In today's times housing prices are constantly soaring and it isn't every homeowner that can actually afford to move house when the need arises. The cost of relocating has to be added to the buying price of the new home in addition to all of the unavoidable extras when you are calculating the total expenditure involved. But moving house is not the only option if your family is outgrowing your current property.

A quite expensive option is to add an extension to your home to gain that extra room, but you might not get the necessary planning permission, and also your property might not be suitable. If you have a garage that you're not using currently, you could give some thought to doing a garage conversion which would be cheaper. Possibly the best possible resolution is to do a loft conversion, which may add a lot of value to your property and shouldn't require planning permission.

Loft conversions have become a lot more popular lately, largely for the reasons mentioned above. It is recommended, before deciding, that you check whether or not your house is in actual fact suited to a loft conversion. Lots of contemporary homes that have got trussed roofs aren't generally suitable. Slightly older houses that were constructed before the nineteen seventies are generally ideal for loft conversions since they were built using sturdy rafters and there was frequently plenty of headroom.

To ensure your specific loft space is suitable, you should call in a builder to check it out. If your builder gives the nod for a loft conversion you can get him to give you a quote. Bring in quite a few loft specialists and get several quotes so you've got a general idea of the likely cost. When choosing the best builder for the work you should use your instinct and not merely go with the lowest quotation.

There is a high likelihood that you won't need planning permission for your loft conversion, as most conversions don't require planning permission. To check if planning permission is necessary, get hold of your local planning office.

You should not believe that getting a loft conversion will be cheap, because it's a fairly expensive undertaking. If you do not already have the cash you could perhaps obtain a loan, which is often not that difficult as the chances are that your loft conversion will add significantly to the market value of your home. As a general guideline you might anticipate that a loft conversion will cost about the same as a fair sized brick extension though the probability is that you'll achieve more additional space with an attic conversion while not raising your property's footprint.

Your home's layout and design will be the deciding factor for what kind of loft conversion is the optimal one for you. Conversions are available in a variety of designs for example: mansard conversions, velux loft conversions, hip-to-gable conversions, roof light conversions, roof lift conversions, dormer conversions and loft pods. To find out which one will be the most cost effective and appropriate for your property, seek advice from the builder or loft conversion specialist.

Perhaps the most favoured style of loft conversion nowadays is the dormer style, a concept that gives you the best value for money, although still delivers the most possible space. This is a favorite solution for homeowners since it's both appealing and functional and offers all that could possibly be required. With a dormer conversion it is even possible to include a balcony, meaning that you are even creating extra outside space too. There are various sorts of dormer conversions namely Velux window dormers, shed dormers, hip to gable dormers and flat roof dormers. Consult a professional to find out which is actually best suited for your dwelling.

One of the best known names in roof windows, Velux, have been in business for over sixty years and you can depend on them to provide a loft window which is both reliable and top quality. These windows are engineered to be fitted in line with the angle of your roof and thus don't alter the shape of the structure, they don't normally need planning permission plus they are pretty cheap to install. Velux windows produce a decent amount of daylight and actually may need to have blinds during the summer. If your loft has a good amount of head room, a Velux conversion might be a good solution for you, particularly if you're on a limited budget.

The length of time that it will take to carry out a conversion would depend on four or five aspects such as the climatic conditions, the type of conversion, the amount of pre-planning which is done, the competence of the constructors and the availability of required materials. As an approximate guide a rear dormer conversion carried out on a terraced home should take approximately 4 to 5 weeks, a hip to gable dormer on a semi-detached dwelling ought to take around five to six weeks.

You will find that there are quite a few uses to which the conversion can be put, after it is completed. Some families use it as a den or playroom, an extra bedroom or two or a new bathroom. But naturally there are plenty of applications to which a decent loft conversion can be put, constrained solely by your inventiveness!