Posted on 26/06/2020 3:39:24 PM
Never underestimate the importance of finding the right tradespeople to carry out your loft conversion. Depending on the scale of your project, you might want an architect or designer to start by producing drawings. From there you can put the building work out to tender. Aim to get quotes from at least three different companies and always clarify from the start what is and isn’t included in the price. Personal recommendations are a good starting point. Check online reviews and forums and ask to see examples of previous conversions. Birmingham Rubery
Like traditional architecture practices, we have an incredible team of designers ready to prepare drawings, plus a whole host of other services to help make your loft conversion a reality. Our packages include…. Birmingham Rubery
Whilst the process of doing a loft conversion might seem like a very "british" thing, some of the early loft conversions and possibly the first notions of transforming loft spaces began in 1960's america. The location for this building revolution was the soho district of new york, where new, trendy living spaces were built by artists and designers in the upper sections of run down industrial buildings. The truth was that such structures and areas were not allotted for this purpose, and subsequently were largely illegal in those times. It wasn't until nineteen seventy one when the city ultimately made this practise legal, and after this some other sections of the city including greenwich village, tribeca, manhattan and chelsea followed suit, and "loft living" was a no brainer for the talented, young and wealthy.
One of the benefits of a loft conversion is the utilisation of what could be considered dead space – and while property owners dream of light-filled bedrooms, how you will get up to your newly converted loft space is often hardly given a second thought. However, the staircase is not only important for practical reasons, it can also be a design feature in itself in which we have countless loft conversion stairs ideas in hand. Here is our guide on how to choose loft conversion stairs even for a small landing or small space.
Many people neglect to factor in changes to the floor below the loft when planning a conversion. It's worth having a think about where the staircase is likely to go and how much room it might take up. Even a well-designed space-saving staircase could take up a sizeable chunk of a room, so make sure you have space you're happy to lose.
The location of your loft conversion stairs should also be considered during the early stages. Consider all possible options in order to maximise the space offered within your loft conversion. Decisions such as placing the door at the top or the foot of the staircase can also mean the difference between a boxy loft conversion and one that is more open.
This would normally be formed by cutting away some of the existing ceiling joists between the existing habitable areas of the home and the loft-space. As these joists support the existing ceiling and restrain the pitched roof from spreading, replacement support should be provided.
Velux loft conversions are typically the most affordable loft conversion and planning permission is not usually required. Velux loft conversions make the most of the existing headroom, so no roof or house alterations are needed. Due to the nature of this attic conversion, work can be completed quickly minimising the inconvenience of working at your home. Velux loft conversions help to increase the amount of natural light in the attic to make the space seem brighter and visually larger.
Overhead windows are very effective at bringing in daylight and are uncontentious from a planning point of view (conservation versions are available for heritage projects). If you have a clear loft void with plenty of headroom, a room-in-roof conversion could be a simple and cost-effective route to adding more living space.
Many are surprised about the range of different home efficiency benefits that come alongside a loft conversion and the low cost that they require to run. All loft conversions, as mentioned previously, are filled with large windows, which means that for the majority of the day, they utilise only natural lighting. Most other rooms in the home are likely to be blocked with other properties, trees or the street outside, which means that on the gloomier days, artificial lighting will be required all day. However, conversions can be lit by only natural lighting throughout the day, all year round.