For many people, their unused (or crammed full of rubbish!) loft space offers huge potential to increase their living space and add value to their property, but what should you consider when planning it and how much can you expect to spend to convert it?
Types of loft conversion
- Dormer: these are what you see most often and are a cost-effective way of creating more space in your loft. They essentially add a box shape onto your sloping roof.
- Mansard: this is the more stylish way to add extra space by maintaining a slight angle to your roof, but requires more structural work so costs more.
Do you need planning permission?
This depends on whether your house is in a conservation area, or is listed, as well as how much work you want done. The decision of whether to apply for Planning Permission or stick to Permitted Development will affect the cost. If your loft conversion is going to be below a certain size, you will be able to stay within Permitted Development rules.
Planning Permission costs around £200 and takes eight weeks. However, if you decide to convert under Permitted Development, we recommend a Certificate of Lawfulness, which does still require more detailed drawings. It takes eight weeks and costs roughly the same.
The stages your build will go through
- Site set-up: includes the scaffolding, waste removal, and cleaning. This takes up 15-20% of your final cost.
- Carpentry work: includes the beams, frames, plasterboard, and glazing. This takes up 40-50% of your final cost.
- Roofing and brickwork: this varies greatly depending on whether you are simply covering the new structure, or having an entirely new roof and need brickwork. Typically, this takes about 20% of costs.
- Finishing: plastering, electrics, plumbing, and second-fix carpentry. Around 10-20% of your cost will go on the final fixings.
It’s important to remember that you’ll also need some extra money to pay for finishes such as a bathroom suite and carpeting.
Should you keep some budget aside?
We always recommend a 5-10% contingency budget. This ensures that unforeseen circumstances can be covered. But, ultimately, if you are very detailed about the required work, the amount of contingency needed should be limited.
So, overall what is the average price of a loft conversion?
You should expect to pay a minimum of £40,000 to £50,000 for a finished loft conversion that includes a bedroom and shower room, with two small skylights and two uPVC windows. This price is based on a standard, 5m wide, 7m deep, mid-terrace property and excludes the cost of sanitaryware and tiles.