The above is an example of a loft conversion into a no-frills spare bedroom. The white walls and linens combined with wooden floors and furniture create a neutral space. Choosing a streamlined interior design instantly makes converting your attic more affordable while maintaining a clean aesthetic.

This luxurious loft conversion feels extremely spacious by virtue of the ceiling-to-floor windows and french doors. Large amounts of light flood in and reflect against light wooden floors, giving the room an airy quality. Installing windows is the most effective way to incorporate the natural world into your home, and because many loft spaces are small, large windows and glass doors immediately expand the room.

The bright orange color scheme and large skylights make the above loft conversion feel vibrant and inviting. A plush area rug, numerous pillows and a large plant give the spacious room a cozier feel. The loft almost has a “retreat” feel, where you could comfortably gather with friends for a movie, or simply to curl up and a take a nap.

Reclaiming your attic as an office is another useful loft conversion idea, and can give working from home a whole new appeal. The attic is isolated enough from distraction to allow you to focus on the tasks at hand, while still providing the comfort of being in your own home. In the above office loft conversions, the use of skylights and light interior color brighten the room.

Converting your loft into a kitchen/dining room is a more involved project than the more common bedroom/living room option. However, if all building code regulations are met, it is a delightful idea for creating an alternative entertaining area.

Often a large percentage of a property’s potential space is in the attic, and converting it into a wide variety of usable living quarters can add significant value to your home.

Getting planning permission on a piece of land, or for a renovation opportunity, not only transforms the value of that plot, but also gives you the chance to create development opportunities.

Unfortunately, the planning process can be drawn out, confusing and riddled with doubt and problems — but what you stand to gain should make it all worthwhile.

It is quite possible to buy a building plot that already has planning permission, as many on the market do. However, this is not always as good an idea as it may at first seem, as the most desirable plots rarely get beyond the estate agent’s door before being snapped up by developers. Another factor to watch out for is that the planning permission in place may not be all it seems; for example, there may be no details about the size of the house.

The rules of planning are unpredictable, open to interpretation and often easily bent — and this is something that can work both for and against you. It is vital to have an understanding of the planning process because, put simply, ending up with the right permission is the only way you will end up being able to build the house of your dreams. Whatever your circumstances, there is often a way to negotiate and come up with a satisfactory solution, as the case studies that are linked below demonstrate.

Planning Permission Education

Probably the easiest way to understand planning is to hear it from the horses mouth. The UK Planning Portal provide an interesting 3D demonstration of a home, its’ parts and a clear statement of what does or doesn’t need planning – or what may need looking into.

INTERACTIVE HOUSE

If your property is Semi Detached please click on the link below to open the interactive model and find out everything you need to know about your Planning Permission requirements:

Launch the guide »

INTERACTIVE TERRACE

If your property is a Terrace please click on the link below and find out everything you need to know about your Planning Permission and Building Regulation requirements:

Launch the guide »

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• You don’t have to own a piece of land in order to make a planning application on it.
• It should take no longer than eight weeks from the point of application until you get a decision.
• The objections of neighbours and local residents will not necessarily have any impact on the decision.
• It is possible to withdraw an application — if you suspect you might get a refusal, you can withdraw at any time you wish and resubmit free of charge.
• You can submit however many applications you like for any one site — and then choose which one you want to use most. As long as it is current, you don’t have to use the most recent.

Planning: Our Top Tips for Success

UNDERSTAND THE SYSTEM

Planning permission has a particularly unpredictable set of rules — open to interpretation and often capable of being bent. Unlike the Building Regulations, planning regulations differ from one area of the country to the next, while the scope for inconsistencies between planners – even within one authority – is huge. So if you want to self-build, renovate or extend, a flexible and pragmatic approach to achieving what you want is vital.

BUY LAND SUBJECT TO PLANNING

It is perfectly legal to make a planning application on land you do not own — you don’t even need permission from the landowner, as permission goes with the land rather than the applicant. It is common practice to make a purchase subject to satisfactory planning permission — which is then legally secured by exchanging contracts with completion conditional upon getting the permission you want, or by entering into an ‘optional agreement’, whereby you have the legal option to buy if you’re successful or to walk away if you’re not.

GET PRE-APPLICATION ADVICE

First find your local planning department. Your local planning department and its website is a free source of information that can help you to exploit opportunities. But you need to know how to use it and this is where it is extremely helpful to talk to a planning officer from your local authority. Try to achieve a good rapport rather than approaching them as an enemy, and aim to gain an understanding of the key issues you will have to deal with in order to get permission.

