Design Tips and Information On Loft Conversions

Posted on August 31, 2010 by sirrico24

Loft conversions usually refer to either the conversion of commercial buildings into residential living space (lofts, or apartments), or the conversion of attic (and sometimes garage) space in a residential home to create extra living space of some type. Loft conversions for the home can be done by a contractor or can be do-it-yourself projects.

If you are planning on a loft conversion and need some design tips and information related to home (residential) loft conversions, you may wish to consider the following points.

* The first step will be to decide on what you plan to use the loft space for. Once you are clear about the purpose behind your loft conversion you can move on to exploring design options. You may require a guest bedroom for when people visit and stay over; alternatively you may only want to enhance the value of your property. There could be any number of reasons really but making a decision is what’s important. You cannot go forward without doing so.

* The next obvious step is to set a budget. This will depend on what you plan to do with the space. Let us assume you want a real luxury bedroom for yourself with all the bells and whistles, you are going to have to budget for it. If you plan to turn the loft into a simple guest room, you still need to budget. The trick in budgeting is to allow yourself some room for flexibility and then stay on track no matter what.

* This is your space and what you want to create out of it is entirely your choice. When you have decided on the room type you can start planning how to decorate it.

* Color scheme choices are very important. You can choose to add light and airiness to the space or make it dark and gloomy. Strive for minimalist and you will not be disappointed. Depending on personal taste you can pep up the walls by adding a two tone color scheme, one bold and one subdued. Choose colors that contrast boldly or colors that complement each other perfectly. Think about adding wall murals, wall paper, paintings – all of these bring life to walls and to the space itself.

If you plan to turn the loft into a playroom you can get fun wall murals done for the children to enjoy. Add lots of vibrant colors because that’s the symbol of youth and vitality. Plan on give the room plenty of light and ventilation and your children are sure to be happy bunnies.

If the space will be converted to a bedroom, you need to consider again lighting either natural or artificial, plenty of storage space and dimensions of furniture. You can go for broke and add mirrors and plants as well as a good painting or two.

Being clear in your mind about what you want and finding the right builder are two very important factors in successful loft conversions. Consider the ideas in this article as a launching pad to get yourself started.

Finally it is also important to use a good quality insulation material to keep your loft warm. We recommend using spray foam insulation from Permaseal.

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Different Types of Loft Conversions and Their Benefits

Posted on August 31, 2010 by sirrico24

Are you one of the many people considering loft conversions in a bid to increase your living space? If you are looking for information on loft conversions you could not have come to a better place. Reading this article will provide insight into the different types of loft conversions that are possible. The most important step in the conversion process is to know the kind of loft you have. This information will help you know and decide on what will best suit your home.
You don’t need to let this worry you as the builder you choose will provide guidance on the subject. The 3 distinct categories of loft are dormer, rooflight or velux, mansard and hip to gable. Once you know the type of loft you have, planning a loft conversion to suit will fall into place.
sky light loft windows
Dormer loft conversions
When there isn’t too much space in the loft, a dormer conversion may be used because it can add head room. This method involves extension onto the roof to provide the room with a more conventional shape that will suit the room. The extension will be constructed at the rear of the roof, which helps to provide floor and living space. Usually a square section, this type of construction will make optimum use of the entire living area. Adding extra depth the roof helps provide the extra space.

Rooflight or velux loft conversions
When planning to convert your loft into a single bedroom or some other smaller conversion project, velux conversions are used. It involves installing roof lights and this can be done with a minimum of fuss and disruption. You have a wide variety of designs to choose from to match sloping, flat or pitched roofs. You can choose wood or polyurethane frames that have rollers, glazing, shutters or electronic controls.

Mansard
Mansard loft conversions are usually done to the rear and possibly the front of the property, which needs to be terraced or have a flat roof. The Mansard roof named after the French Architect Francois Mansart has 2 slopes and has the advantage of optimizing all of the available space in the loft. This type of loft conversion usually requires planning permission. A mansard is built by raising the gable wall on either side of the property to create the profile for a mansard and then the timber frame is built.

Hip to gable
This type of loft conversion requires the replacement of an existing roof hip with a gable end wall. Not a very easy proposition by any means and one that can be quite expensive. You will require planning permission to make alterations to the external roof, which is what the hip to gable loft conversion method does. Hip to gable conversion adds volume to a hipped roof that does not have sufficient head room. Apart from this it also helps support the load bearing beams and with the insulation.

Now that you are better informed about the different types of loft conversions, you can go ahead with your plans.

