft conversion project? Below are three of the main guidelines you need to follow when looking to outsource help on your loft conversion project:
- Make sure that the company contracting the building work adheres to all necessary safety guidelines, rules, and regulations. This is important for safety as much as it is for legality reasons.
- Ask to see previous examples of their work. This is important because you need to be able to verify examples that previous work has been done and that it has been done well. This gives you peace of mind that you are working with people who can complete the job to a sufficient standard.
- Don’t feel pressured to choose the very first company you come across. Be selective in your choices. You’re making an investment in your living space that could prove to be very lucrative in the future if you ever decide to sell or rent out the space. Make your contracting decisions wisely.
If you take note of all of the points above, you will increase the chances of a smooth transition to a converted loft and realize the benefits of the increased space and value it gives to your home.
