Loft Conversions Orpington

Are you considering a loft conversion in Orpington? Orpington is one of the most desirable locations to live in the UK right now thanks to its easy links to both the capital and Europe. It is relatively easy, wherever you live in Orpington, to commute to a range of locations for work thanks to its outstanding local transportation links. Because of this, it is expensive to buy in Orpington, pricing many local people out of the housing market altogether. This is great news for any budding property developers, but not so great if you already own your own home in Orpington and simply can’t afford the expense of moving costs in order to upsize your home to meet the needs of your growing family.

One way that you can upsize without having to move or extend out beyond the existing footprint of your home is to extend your property upwards; meaning that you can finally utilise the wasted space at the top of your house that is usually reserved for junk storage and old Christmas trees. OR Lofts can create a beautiful, bespoke living space from an area that is usually completely wasted. Let us use our professional insight to help you to reconfigure your living space to ensure that you have those desperately needed extra bedrooms or the luxury bathroom that you’ve always wanted.

Loft Conversion Specialists Orpington

Loft extensions can be relatively easy and straightforward home improvements provided that they are undertaken by experienced and qualified loft extension specialists. They can be relatively cost-effective too when you consider that any funds you invest in your loft conversion in Orpington can be offset against the equity that is gained from having an extra bedroom or an upstairs bathroom. A reputable company that specialises in loft conversions in Orpington is the key to ensuring that your home meets the needs of your family.

Many loft conversions in Orpington do not require planning permission. However, you will need to check that your beautiful new living space meets the local Orpington requirements for planning. Planning consents can often depend on the type of design that is required for your loft conversion. For example, a velux extension usually does not require planning permission as it doesn’t appear to be overly different from the outside, beyond the addition of a window in the roof. A dormer loft conversion may require planning permission as it will alter the appearance of the roof space due to the addition of extra space.

OR Lofts will be able to advise you on what design will work best in the space available, but you will need to check the local planning considerations before you commit to any works.
You will also need to ensure that your new loft extension meets building and fire regulations. At OR Lofts, we will ensure that your new loft conversion is safe, and has the appropriate rapid ventilation, mains-operated fire alarms and fire-resistant panels and doors to ensure that you can sleep soundly, safe in the knowledge that your new bedroom is as safe as it can be. It is always important to make sure that any loft conversion companies in Orpington are entirely reputable and have excellent testimonials from previous clients who are happy with the quality of the work undertaken. You’ve probably heard the phrase ‘buy cheap, buy twice.’ This is almost certainly true in the construction business, and a cheap quote is rarely the best quote if you want a loft conversion done properly in the Orpington area.

Loft Conversion Orpington

A further aspect to consider when obtaining quotes for loft conversions in Orpington is that a staircase must be fitted to enable access to the loft conversion. Ladder access is not acceptable. This is not only because it makes access difficult, but it is also not permissible by law in terms of fire regulations. In the event of an emergency, it is vital that you can easily evacuate the loft conversion. This may be through the fitted fire window, but equally, in the event of a medical emergency, you will need to be able to vacate the room safely via a properly fitted staircase. An experienced loft conversion company like OR Lofts will be able to work the staircase into your home seamlessly and reconfigure your existing space to make the staircase feel like it has always been there. Always ensure that any quote you receive from a loft conversions company takes into account how best to fit the required staircase to meet your needs and to fit the existing space perfectly.

Once planning has been granted, (if necessary) a loft conversion takes around 7 weeks from the first day to it being totally ready to move into. Before the process can begin, a loft conversion specialist would carry out a survey to ensure that the existing structure is safe and rot-free, as any pre-existing issues may affect the timeline of the build. Whilst seven weeks may sound like a long time, bare in mind that to purchase a new home can take a minimum of 12 weeks, and that’s only if you have a chain-free buyer and can move into your new house straight away. The 12 weeks does not include the usual solicitor hold-ups or having your house on the market! When you take that into account, most people would be waiting a minimum of 6 months before they could move into their new home. Seven weeks to get the space you need at the fraction of the cost of a house move really isn’t so bad.

If you are considering a loft conversion in Orpington, be sure to get a quote from OR Lofts for beautiful, bespoke loft conversion that is custom-built for your home.