Loft Conversion Or Move Home – Which Is Best?

Many people are realizing that building a professional loft conversion is a lot better than moving home if all you need is one extra room. At this time, house prices are on the decline in big cities like London, so moving house at the moment can be very risky just to get that additional room and you could lose out heavily. (With the additional costs of stamp duty, increased mortgages, conveyencing fees and paying removal companies it can really be expensive|Not forgetting all of the usual moving costs such as a bigger mortgage, stamp duty, normal removal expenses and solicitors fees it can really mount up|Then there are the costs which are always associated with moving home such as removals, the cost of hiring a solicitor, higher mortgage payments and stamp duty}.


So if you need that extra room what do you do? Well a loft conversion is well worth considering as it will give you that additional living space and increase the value of your property at the same time. In a recent survey conducted by the Alliance and Leicester building society it was revealed that a professional loft conversion can add as much as £40,000 to the value of your house. You also have the benefit of not moving house and all of the costs that come with that.


In 2008, the planning laws were changed and this resulted in a huge increase in the number of loft conversions. What it means is that the majority of loft conversions don’t require formal planning permission but instead can be constructed under a term called “permitted development”. This should not be confused with building regulations as these still need to be adhered to as the conversion will be used for additional living space.


When considering a loft conversion price will obviously be a factor. But don’t just jump at the lowest quote as a low quality conversion could actually lower your home’s value rather than raise it. Don’t accept any proposal with a temporary staircase as this will add little value in the eyes of your local estate agent. Paying for a professionally designed and constructed job may seem painful now but it will pay back in spades when you come to sell your property.


What kind of advantages does a loft conversion offer over a normal house extension project? Well there are many. A loft conversion will be fine for the majority of house types and styles. The cost of a loft conversion is also likely to be a lot less than a home extension would be and there is no need to lose valuable outdoor space as well. A lengthy planning permission process will be required for extensions but loft conversions should avoid the need for this with the recent changes in the law. Another major advantage is that loft conversions often take less time to plan and build which means that you are not sharing your home with local builders for weeks on end .


You can go a step further with your loft conversion and help the environment by installing solar panels to generate electricity, heat your water or both. This will also decrease your fuel bills too. Incentives are available from the government for householders who install solar panels for the generation of electricity and water incentives are on the way.


The cost of your loft conversion will depend on a number of factors such as the size of your loft, structural requirements, whether existing water tanks need to be moved or replaced, floor structure requirements and so on. Overall it should prove to be a sound investment.



There are many advantages to choosing a loft conversion if a quality solution is sought. To find out more about quality loft conversions visit this link loft conversions London.