Loft Conversion Overview

Loft conversions differ vastly, but they all fall into one of four kinds, or a mixture of them. This week is an overview of the four, and, more than the subsequent four weeks, we'll look at each of them in much more detail.

Budget, house design and planning dictate which of the four types you are most likely to opt for. Of course your own specifications and tastes also come into it.

Introduction

The least 'invasive' is the Velux, or rooflight/skylight conversion. With more than six decades of producing quality skylights, the Velux name has turn out to be the business leader. The majority of the function is done inside the roof space with a skylight fitted flush to the roof, which indicates no external structural changes. Very couple of rooflight conversions require planning permission, but you usually require to verify. Obviously, as there is no structural extension, you require to make certain there is sufficient headroom in your loft space if this is how you want to let the light into your attic conversion.

Dormers add space to your loft conversion, giving you height and more space. Dormer extensions are the ones that come out at correct-angles component way down the roof and are usually at the back of a home. They give a new room a horizontal ceiling - that you don't get with a skylight room - and vertical walls. If a roof is quite narrow and doesn't provide much room, this is a good option for a bit more space.

A mansard roof conversion creates more space by pulling 1 side of the room up and out a bit. Rather of building a horizontal ceiling and vertical walls, the mansard loft conversion still has 'angles', but they extend the length of the house and give a house fairly a grand feel. Usually noticed in large London townhouses, they don't usually make it out into the 3-bed world of the 'burbs because they require a lot of function, money and usually require planning permission.

And lastly, altering the shape of your roof - from a hip roof (which is the 1 you drew in primary school!) to a gable roof (which is the where the roof reaches up from the top of the walls). This type of loft conversion means a lot of large modifications to the structure of your house and do not necessarily offer a large post--attic conversion space, but paired up with a dormer could be a great solution.

Whichever type appeals to you, you always need to check whether you need planning permission prior to you begin work. Your builder should be able to assist you work out how to go about that - and by no means be afraid to ask if you don't comprehend something.