Loft conversion: Your options

There’s nothing worse than feeling cramped in your own home, especially because moving property brings a lot of unwanted expenses.

That’s why many homeowners are now looking towards loft conversions as the ideal solution as they’re cheaper and help to give your home exactly what you need: Whether it’s a bedroom, bathroom, living room or even home office.

It’s a staggering statistic but the loft space in your home can total 30% of your home’s overall floor space, so that’s a lot of area.

Of course, first you’ll need to make the loft safe and remove things such as the water tank and pipes. You’ll also need to consider planning permission if it’s an issue.

Now, there are different loft conversions available so even when you’ve made up your mind to go ahead with the work, you have plenty of decisions to make. There is no ‘best’ conversion though and a lot will come down to your home.

Let’s take a look at the options:

1. A Velux loft conversion: You may know about Velux windows and these are what this loft conversion takes its name from. With a Velux window you get natural light in your conversion and a fitting that’s flush with the roof. It’s a very cost effective solution too.

2. Dormer loft conversion: Similar to above, this loft conversion takes its name from the window type. Dormer windows give extra headroom and space in the conversion but can be tricky to get planning permission for.

3. Mansard loft conversion: In a Mansard conversion the rear sloped roof is altered to 72 degrees. As there are major structural changes you’ll need to seek planning permission.

4. Hip to gable loft conversion: The sloping side of your roof is changed to a gable wall and a Velux window is included too, providing more light.

These are four of the popular loft conversions for you to consider and whichever you choose will be a fantastic investment for your home. Loft conversions can cost between £8,000 and £15,000, but with this you’ll add up to 20% to the value of your property.

Tom Crosswell

I have been managing online projects since 1999 and I'm a experienced marketeer, who is well versed in international brand management, online business strategy and developing long term relationships. Through my academic and professional background I am a specialist in generating online loyalty towards brands. My experience has taught me that ultimately business is about relationships and people. For more information see my Google+ page.