5 Considerations to Make for a Loft Conversion

You can never have too much space inside your home. The average floor area in small terraced homes in the UK amounts to only a meagre 63.9 sqm ⁠— and for growing families, this can be a tight fit.

Undertaking home improvement projects, like converting a loft, can help homeowners accommodate their spatial needs. But, more than just creating extra space, converting your dusty loft into a liveable space can raise the value of your home by as much as 10%, according to figures by MoveWithUs. This means that converting your loft can become a lucrative investment if you decide to sell off your home sometime in the future.

With that being said, here are five things that you should consider before starting your loft conversion project.

Building regulations

It is important that you brush up on existing regulations and policies that are concerned with construction. In an article by Designing Buildings, they point out that loft conversions are major construction projects, so homeowners need to secure the proper permits and paperwork before they can start a project. Furthermore, if you're looking into a loft conversion to increase the value of your property, it’s important to understand that you won’t be able to sell your property without the approval of the local authorities before starting the construction process – even if you’ve finished it without getting the required approval.

Loft Dimensions

We’ve listed some ideas on how to maximise your loft space in our post ‘Loft Conversion Room Ideas’, but before you can conceptualise how you’ll use your loft space, it’s important to make sure that it’s okay to be converted in the first place. Some key measurements to take include internal height, roof pitch,and footprint. You want to make sure that the vertical height of your loft is at least 2.5 metres, so there’s plenty of headroom for everyone. There’s also the case of navigating how much floor space your loft has so you can gauge the kind of features you can install in your loft.

Heating, Plumbing, and Electric Systems

Because you’re adding another liveable space in your home, you have to think of your home’s existing systems ⁠— like your heating, plumbing, and the electrics ⁠— and how you can integrate them into your loft. So, it’s very important to consult with a professional to see whether these systems can service your new space. This might entail you rewiring your old circuitry or updating your boiler to meet the demand for more heating. Additionally, safeguard against any accidents like burst pipes,boiler breakdowns, or issues with your electrics. With all the construction work, it’s important that your existing and upgraded systems are protected so you can make the most out of your new loft conversion for years to come.

Insulation and Ventilation

If you plan on making your loft a truly liveable space, you need to ensure that it has the right insulation and ventilation for the utmost comfort. Insulation is key if you want to regulate the temperature and moisture formation inside your room, and  installing good insulation can help with this. However, make sure that you don’t encroach on the headroom when you insulate the room. Sufficient background ventilation also needs to be considered if you want to control the airflow and keep your loft from feeling stuffy.

Loft Floors

For lofts to be 100% safe,homeowners need to reinforce their property’s structure ⁠— and this will most likely include overhauling the flooring in the loft. You can do this by inserting new joists alongside existing ones. They need to be thicker than what you already have to support heavy loads not to mention the movement that will occur when it has been transformed into a livable space. Furthermore,overhauling your loft’s floor also gives you a chance to install soundproofing floor materials, which will ensure that rooms below your loft won’t be disturbed by any noise or creeks.

For an example of how all this can come together in a successful project, have a look at this loft conversion project we did here at STAAC.

Written by Kristin Wolf exclusively for staac.co.uk

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