MAKE FRIENDS WITH THE ENEMY

Most objections from neighbours etc stem from a fear that their own properties will be devalued — and also often from a worry about the change that a new house will mean for them. Perhaps the best way to avoid objections, therefore, is to talk to neighbours and the parish council prior to making your application and try to accommodate in your design any specific concerns they have. If you can accommodate what might be trivial issues it could make the difference between a delegated approval and a planning committee refusal.

UNDERSTAND THE CONDITIONS

If and when you do get permission, it will be subject to certain conditions. This will include a time limit during which the application has to be started — now three years. Any conditions on your application are extremely important and a failure to comply with them can result in a ‘breach of condition notice’ (BCN) to which there is no right of appeal and which can be enforced through the courts by prosecution.

TRADE UP

If you come across a piece of land that comes complete with planning permission, don’t be put off if the nature of the approved house design does not quite meet your requirements. Just because permission already exists for, say, a bungalow, this does not mean that this is what you will have to build.

KNOW THE RULES

The rules of the planning game are not simple. They are produced by local authorities and referred to as ‘development plan policies’. They are supposed to be a guide as to where new housing is located and what kind of developments are built in that area.

These rules are not hard and fast, and it is really all about how well you can sell what it is you are applying for to the local planning authorities in relation to the policies in their particular development plan.

The development plan policies set out – often not particularly clearly – criteria for what will and won’t be acceptable. Villages and towns will normally have been given a development boundary – also known as a settlement boundary – and it is within this boundary that the principle of new development is allowed. Outside of these boundaries, land is usually grouped together as countryside and is extremely difficult to gain planning permission on.

Trying to comply with any of these vaguely worded policies can be very difficult — particularly if you are aiming to do so without the help of a good designer or planning consultant who is able to interpret exactly what the local authorities are trying to say.

TRY AN INCREMENTAL APPROACH

By submitting parts of a controversial scheme incrementally, planners are less likely to countenance refusal because they are always duty bound to compare it to what has already been approved — meaning that big leaps forward can prove too controversial for consumption, but incremental amendments to approved schemes are difficult to resist.

PRESENT YOUR IDEAS CLEARLY

Finally, spend money on presentation drawings of your development — planning authorities grant permissions for what is really only a picture at that stage.

HAS WHAT YOU WANT TO DO ALREADY BEEN REJECTED?

Check the planning office for records relating to the site you have in mind and investigate whether the plot has suffered any rejections or other forms of adverse planning history. What has gone on in the past will be the starting point that planning officers will base their new decisions on.

Planning Jargon: The Terms Explained

• Outline Planning Permission: A general approval to enable construction. This may simply be for one dwelling; it might also specify whether the new house is to be a bungalow, but will give little more detail. On plan, it merely constitutes a red line around a plot.
• Detailed Planning Permission: Specific approval for an individual design to be built, based on a set of drawings indicating details on elevations and even facing materials.
• Full Planning Permission: Another term for detailed planning permission. Some plot developers bypass general outline approval and go straight for ‘full’ permission.
• Permitted Development Rights: Developments that can be carried out without planning approval. They relate to existing houses and cover small-scale improvements, such as modest extensions, loft conversions and so on.

A loft conversion can include a mansard window or dormer, even though a very large loft may not require this and instead has skylights inserted flush with the roof.

Loft Conversion Inspiration

We have collected these websites to give you as much inspiration as possible for your loft conversion. The websites include very useful information and galleries to get you ahead of the game.

channel4.com

Good gallery of loft conversions to get some ideas of just what could be possible in your roof space.

absolutelofts.com

Absolute Lofts are building contractors based in South East England that worked for over 10 years. They have now completed over 1,500 works, a vast majority being loft conversions.

charlesgrosvenor.co.uk

An established family run company that offer a professional service. They have a good gallery of loft conversions.

bespokelofts.co.uk

Essex based, family run company with over 20 years experience in the building industry, including Loft Conversion.

armadillolofts.co.uk

Their motto is “Don’t move out, move up”. Look at the image gallery of their works.

Budget

First of all you have to work out your maximum and minimum budget, is really bad to leave the work uncompleted. This article can help you out: Building and Renovation Costs in UK.

Planning permission

A loft conversion can proceed without planning permission under certain circumstances.

