When it comes to extending your home, the most cost-effective options – those that add the most value for the lowest price – tend to involve increasing your available floor space. For this reason, many homeowners choose to convert their loft, maxi mising space that was previously used for storage (or entirely unused) into an additional bedroom.
But how much value does a loft conversion add? Is it worth the effort? The simple answer is yes it is. Not only will you increase your families living space but you can also bolster your property’s potential sale price.
A loft conversion is appealing as it makes use of ‘dead’ space to create an extra room, rather than using valuable garden space in the way of typical extensions. It often costs less per square metre to convert a loft rather than build a conventional extension, as much of the structure you need is already in place. In London and the South East an extension costs around £1700 – £2000 per m2 whereas a loft conversion would only cost on average £1150 -£1500 per m2.
Most loft conversions can be carried out without planning permission as long as they don’t exceed a certain size (40 cubic metres for a terrace or 50 cubic metres for a detached house) or they have not been designed to protrude too much from the existing roof.
As well as creating the extra space and adding value, a loft conversion can even make your home more energy efficient. All that extra insulation can help bring down the cost of your utility bills.