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All about Loft Conversions

Posted on August 31, 2010 by sirrico24

loft conversion furnitureLoft conversions have really become a lifesaver for many people having a desperate need for additional living space. When you stop to think about it, extending this space into the loft is actually a very practical way of solving the space shortage you are experiencing. Regardless of what you choose to do with the space it will be an excellent investment for you. In case you are wondering what I am talking about when you are going to be shelling out money, let me explain. Loft conversions in effect add another room to your existing living space. This in turn increases the value of your property substantially.

Consider the current economic situation and high inflation rates prevailing in the real estate market. Would you seriously consider moving house because you need additional living space? I don’t think so, not unless you have money to burn! That’s clear enough but what do you do when your children are no longer small enough to fit in one room but need more space of their own, for example? Fights break out and all hell starts to break loose when people are crammed together like the proverbial sardines! You need to find a solution and find it fast. Loft conversions can save the day.

Your first consideration should be whether your loft can be converted and most lofts can by the way. Your loft should have head room of at least 2.4 meters to be convertible to living space. Now this rule applies in the UK and anything less than 2.4 meters will not receive planning permission to be converted. However, if you can get yourself a really clever builder, there may be a way to fix the problem.

While a builder can guide you on technical and structural matters, you will want to personalize your loft space. Depending on what you plan to use the room for, you can choose the colors you want the room to be painted. It is not advisable to paint the room black if you plan to use it as a bedroom! So be bold, be creative but take a realistic approach to the colors you choose. Chances are in a few short days you may not like the wild colors you chose to make that statement!
Furnishings are another area by which you can add your personal touch. Make sure you buy furniture that will fit into the loft. Remember you have to get the furniture up to the top of the house. Minimalist, understated elegance and soft colors rule but it really depends on your personal expressions. Make sure to find furniture that optimizes the space you have. Measure and re-measure to be sure you get it right and only then start the hunt for furniture. You certainly have a wide range to choose from including different period furniture styles.

Loft conversions can be fun provided you know what you want and make the effort to find yourself a really good builder to get the job done for you.

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How Loft Conversions Help to Add More Living Space

Posted on August 31, 2010 by sirrico24

Space in our modern world is one of the main concerns being faced and the constant cry of people who need more but cannot afford to move houses. When living in large cities like London for example, home extensions can really become a problem due to zoning laws, building permission rules and building inspection regulations. When extending your property from the sides or the back is either not possible or affordable, loft conversions are the best option for you.

Loft ApartmentSimply put, loft conversions can be the ideal solution for you to increase your living space without having to increase floor area. You can easily get rid of all the junk stashed away in your loft and convert it into a home office or extra bedroom.

Loft conversions turn the least used part of your home, in this case the loft into valuable living space. It is an excellent way to increase living space, adding an extra room without having to encroach on the garden space outside the property. Loft conversions add value to the property because you are increasing the living space, making your home so much more functional.

How do you go about getting loft conversions done? The best and most recommended way is to find a company that specializes in loft conversions. The company can offer a free quote after doing a survey of your loft and surrounding property. A word of caution, cheapest is not always best, especially in the construction line. Talk to people, get recommendations and read reviews of companies before you make a final decision.

You need to first decide on how you plan to convert the loft? Do you want an extra guest bedroom with bath attached or do you want to move the master bedroom upstairs away from the noise and confusion below? Maybe you have plans to start a home business but do not have dedicated space to work out of. Your loft conversion plans can change the loft into a compact home office. The choice is yours and one you have to make before you contact the building companies.

Let us assume you have more than enough bedrooms and a study to work out of, but still want to explore loft conversions as a means to increase living space. In that case you may be interested in adding a sunroom or even a conservatory. Something that is tasteful; lets in a lot of sunlight and really gives you a place to escape to when you need solitude.

The laws have changed considerably and it is no longer difficult to plan loft conversions. It is also far more economical to convert an existing loft into an extra room in the house, than it is to move to another property. Further, the conversion plans you have for your home will not be a dead investment, they increase the value of the property considerably.

When buying a larger property is well outside the scope of your financial capabilities, loft conversions really are the most practical alternative to creating additional living space regardless of what you plan to use the space for.

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DIY Loft Conversion Guide

Posted on August 22, 2010 by sirrico24

A loft conversion is a cost effective way of adding an additional bedroom to your home with out the extra requirement of external floor space. Alternatively the extra space could be used as a gym, office or toy room for the children.

Although the floor space of a loft is usually quite considerable, it’s worth remembering that the sloping ceiling will limit headroom near the walls. The help reduce this problem and maximize the available space, customers often opt to include dormer windows, however if your loft is big enough then you may only opt for skylights that will fit flush with the existing roof.