The Planning Portal is the Government’s official planning website, where is explained everything you need to know about planning permission for a lot conversion. This is what it says:

Under the regulations of 1 October 2008 a loft conversion for your home is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

1. A volume allowance of 40 m³ additional roof space for terraced houses.
2. A volume allowance of 50 m³ additional roof space for detached and semi-detached houses, keep in mind that any previous roof space additions must be included within the volume allowances listed above. Although you may not have created additional space a previous owner may have done so. Calculate the area and volume of your works using the Volume Calculator.
3. No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the principal elevation that fronts the highway.
4. No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
5. Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing home. Use the Brick Visualization Tool for help in select the correct brick to use.
6. No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
7. Side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor.
8. Roof extensions not to be permitted development in designated areas (Designated areas include national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites).
9. Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the eaves.

You can see a 3D presentation of all of this rules here: Loft Conversions – Mini Guide

You can read the full article at planningportal.gov.uk here: Planning permission for a Loft Conversion

Building regulations

All loft conversions will have to meet the latest building regulations and be certified by the local Building Control Officer. This is because the loft is being converted into ‘habitable space’ which must thus have appropriate levels of health and safety. With this in mind, the following rules are particularly important:

1. The structural strength of the new floor has to be sufficient to support people and furnitures.
2. The stability of the structure (including the existing roof) must not be endangered.
3. Your loft must have a safe escape from fire.
4. The stairs must be safely designed to bring you to the new floor.
5. A reasonable sound insulation between the conversion and the rooms below has to be present.
6. Adequate ventilation must be provided to loft room, this can be done with one or more windows.
7. All electrics and plumbing must be safely installed.

The Party Wall Act

What is a party wall?

The Party Wall Act came into force in 1997, so it is now law and gives you rights and responsibilities whichever the side of the ‘wall’ you are on that is whether you are planning a work on a relevant structure or if your neighbour is.

The Party Wall Act does not affect any requirement for Planning Permission or Building Regulation Approval for any work undertaken. Similarly, having Planning Permission and/or Building Regulation Approval does not negate the requirements under the Party Wall Act.

The Party Wall Act comes into effect if someone is want to do work on a relevant structure, for the purposes of the Act ‘party wall’ does not just mean the wall between two semi-detached properties, it covers:

1. A wall forming part of only one building but which is on the boundary line between two (or more) properties.
2. A wall which is common to two (or more) properties, this includes where someone built a wall and a neighbour subsequent built something butting up to it.
3. A garden wall, where the wall is astride the boundary line (or butts up against it) and is used to separate the properties but is not part of any building.
4. Floors and ceilings of flats etc.
5. Excavation near to a neighbouring property.

For a full explanation of the works that can be done and all the regulations read this article: The Party Wall Act Explained

Finding an architect for your loft conversion

For your work of course you want someone who will provide the best technical expertise and creative skills – at a reasonable cost – to help you to remodel your loft. Ask friends, neighbors, and co-workers about their architects. Find the names of architects who designed projects similar to the one you want.

You can even search through online directories. You can find – for example – al lot of architect to choose from at this links: List of UK Architect and Architects index.

Create a listo f all the architects in your area, and call them by phone and find out whether they would be interested in your project. Remember to ask if there is a fee for an interview. When this is done meet with several prospective architects and ensure that the architect you are meeting is the person who will actually work on your project. Is really important to ask how long the project will take and find out fees and anticipated construction costs.

Before hiring anyone verify their architect’s licensing and other credentials.

Finding a Builder for your Loft Conversion

Like above, personal recommendation is the best route because if you know someone who’s happy with a job and they’ve referred a builder then that builder won’t want to let them down, just as they won’t want to let you down. But if you don’t know anybody who’s had any renovation done recently, check out some impartial websites for advice, for example you can use this websites: findabuilder.co.uk, mybuilder.com, findagoodone.com. Make a list and then call them for a quote. Check all the credentials before hiring them, use this website to do it www.builders.org.uk.

Here are some images of loft conversion design ideas we found on the net of late which may assist in your planning for a new loft. Take the time to browse through our many articles and inspirational loft conversion galleries to fully understand what you want before calling in an architect or builder.

There is a pre-conceived idea that lofts can only be this way or that way, and conform with the general loft design styles: Mansard Loft, Dormer Loft, Velux Loft and Terrace House Loft Conversions.

