Loft Conversions

Bozza said:

Scott came up with ideas we'd not previously considered downstairs

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Bold Seagull said:

Initially you have a couple of options;

A: go to an 'all-in-one' loft company who will do the drawings, obtain permissions and build out the project.

B: appoint an independent consultant such as an architect / building surveyor / technician to draw up a design and specification that you can then tender to contractors.

I would only recommend A if your requirements are completely straight forward, and you are clear on what you want, how the space will work etc. The problem with A is that the all in one companies want the build to be as simple as possible therefore the design decisions they can take are based on what they prefer to do, rather than what is right for you and your brief.

If you're not really sure what you want to get out of the roof space, that there could be options for how the staircase works, use of roof lights and dormers etc, then a design professional would be working toward a design for you maybe the way to go as per B.

As [MENTION=26782]Hendrax[/MENTION] has said, avoid Amazing Space. They no doubt have some success stories, but I too have a close friend that had a terrible time with them i.e. building partitions in the wrong place, windows being different size to what was agreed, delays etc.

Here's a few shots of one I designed recently. The clients didn't want a huge dormer on the back so we gable ended a previously hipped roof, and added a small dormer for an en-suite shower room. The staircase also worked really well with the original and we added windows in the new gable end for plenty of light. PM me if you want any further info.

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Hendrax said:

I'm not sure how you can avoid VAT with a loft company. After 2 lofts they are over the threshold. We do 15 a year.

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StillHateBellotti said:

Mine cost me 27k and was finished last summer and is just under the 50 sq/m limit, en suite. Depends if you want a company who are VAT registered who will then charge you an extra 6-8k or get in quality tradesmen who will do an equally good job at a decent price. Mine took three months made a bloody great mess everywhere but is now worth it as it raised the house price by 60k. I had everything done to second fix and did flooring under floor heating etc myself. Don't forget the extra's like fire door and hard wired fire alarms. Or if you are handy then get first fix done and do insulation, plaster boarding yourself and get someone in to do plastering etc. I did all my soffits and facia's whilst the scaffolding was up and saved a fortune.

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Mutts Nuts said:

Hardly a loft conversion, looks more like a room in the roof to me

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