Converting The LoftAn Attic Conversion For Your HomeWith the best will in the world if the roof space is to small or the building structurally unsuitable than a loft conversion will be impractical. Fortunately though, for most homeowners, the reverse will be true and an attic conversion will be a quite practical and financially viable project. The Essential First Step Before doing anything else or even considering how you will use the roof space it is essential that you go up into the roof space and actually measure the amount of space that is available. Ideally there will be around 2.5 meters of headroom; this would be sufficient space for most of us. If however, you are of average height and find yourself bending double, than it is clear that there will not be enough room without raising the height of the attic. The pitch of the roof also has to be considered. If the pitch is too shallow than converting the loft will be almost impossible without a massive and expensive rebuild.
With modern building methods and advanced engineering techniques there are very few technical problems that cannot be overcome. As with most aspects of an attic conversion, consulting an expert at this stage can potentially save lots of wasted time and expense further down the line. A brief meeting with a structural engineer should provide all the answers to any questions you may have in regard to your new project. But, in general, if there is sufficient headroom in the attic than converting the loft should be perfectly achievable. Initial Considerations If there are no major obstacles in the way than it is time to consider exactly how you will use the extra room you will create in the roof space. The majority of new attic conversions in the UK are en-suite bedrooms. It is very easy to see why such conversions are so popular. The size of the bedroom can be huge and with an en-suite shower and WC the roof is really the only place in most houses that such a large room could be built. Living rooms are next on the list for most people and with large windows and luxurious furniture an attic conversion can make a wonderfully relaxing living space. There are other uses for that new room in the attic and with many of us now running businesses from home an office is now a very popular option for many people when converting the loft. A teenagers chill-out room, a hobby room or even home cinema complex are other options to consider when thinking about a design but, more-or-less, anything is really possible. The only inappropriate use for an attic conversion that I can think of is as a home gymnasium. With the heavy equipment and stress on the floor a gym would probably be better suited to a basement or garage conversion. Related Articles
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