Loft Conversion Architect Company in London & Essex
Guide to Loft Conversions: reasons to contact a loft conversion architect
company in Essex & London
If you need more space in your home, then it’s a great time to ‘look up’!
The loft area of your property may offer you an exciting solution. Especially if you know how to find a loft conversion architect to help you to create the perfect plan that matches your needs, preferences and budget.
The idea of converting your loft into additional rooms can seem daunting. You may be wondering whether this sort of investment in your home is worthwhile. Or possibly your first question is ‘What is the potential price of a loft conversion in my London or Essex home?’.
Then of course there is the issue of keeping your ambitions down to earth when it comes to building upwards. Can an architect’s plan - and your property structure - realistically provide the sort of loft conversion you want?
This loft conversion guide will address a lot of those issues. It will also provide valuable insights to help with every step of the decision-making process. Starting with the many excellent reasons to progress this home extension, as well as the best ways to pin down your loft conversion requirements. It will also cover important information about loft conversion planning permission and how to choose the right architect.
First, let’s explore the many advantages of building upwards in your home.
Why you should
improve, not move
There are many great reasons to optimise your existing property rather than house hunting for one with more space or a different layout. Quite apart from all the hassle and heartache of trying to secure your dream home, when you do move it can be costly and disruptive. In fact, the uncertainty and upheaval involved in moving house make it one of the most stressful things you will ever do!
Building upwards could save you that large sum of money. Instead, you will invest a smaller amount to cover the cost of a loft conversion in your current property.
That way, you also get to stay in a home that’s already comfortable and individual to you! Just as importantly, when you do decide to
sell up, you will be more than compensated for the loft conversion cost. Those extra rooms could add up to 20% to the value of your home.
The other thing to consider if you are concerned about the loft conversions cost is that this is your opportunity to create a living space that matches
your lifestyle, ambitions and tastes. It’s unlikely you will find a new home that ticks all the right boxes!
The last reason to choose to expand into your property’s loft space is that when you get the right help with your loft conversion layout, this will be an exciting project. Much of the nitty-gritty will be handled by the professionals.
Exploring your loft
conversion requirements
This leads to the common question, ‘Do I need an architect for loft conversion projects?’ There are strong grounds to support a firm YES! Mainly though, it comes down to marrying your loft conversion requirements with what is feasible and wise.
This project represents a considerable investment of time and money, and it is an important milestone for you and your family. Getting the project right from day one will ensure that your expectations and aims are all met - if not exceeded.
Using carefully created architectural plans for loft conversion projects also avoids costly mistakes. The last thing you need is to find that the extension
work has created structural issues in your property. Or, it has left you with irreparable snags, less than ideal features or supply issues such as poor water
pressure. All of this makes loft conversion architect fees great value for money if you consider the long-term reassurance they provide.
Also, setting money aside to cover the loft conversion architect cost is a great way of turning your rough ideas and overall vision into viable loft
conversion layout ideas, and plans that contractors can follow.
The fine detail of loft conversion planning
One of the biggest areas of confusion in drawing up loft conversion requirements is how to maximise the space available without impacting on the integrity of important roof structures or supporting walls, for example. Any contractor who promises you an exciting set of new rooms in your roof, without thoroughly and professionally assessing your building, could be leading you into very dark waters!
On the other hand, employing the services of London and Essex loft conversion architects Humphreys and Sons could unveil options that even you haven’t thought of. We will be able to show you in detail how to use every available square metre of space in your loft, to create rooms that you can be proud of. Potentially, we could even create extra storage opportunities or additional design features that can be slotted into your loft conversion layout!
Stamping your preferences on loft
conversion plans
It i important to be clear that the best residential architect specialist will come into the project with an entirely open mind. At Humphreys & Sons, we are always ready to listen to your concepts and ambitions, as this must be a home extension that is entirely focused on what you want and need. Of course, we can supply you with loft conversion plans examples, but ultimately this project must be bespoke to you and your family. Making listening one of the top skills of this successful residential architects firm!
Also, creating loft conversion drawings is not the only thing your London and Essex specialist architect does. We can project manage the whole building scheme from start to finish. More on this later.
When you have decided to go ahead, what sort of information do you need to create a loft conversion floor plan? You might want to get some inspiration from loft conversion examples in similar properties to yours. What have other homeowners achieved, and is that along the lines of what you want? However, your loft conversion layout ideas will pivot on what type of rooms you need.
For example, is this a way to create extra bedrooms in your home? Or possibly you want to build a new master bedroom with the ensuite bathroom you have always dreamed of. Other reasons to draw up plans for loft conversion projects include building a family room or den when you have teenagers to accommodate or a new baby on the way. Home expansion plans are also highly popular when someone needs to build a ‘granny flat’ loft conversion. This can help you to provide a lovely place for an elderly relative or friend to live.
