When the time comes to turn your current loft space into something a little more practical, you want to ensure you’re creating a space that works for your home. For many homeowners, converting the loft is a huge project that takes up a lot of time, and often requires a larger budget.
Whilst a loft conversion may be a large project with lots of key things to take into consideration, there is no need for it to take months and months to complete or break the bank! You simply need to be savvy and sensible when it comes to making certain decisions along the way.
Choose a Function
Deciding to transform an area of your home is one thing but knowing what to do with the converted space is another. It’s easy to want to add an additional room to your home, as this will not only create more space for you and your family, but it will also add value to your property, however, knowing what you want to do with the space can be slightly challenging. There are lots of great uses for a loft conversion, from home gyms and mini-libraries, to additional bedrooms or games rooms, but you just need to figure out what your home needs.
Knowing what you want and what your intending to turn the room into will help you save hours when it comes to the planning stages, as well as selecting the décor style and furniture, too.
Hire the Right People
If you’ve never had to hire contractors or builders for any work on your property before, then you may not really know where to begin. There are so many people out there who are fantastic at what they do, but you want to ensure you’re getting the right person, for the right price. This step is essential, as finding someone and agreeing to their costs without doing any research or scouting around could really leave you in a bit of bother.
You need to make sure you have looked around properly, gathering a few quotes here and there and getting to know the contractor or builder you’re considering taking on. This is equally as important if you have younger children in the house, as you want to feel confident that the people you’re welcoming into your home are trustworthy and reliable.
Safety Considerations
In many homes, the loft is an area that you get to using loft stairs or loft ladders, which are a safe and secure feature to use. The thing you need to consider when using loft stairs or loft ladders, is that it’s really important to invest in high-quality, durable loft stairs that you can trust. If you invest your money into some cheaper styles, then you may find yourself struggling a few months or years down the line when they begin to break or damage.
This is an area of your conversion that requires some good research and a strong budget, as you can’t afford to cut costs when it comes to the safety within your property.
Add Insulation and Heating
One thing that is commonly overlooked with a loft conversion is the insulation or heating used within the space. Turning a loft area into a room that you want to use frequently will require insulation to keep the room at a regulated temperature, as well as a decent level of heating for those colder, winter months. The last thing you want is to finish your loft conversion in the summer, and realise further into the year that you need some better heating and therefore have to carry out more work, resulting in further time and money to get the job done.
