Lofty dreams
Maximise your home’s footprint without impacting on the garden by turning empty roof space into a cosy bedroom
The need for an extra bedroom is one of the main driving forces for moving house. Whether your family has outgrown your current set-up or if you’re hoping to add a guest bedroom so you can host visitors, converting the loft is one of the most cost-effective ways to add extra space to your home. While you can use your loft conversion to create a home office, studio or living area, creating an extra bedroom (especially with an en suite) tends to offer the best return on investment.
Can I convert my loft?
The suitability of your loft primarily depends on the available head height. There needs to be at least 220cm of room between the bottom of the ridge timbers and the top of the ceiling joists. Once the floor and roof are insulated, this will leave approximately 190cm of headroom. If there is less available head height than this, there are two rather costly options: raise the roof, which requires planning permission, or lower the ceiling in the rooms below.
What will it cost?
The cost of extending into the roof space will vary depending on the style of loft conversion, the work involved, and the price of materials and fittings. ‘Expect to pay anything from £40,000 for a basic single room with Velux-style windows,’ says Daniel Kerley, company director at Loft Living, ‘A rear dormer conversion with en-suite shower room would be around £55,000.’ Be sure to get at least two quotes from different contractors for comparison and check the specifications closely to ensure they cover the job in its entirety.
Do I need planning permission?
Most loft conversions don’t require planning permission. You can add up to 40 cubic metres of space to a terraced house and 50 cubic metres to a detached or semi-detached property under permitted development. This also includes dormers. If you live in an attached property, however, it’s likely that you’ll need a party wall agreement before you can start. You can hire a party wall surveyor who will be able to look after this for you.
The main exceptions to the above rules are for houses in Conversation Areas or those that are listed. Houses that are located in a Conservation
Area may be limited on the type of loft conversion that can be created. A listed home will require listed building consent for any additions or alterations. For more information visit planningportal.co.uk.
How long does it take
The length of a project will vary based on complexity and your existing roof. ‘Once the design has been finalised and any permissions have been obtained, the build itself typically takes between eight and 12 weeks,’ says Daniel. ‘This would get the project to the point of
readiness for decoration, which would probably add another couple of weeks to works.’ However, unlike a groundfloor extension, a loft is less disruptive. ‘We try to leave the house completely unchanged up to the point that we are ready to fit the new staircase (about three weeks before the end of the project). This keeps disruption to a minimum as the house remains usable. But unfortunately, there is no getting around the noise,’ Daniel adds.
Bringing in light
The most common solution is to insert rooflights between the rafters, following the roof pitch. ‘Try combining several roof windows. In doing so you can create panoramic views and bring in twice the daylight. Explore sloping, fixed and vertical combinations,’ says Jolanda de Gooijer, senior regional product manager of windows at Velux. If the home is in a Conservation Area or the property is listed, standard rooflights are not typically considered acceptable. Consider ‘conservation’ designs, which are based on original Victorian metal rooflights and sit more flush with the roofline.
Another option for some projects is to install a dormer window. ‘This design creates more usable indoor space, while also increasing the amount of natural daylight,’ says Jolanda. There are a number of styles available – from the classic flat-roof design through to cottage-style pitched constructions. Cottage style is more sympathetic for period properties but doesn’t provide as much usable space.
When opting for any form of roof windows, it is worth considering a design that features a sensor. This will automatically open the window when the room is getting too warm and then close it again on detecting rain.
If the style of the property permits, think about installing full-length glazed doors along a gable wall and pair with a Juliet balcony to maximise the amount of light and space.
Insulating the roof
There are two choices: insulation can be applied over the rafters, known as a ‘warm roof’; or you can use the ‘cold roof’ method to insulate between and beneath the rafters – often with a plasterboard covering – leaving a 50mm gap between the rafters and the roof tiles to allow air flow. The floor of the loft will also need soundproofing, which at the very least involves filling the void between the floor and joists with acoustic insulation. This is usually achieved with mineral-wool.
Fitting a bathroom
If a bathroom is to be installed, consider the location of the existing services. It should be relatively simple to add hot and cold water by branching this off the existing plumbing from either the boiler or the floor below using flexible plastic plumbing; the same will apply for existing soil pipes. However, it may be necessary to upgrade your existing boiler.