Keeping in mind that the most scrutinized part of getting planning permission for a loft is simply the exterior rendition of it from the street and making it look like the other lofts in your area, there are many ways you can smartly avoid having a boring addition. This includes focus on the internal structuring, interior design for your loft and and usage of windows and terraces.

The prices are based upon user input and personal experience and are guides to the rough pricing rather than exact figures that you will pay.

If you have any of your own data to feedback to us then please do so below.

How much is my house extension, home renovation going to cost me?

This is the question most frequently asked by people looking at getting a house extension. To be honest at the start of a project it is impossible to quote building costs without working drawings and a list of materials, fittings and fixtures.

Building costs for house extensions or home renovations can vary considerably depending on a number of criteria:

• Choice of building materials, fittings and fixtures – bathroom and kitchen tap fittings, tiles, window frames, heating & cooling, lighting
• The extent of client involvement – does the client choose to perform any of the building works such as painting
• Commencement and duration of the building works – does the project extend over the Christmas holiday break or during seasonal busy periods – this will add to any interest cost and/or rental costs if you need to move out
• Seasonal building market conditions – the number of rain affected days – this will add to any interest cost and/or rental costs if you need to move out
• Town planning delays – this can result in additional costs and potentially add months to your building project
• Size and competence of the selected building firm or builder – the bigger the business the more overheads and, by necessity, will pass this cost on to you
• Each builder will factor in a different profit margin
• Soft landscaping
• Varying professional fees – architect, draftsperson, town planner, structural engineer, soil report, building surveyor, etc
• Abnormal ground conditions requiring additional site costs – a sloping block and/or the need to dig deeper to reach solid ground and so concrete pours will vary
• And finally, there is the point of location, location, location. For example, a House Extension in London may cost more than a House Extension in Manchester, only because the cost of building is greater in London than in the North West.

However, considering that planning permission and drawings from start to finish wil usually wind up at about £1,500 give or take some, the prices below will give you the averag costs for a house extension. The rest is up to you and your preferences in the refurbishment of the interior.

Loft Conversion Prices

As mentioned above, the bottom line when planning any building project is ‘How much will it cost’. Loft conversion prices vary from region to region within the UK and, of course, no two conversions are likely to be the same.

But, we can use some ballpark figures and rule-of-thumb.

The first, and arguably the most important, is that by building a loft conversion you should immediately add at least the amount you spend onto the value of your house.

And it just keeps on getting better.

Figures released in July 2006 show that a loft conversion which incorporates a bedroom and en-suite bathroom can add up to 20% to the value of your home. These figures show true to date. Click here for more information on raising property value of your home.

In London loft conversion prices usually cost up to £50,000 though throughout the UK the average seems to be around the £20,000 – £35,000 mark.
These costs are when employing a specialist loft conversion company and they can be drastically reduced by doing some of the work yourself. Much of course depends on the type of conversion. For example, a basic storage solution can often be done in just a day or two and there are some specialist loft conversion companies who will, for around £1000-2000, install joists, a new hatch, lighting and a loft ladder in just 24 hours.

But, for a full scale, and well built loft conversion, loft conversion prices are usually somewhere between £19-£50,000.

If you have any questions regarding your building or refurbishment project feel free to leave it in the comment section below.

Now, the popular press would have you believe that they do not add value or have limited appeal. However, that blanket broad brush, slightly disrespectful opinion does not ring true for most of our clients. So what is going on? As always, the devil is in the detail – the detail in this respect is mainly focussed on two primary areas:

1. DESIGN and 2. DESIGN.

It’s just like the location, location location slogan for house values & desirability. Fortunately, the planners have got to grips with a lot of loft conversions these days & they now have a great more control of schemes that a few years ago could have been built under Permitted Development. This means that they have encompassed ‘good design guides’ in an attempt to stamp out the ugly full width box dormer that turned a beautiful victorian semi into a something that looks like a car sized packing crate trying to escape from a neighbours roof.

Conversely, many people have argued that the ‘chocolate box’ cottage type pointy roofed dormers (as suggested by the planners) are quite simply impractical & do not provide enough space for a fully functional room which in many cases is a very valid & true point. HOWEVER, life is all about compromises & choices have to be made. Fortunately, most members of the public are now becoming far more ‘design aware’ than they ever used to be & slowly by slowly they are beginning to accept that the formation of more space must not be at the expense of a poor external visual impact that simply jars with the whole look of the locality. This type of poor dormer design can not only decrease the value of your own home but that of the neighbours as well.

