What to know before going ahead with an attic conversion project
Exploiting an underused loft is a good way to gain extra space and add value to your home. If you’re in a period home, it’s likely the attic is suitable for conversion. Typically, older homes have plenty of open roof space. Some post-1960s homes have W-shaped fink trusses which fill up the loft, making the conversion process more complicated. But by using supporting steel beams and vertical stud walls, the W braces can be cut and trimmed to open up the area.
Who does the work?
Plenty of loft companies offer a design-and-build service. They’ll obtain permission, if needed, and organise all the trades, from scaffolders to plumbers. If you have the time and skills to do some of the internal fitout, some companies will supply a basic structure for you to complete yourself.
Loft specialists tend to work from standard designs which they adapt to suit different homes. But for an inventive design, or if you’re considering a whole-house renovation, ask an architect for advice. They can provide a full service, taking your project through from preliminary inspection to construction and completion, or simply create design drawings that you give to a builder to carry out the work.
Types of conversion
The simplest route involves adding skylights to the roof space, but the usable area is restricted by the roof slope. Adding a dormer, essentially a box built out from the roof, increases the head height and the accessible floor area. L-shaped dormers are often used in period homes that have a main roof and a smaller one over the rooms that extend at the back. A mansard conversion alters the roof structure to create more space, into which small dormers can be inserted. For properties with a hipped roof, where all sides slope, a hip-to-gable conversion extends the hipped end to a vertical wall. Hip-to-gable and rear dormers can be combined.
A basic loft room costs from around £25,000, rising to £40,000 to £70,000 for dormers and more for a mansard roof or bespoke solutions. Simple projects take four to six weeks, with more