You may also be considering ways to raise income from your home. In which case, your loft conversion floor plans could be focused on creating rooms you can rent out. Alternatively, you could be progressing a loft conversion to build office space now that you are working from home more.
With the right level of creative professionalism, a loft conversion architectural specialist like us will find ways to mix and match some of these ambitions. Such as slotting an extra bedroom and handy office space into your loft conversion layout plan.
Calculating loft conversion cost
When considering how much is a loft conversion, much depends on the requirements we have outlined above. As well as the amount of space you have, any structural obstacles you face and the additional fixtures and features you hope to build in, all influence the final tally. By way of illustration, the cost of loft conversion when the aim is a new playroom across the width of the house would be very different to the loft conversion price for a full flat with a kitchenette and compact bathroom.
You will no doubt realise that complex and far-reaching projects require more subcontractors and more orchestration of diverse tasks. This could include making sure the joiner, plumber and electrician are working in unison and scheduled in a logical and cost-effective way. Also, the level of plastering, tiling and decorating involved is one of the main cost implications of a loft conversion. Interior design elements can also influence the cost considerably. If you can finish off the project yourself, it keeps the budget down. However, the price of loft conversions rises when you add in high-end wall coverings and the best fixtures and fittings for loft rooms.
This is another reason why investing in a specialist residential architect for loft conversions is a wise move. We can take all your ideas - and a thorough survey of your property - to map out likely loft conversions costs. Right down to the last penny.
Even if your ideas are still at a rather rough stage, it’s worth asking for advice. We can outline the average price of a loft conversion along the lines of what you hope to achieve. Then, prices can be firmed up when you find the perfect solution based on the money you have available, and an achievable building expansion plan.
Also, we will give you a genuine and transparent way to cost loft conversion ‘shopping lists’. Too often the initial quote for loft conversion costs fails to include all the finer detail or any contingency funds for last-minute amendments and hitches. Loft conversions prices should not lead to hidden extras or nasty surprises further down the line.
So, when you ask ‘how much for loft conversion budgets’, you need to be 100% confident that you are getting honest, professional appraisal, based on realistic plans. Exactly what Humphreys & Sons offers!
Do you need planning permission for a loft conversion?
Alongside the best way to create loft conversion floor plans, one of the most common questions for property extensions of this kind is, ‘Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion?’.
The need for planning permission for loft conversion is a tricky topic. Again, it depends on the specifics of your layout as well as differing local authority criteria. For example, changing the use of your home by creating office space or a workshop in your loft may require special permission from your local planning team. However, there’s really good news here. If you engage our services, we take care of all your planning permission loft conversion requirements. That includes any loft conversion problems in leasehold properties.
Reasons to use Humphreys & Sons
This guide to loft conversions has shown a lot of the important things to consider, and the many advantages of home extensions. We have also given you a flavour of just some of the reasons why finding the cash to cover loft conversion architect fees can be the ‘cornerstone’ of the project.
If you are now excited about the prospect of creating much-needed space in your loft, why engage our services to plan and lead the project? Perhaps that’s a question you should ask our many happy previous clients. We have a long list of loft conversion testimonials from homeowners happy to recommend our residential architectural services.
Particularly as for many of them using Humphreys & Sons has brought them something that’s hard for us to show you in pictures or words – peace of mind!
Investing in a loft conversion is a big undertaking, and knowing you have someone to project manage it who really cares about the results, can be vitally important. Our reputation rides not just how your loft conversion looks, or even the level of customer satisfaction we achieve. Our aim is to make the whole experience as pleasant as possible.
Which is why as well as drawing out and delivering your loft conversion room layouts we also take care of much of the paperwork. Humphreys & Sons can help you handle Freeholder Consent & Lease Plans, planning permission for loft conversions and building regulations for example. We also orchestrate the loft conversion plan to disrupt normal family life as little as possible. Leaving you with a flawless result and no residual mess too! So, look up and dream. Then let Humphreys & Sons realise your vision of a bigger, better home.
Client Testimonial
“As we do not have planning professionals in-house we often find it difficult to get firm advice on exactly what can be achieved from a site, and often feel like we are walking into the unknown and at the mercy of the planning department. On a recent project we were given some very negative pre-application comments from the planning officers, and some similarly pessimistic advice from our previous architects, so we were feeling very despondent. We decided to involve Humphreys & Sons and they somehow designed a scheme to achieve more than twice what we were expecting, and through a lot of hard work they managed to gain full planning permission for it! We can’t thank them enough for their positive attitude and hard work, and for not taking no for an answer!”
Kirk Hatherley — Archers Developments Ltd : Building Contractors