But yet again there are exceptions. Some suburbs of London for example have a plethora of these types of loft extensions & the ones that have not yet been converted look out of place. These types of areas pay more attention to the internal design of the living space than the grotty externals – goes with the environment I suppose. Also, some areas are 70’s & 80’s built estates where the whole so called ‘architect design’ was for this style of flat roofed box dormer which is a commonly accepted fact for the area & enjoyed by many.

So, back to my original question – Does a loft conversion or extension add value? In my opinion YES in practically all cases baring a few exceptions. Should it be my first choice of residential development if my site has surrounding ground that allows alternative solutions? Well no in my opinion unless your property is a bungalow. A loft conversion for the standard 2 storey dwelling house (detached, semi or terrace) should perhaps be on the ‘last option’ list rather than your first choice – more to do with peoples perceptions rather than anything scientific I could quote.

Below is some of our assessment criteria relating to loft conversions that you may find useful:

1. Does it need Planning Permission – If so utilising the councils design guides is a must. Some front or side facing dormers may still be resisted even if they are small. Velux windows often overcome these objections. In most cases, big bulky box dormers will not be allowed.

2. What area of new space does the client require – Many clients have overambitious floor space targets & visualise 3 bedrooms for example (all with ensuite of course). They fail to appreciate the loss of floor space caused by the extensive sloping soffits, & the new stairs.

3. Where can the new stair set go – Many clients fail to realise that their preferred location for the stairs does not achieve the required head room within the new floor for example. In most cases some existing floor space of the bedrooms for example will need to be sacrificed.

4. Number of Rooms – It is better to achieve one or two good sized functional rooms to compensate for the lack of head room in some areas of the new rooms rather than trying to cram in the bedroom numbers for the sake of it where the new rooms can become nothing more than single bed sleeping podules with very little inbuilt amenity value.

5. If flat roofed dormers can only be achieved due to the low ridge height then split the dormers into 2 or three smaller ones with no more than 1200mm (4′) wide windows to break up its bulk. Always, always always recess the dormer into the roof slope to reduce the dormers bulk – DO NOT BUILD THE EXTERNAL FACE OF THE DORMER WALL OFF THE EXISTING EXTERNAL WALL OF THE HOUSE.

6. If a client wants a conversion with only Velux type roof lights then all well & good (much cheaper as well). However an exercise should be completed to explore the possibilities of a strategically located dormer or two that often frees up an extra 30% floor area that the client may not have realised for very little extra money.

7. Dormers are not the only design solution to more light & space – consideration could also be given to a hip to gable conversion of the side roof for example that wont look out of keeping (unless your a semi of course).

8. As a rule of thumb to the practicality of your new room in the roof – if you can already touch the ridge board when standing in the loft (about 2.3M or less), then its normally too small to form useful functioning bedrooms unless a bulky box dormer is constructed (which is what we are trying to avoid) If it is an area just for a play room or a study then all well & good but beware, many people have embarked on tight loft conversions only to realise too late that that they have no where to place the bed or locate a wardrobe.

There are a great many other issues to consider as well when completing loft conversions such as overheating, fire regs, weather protection during the works etc. & these are major discussion topics in themselves that I will leave for another day. However, the points listed above are the main ones relative to the external design & appearance of loft conversions.

We all want something snazzy in our home, maybe to show off to the family, prove to daddy that he was wrong about how incompetent you were as a child, or maybe just to enjoy the comfort of falling asleep in a place that feels really nice to be in.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to upgrade your home. All it takes is a little research and some creative thinking and viola!

With loft/attic conversions being the craze of 2010 in the UK and abr0ad the top of your home may be just the place to make these cool changes.

Take a look to these Modern and Contemporary Loft Conversion ideas:

• Glass brick walls

• Power showers

• Fitted cupboards

• Centralised lighting controls

• Roof balconies and terrace windows

• Skylight banks

‘Utilising the space that a loft conversion can provide will give much needed living accommodation within your home and will probably add value to your property as well…’

Victorian or 1930′s homes in particular are perfect for loft conversions due to their high roof pitches. The cost of such loft conversions will vary depending on size, structural changes, client specification and planning designs. Currently lofts may only be used as a general storage area. Yet with a little creativity the help of some professional expertise, your loft or attic could be transformed into versatile living space. In every way it’s an investment that can pay big dividends.

