If you’re starting to outgrow your current home or just want to add more space to what you already have, a loft conversion is one of the simplest and least disruptive conversions you can do. Adding to that, it is a lot less stressful than uprooting your entire family and moving house. Moving house carries so many hidden costs, removal companies, stamp duty, solicitor’s fees and before you know it you’ve spent tens of thousands on one extra smaller bedroom in a different area.
Converting your loft is perfect if you love your house and love your area, you get to keep what you already have and just add to it. But where do you start? Here are 5 top tips when it comes to starting your loft conversion.
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Check suitability
The first thing you want to do before you even think about how you’re going to decorate your lovely new loft conversion is to see if your loft is suitable. You need to have a minimum of 2.2m of head height in your loft to be able to convert, so the best thing to do is start measuring. Although this head height is not a hard and fast rule it is the simplest route for conversion. If you have less head height you may need to remove sections of your roof which can be costly and requires planning permission.
Embrace the small space
Not all of us are graced with an amazingly spacious loft which gives us loads of possibilities with our conversion. Many of us have small lofts that can be made into a small extra bedroom and maybe an en-suite.
But it’s what you do with the space that really counts. You need to make the most of what you have, light colour schemes really help to brighten the space and give the illusion that it’s more open and airy than it actually is.
Nail the design
Before you start any work make sure you have a concrete plan on your total design and this doesn’t mean just architecturally. Plan where you’re going to put your furniture too, all this pre-planning will save you a headache down the road when you realise that all of these pieces just don’t fit or work together in the small space.
If you are planning an en-suite make sure that it’s viable, you absolutely cannot skimp on the headroom when it comes to a shower and wash basin. If you have a lower ceiling, you may need to get a bespoke shower door or screen made to fit the space.
Storage, storage, storage
Loft conversions are typically smaller and with small spaces, it’s always tricky to get the storage space right. If you’re turning your loft into another bedroom you’ll especially need to pay attention to storage, it’s easy to let a small space get cluttered.
Think about any built-in storage you can incorporate if you have a window that you can build a window seat under or an awkward corner due to the dimensions of your loft that could be turned into a cupboard. A storage bed from a company such as Divan Beds Centre gives you a functional piece of furniture that you require and gives it an extra, very useful purpose.
Maximising the light
There’s nothing worse than a small and dingy room so you want to make sure you get as much daylight into your loft conversion as possible. The shape of the room will depend on how you should add natural daylight to your room. As a rule of thumb when you’re deciding where to place your windows, 20% of your roof space should be taken up by glazing.
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