Planning Permission

Occasionally a loft conversion can be done without the requirement for planning permission if the following criteria are met –

  • The internal volume of the loft will not change.
  • If you had a dormer window fitted then this would alter the internal and external dimensions of the property and planning permission may be required but if you were looking to use skylights then the volume would remain the same.
  • No part of the new loft conversion, projects above the original buildings highest point.
  • Where the volume of a dormer or mansard that is added to the terraced property, is less than 50CuM or 10% of the volume of the original building (whichever is the larger figure). The upper limit of this is 115CuM.
  • Where the volume of a dormer or mansard that is added to a semi-detached or detached property, is less than 70CuM or 15% of the volume of the original building (whichever is the larger figure). The upper limit of this is 115CuM.
  • The windows of a dormer or mansard must not over look a highway, which includes both a public footpath or road.
  • The original building is not listed.
  • All buildings have a permitted development limit imposed on them, so you must also consider whether the original buiding has already been extended.

Building regulations

It is also worth considering that all loft conversions will need to meet current building, fire as well as health and safety regulations. These will then need to be checked by the local building control officer, who will ensure they meet the required standard.

Existing Loft Beams

Your loft beams and roof structure will determine the amount of space your conversion will create as well as potentially one of the major cost factors.

In an ideal situation the height of your existing loft ceiling will need to be at least 2.3m in height in order to make the conversion worthwhile. This is because new stronger joists will need to be fitted as well as a new chipboard floor, which will elevate the flooring area and result in less headroom.

The second consideration is the type of roof trusses that are currently fitted. Most modern (approx 1965 onwards) use pre-formed truss rafters to support the roof, which can be easily be converted by any loft conversion company to create a habitual loft space.

Most houses prior to this date will have a rafter style roof which uses larger timber beams attached to the wall. In this case the roof will need significant strengthening, which will increase the cost and complexity of the project.

Types of loft conversion

It is easy to classify loft conversions into 4 different types, which is largely determined by the types of windows that will be installed.

Rooflight Conversion

This involves installing skylights flush to the existing roof and not extending the loft area at all. Normally this type of conversion does not require any planning permission.

Dormer Conversion

These are usually chosen when additional height space is required and they can either run part or near enough the full length of the roof. Planning regulations will need to be considered and planning permission possible sought, especially if the dormer window is at the front of the house.

Hip-to Gable Conversion

A hip to gable conversion are usually carried out if the roof has a sloping side. Planning permission is essential for these types of conversions.

Mansard Conversion

This type of conversion increases the loft space considerable and planning permission will be required in most cases. The Mansard conversions have a flat roof and walls sloping at an angle of 72degrees.

Staircase

Another essential part of a loft conversion is a permanent staircase from the first floor up to the loft area. Sometimes bedroom space or in the worst case the smallest bedroom will need to be sacrificed in order for this to be put into position.

Water Tanks

Many hot water systems have a water storage tank in the loft, which will need to be moved to a discrete but accessible area, should this need to be looked at in the future.

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Glossary of Terms – Loft Conversions

Posted on August 22, 2010 by sirrico24

Dormer Conversion

A dormer conversion is where the existing roof is extended to allow a vertical window to be placed in the loft. Occasionally these dormer windows will span a significant length of the roof to light several rooms. This option creates more internal loft space but planning permission may be required, especially if the window is at the front of the house.

Mansard Conversion

A mansard conversion is usually used when the existing roof has a very shallow pitch. Typically these conversions will have 70 degree sloping sides and a flat roof, maximising the loft space. Named after the French architect Francois Mansart, mansard conversions will almost certainly require planning permission and tend to be more expensive then dormer conversions.

Skylight Conversion

Possible the most straight forward type of attic conversion and the least likely to require planning permission. Skylight windows, (normally velux windows) are inserted flush to the roofline to create a light attic.

Roof Truss

Most modern houses use “Roof Trusses” to support the roof as oppose to “rafters” in pre-1960 houses. A truss is basically a structural engineering term used to describe a structure where one or more triangles are connected to create high strength.

Party Walls

Any work on loft walls that you share with your neighbour, when converting a loft in a semi-detached or terrace house, needs to conform to the regulations in the ‘The Party Wall etc Act 1996′. The basically requires you to inform your neighbours of any work that you will carry out to the wall. If the dispute cannot be settled then an independent surveyor will have to be called into to oversee an agreed set of conditions.

Velux Windows

Sometimes skylight conversions are also referred to as velux loft conversions. Velux are a leading manufacturer of roof windows and they are generally designed to fit flush to the roofline of the existing attic.

RSJ

An RSJ (rolled steel joist), sometimes referred to as an I-beam or H-beam because of its structural shape, is designed to support a large weight. RSJ’s are placed in the loft to help support the roof once part of the trusses are taken away. Two small holes are made in the roof and the steel beams are inserted in two separate lengths then welded together once in position.

If you are looking to have commercial or residential building work in London then contact London Builders Pro.

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