‘It is vital to ensure that the work is carried out and conforms to Building Regulations…’

Here are just a few design ideas for maximizing on the space in the roof.

A full loft conversion in the traditional sense would mean installing a master or guest bedroom with en-suite bath or shower room. That would arguably give the best return on the investment, and would be at the higher end of the budget.

As many more people are now working from home, an increasingly popular loft design is the home office, fully kitted out with cabinets, storage and wiring for all telecoms. If you’re creating this kind of space in your loft, you may wish to include design features such as desk-high electrical sockets.

Turning your loft into a playroom or teenage den might be a way of accommodating the children, and with more grown-up children staying at home for longer, this could be an invaluable use of the space.

Even a simply boarding out the attic space and installing a good access point, a robust loft ladder and lighting to create a basic storage space can make your property more appealing when you come to sell. Every house should at least finish their loft in this way, before thinking about moving. It makes the property more sale-able, as almost everyone who moves does so because they need more space.

What could possibly be more exciting for your children then for them to have their own loft playroom?

Every journey up the stairs to the loft conversion would be an adventure – their own private kingdom to play, create and have fun.

Safety is paramount of course and will be mostly addressed in your building regulations application but it goes without saying that the area at the top of the loft stairs is of primary concern.

The loft room itself can be anything your, and your child’s, imagination can come up with.

A central theme or colour scheme can be adapted and with loads of quality children’s furniture and accessories available the sky really is the limit.

Vivid colours and bold design along with strong natural light through large loft windows will create an ideal environment for your child.

You will probably want to divide the loft playroom into zones so that one area is suitable for play with a desk for creative tasks (and later homework) in another.

Other ‘must have’ accessories for a loft playroom will probably include a Television and DVD player ( I know it was different when we were kids but your children won’t be impressed with, or amused by, a bag of marbles and a copy of Janet and Johns latest adventure).

For older children, i.e., teenagers, a chill-out room will be a huge hit. Painted in ‘cool’ colours a chill-out room with a desk and PC for Internet surfing and, grudgingly, homework together with TV, sound system and soft furnishings such as bean-bags will be somewhere your teenager loves to be.

Include a sofa bed for sleep-overs and you have a teenagers paradise.

Tip – make sure you sound-proof the floor or buy a stereo system without a ‘mega-bass’ control. In fact, you would probably be better off doing both. Or buy a large stock of aspirin.

Be prepared to see very little of your child.

When we completed my daughters chill-out room the only time we ever saw her was immediately after school, meal-times and bed-time.

The rest of the time was spent in the chill-out room and even homework got done – sometimes.

Source: loft-conversion-uk.com

Here is a short video about how a  Loft Conversion is built. Despite the strong Yankee accent, us Brits find a lot of the videos provided by our overseas Colony very much appreciated.

Building a terrace house loft conversion is no more difficult than a conversion in any other type of property.

Older terraced houses especially can be ideal for loft conversions as the angle of the roof is steep enough to allow for plenty of headroom and you don’t even have to build a dormer.

By the vary nature of a terraced house, there are, however, some serious considerations when planning to install a loft conversion.

One of the major ones is the existence of party walls between you and your neighbours. The 1996 Party Wall Act imposes certain obligations between you and any neighbours you share the party wall with.

Party Wall Act

Firstly your neighbours must be informed of your terrace house loft conversion plans and that it will affect the party wall. Merely telling them is not good enough.

They should be given a written notice of intent – called a Party Structure Notice. There are no official forms for this, but it is important your written notice includes the following details:

• Your name and your address

• The names of the owners of the neighbours’ property

• A brief description of the work you are planning to carry out

• The date you propose to start your terraced loft conversion

If your neighbour has no objections you can go ahead. But if he does have problems with your proposals than what is called a Party Wall Agreement will have to be brokered between your self and a surveyor chosen by your neighbour.

Getting in a Structural Engineer

Another factor to consider when planning a terraced house loft conversion is the structural well being of the main walls of the property. Because converting a loft often means that a beam will need to be supported by the front, rear or side walls the structure must be strong enough to cope with the additional weight bearing of the beam.

Older terraced houses, especially those built in Victorian times may cause problems. Instead of solid brickwork, the walls in these old properties were often built using parallel columns. If that is the situation in your property the chances are they will not be strong enough to deal with any additional load bearing.

You may also need the services of structural engineer to investigate any cracks or bowing in the walls as this could be the pointer to problems with the foundations.

This will also be a good opportunity to carry out tasks such as re-pointing and strengthen the walls’ mortar joints.

When performing a terrace house loft conversion you should make sure the external walls are properly insulated. Indeed, this is a requirement of building regulations.

External walls are essential in the property retaining heat so they must be insulated. Even a mid-terrace hose needs to have its party walls insulated.

We have just added an extensive article on the subject. See Loft Conversion Inspiration & Planning Guide for galleries, useful planning links and more.

Loft conversions in the United Kingdom are very heavily regulated like most other types of building renovations. Permissions must be grated and regulation met before any work can commence on a loft conversion project. Whether or not you are granted these permissions, and whether you meet the necessary regulations depends very much on the condition and structural integrity of your existing property. The vast majority of lofts/attics can be converted into valuable living space, and when done so will often provide the homeowner with the most attractive and largest living area in your home. Of course the other major advantage of converting your loft is that it can significantly increase the value of your home.

There are no doubt some very ambitious individuals who will undertake the project of converting their loft space themselves. Good luck to them I say. Given the load you intend to place on the existing floor this is not a route I would advise, and having seen a good number of botched DIY jobs myself I would strongly recommend employing the services of an Architect and a builder. It is possible to save money in other areas however, such as by sourcing and buying the materials yourself, decorating the space yourself, or if you’re a little more handy by applying the insulation and boarding yourself once the structural work has been completed by a professional.

In a few circumstances your property may not actually require planning permission. One of these instances is if the proposed loft conversion is the property’s first extension and does not exceed 40 cubic metres on a terraced property and 50 cubic metres on others. These extenuating circumstances do not apply however, if your property is located in a conservation area. All flats require planning permission.

For a 3-D demonstration of loft planning click the link below.
http://www.sdaarchitecture.co.uk/interactive_loft_conversion.htm

Once your extension plans have been approved and sign by you the homeowner, you will then have to submit them to your Local Authority for approval, which normally takes between two and three months to complete. Once you have received the approval from your local authority, the next step is to prepare Building and Fire Regulation Plans to submit to your Local Authority Building Control department. This submission will generally take around 6 weeks to complete. 
Once approval has been granted you then need to serve Statutory Commencement Notice upon the Local Authority Building Control Department in accordance with the Regulation 14 of the Building Regulation 1985 (amended 1994).

As mentioned above one of the major benefits of, and motivations behind, many loft conversions is that they can significantly increase the value of your home. Should you decide to sell your property the prospective buyer’s surveyor will check on the permissions for the conversion, and its compliance with the relevant regulations. It’s therefore not worth cutting corners or taking chances. Do the job properly using architects. This is the best piece of advice I can offer you. The additional cost of using professionals is offset by the peace of mind you will receive knowing that the job has been properly, to a high standard, and will stand up to the scrutiny of any surveyor.

Source: ezinearticles.com

Building a loft conversion can easily and quickly add living space and value to your property and, more importantly, you can build that space exactly as you wish.

We’ve all had that yearning for an extra room – perhaps for a larger bedroom, an ultra-modern living space or that home office you’ve always wanted.

The usual solution to wanting extra space has been either to move, wait for the kids to leave home or to bury the spouse under the patio. Not any more.

That dark, dusty and wasted area in your loft can, with the right loft conversion and ideas, become the best room in the house.
Most of us only use the loft as storage, venturing up there once a year to retrieve the Christmas decorations or balancing precariously on the joists to try and find that long-forgotten present from mother-in-law who has just announced a surprise visit.

But it doesn’t have to be like that.

Making The Most Of Your Loft Space

It may be hard to envisage at the moment but that drafty, cobweb ridden no-go-zone in your roof can become almost anything you wish it to be.

Your loft conversion could become:

• An ultra-modern and luxurious bedroom with king size bed, built-in wardrobes and deep, indulgent carpets with en-suite shower
• A stylish living area complete with contemporary fittings
• An office or study away from distractions replete with the latest technology and enough storage space for a small business
• A hobby room with loom, sewing machine or maybe even a sprawling train set
• A self contained playroom for the kids with space enough to store all their toys or chill-out room for a teenager with state-of-the-art hi-fi, computer, TV and sound-proofed walls!

Whatever your imagination can come up with – a loft can be converted into that special space.