If you’re lucky enough to live in a fantastic area like Greenwich, with its close proximity and excellent transport links to central London, then it’s highly unlikely that you’d ever want to move away from it! Unfortunately, for many people who are finding their current homes a squeeze, they cannot afford to buy a larger house within the area. In Greenwich, most people do not have enough exterior space to extend their homes beyond the existing footprint; and even if they did, planning consents would be difficult to obtain, However, there is another way. A loft conversion in Greenwich is a surprisingly simple way to overcome your current space issues.
Purchasing a house can take months. In fact, the minimum time that the legal searches and contracts can take is 12 weeks, and that’s without marketing your home, finding a buyer and negotiating a price. A loft conversion can take just seven weeks from the start of work to the finish. It may well be somewhat disruptive having workmen in your home for a seven-week period but packing your entire life and moving to another area can be far more disruptive!
Planning consent is something that may concern you if you are hoping for a loft conversion in Greenwich. The short answer is “it depends” whether you need planning or not. It depends firstly on the design that is most suitable for your property. For example, whether a dormer is required to make the space in your loft larger. This can alter the appearance of your roof space from the outside and therefore may attract objections from your neighbours.
A simple velux conversion maintains the current look of the roof externally, apart from the velux window, which may be visible. You may also need to consider the possibility that your planning consent may be affected by how you intend to use your new loft conversion space. For example, if you intend to put more than two rooms in the space or if you intend to use it for business purposes. You can find out all of this information via the local Greenwich planning office. You can consult with an architect who may be able to advise you further based on their local knowledge of what has previously been allowed by the planning office.
Having a new staircase fitted is a necessity when planning out a loft conversion. Unfortunately, many people hope that having a solid, fitted staircase may not be required. This is because it can add to the cost due to the required reconfiguration of existing space in order to incorporate it. A fixed staircase is absolutely necessary from a legal perspective as it makes the house safer and is a requirement of both buildings and fire regulations. With a fixed staircase, it will not be obvious that your loft conversion is a later addition to the house.
A skilled loft conversion specialist like OR Lofts will ensure that the new staircase is configured as seamlessly as possible into your existing living space so you’ll forget that it was never there before. Again, this is far superior to having a pull-down ladder as it won’t stand out once you are used to it and you will be able to use it more easily, making the space more functional and making it a proper part of the home.
A further concern that would-be clients raise is how warm a loft conversion might be. Some potential clients are worried that a loft conversion might be too hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. With a professional loft extension specialist company like OR Lofts, your loft conversion will be well-insulated in line with current building regulations. It will be no different to the insulation that you have in the other rooms in the house. All new loft conversions are also well-ventilated and fitted with rapid and background ventilation. At OR Lofts, we can guide you through the red tape required to ensure that your loft conversion is safe and as fully functional as any other room in your home. In terms of heating, there is a wide range of options available including underfloor heating systems and electric radiant heating systems. Most loft conversions seem to favour the approach of not having radiators cluttering the walls, which allows for a more flexible use of the space available.
The key to any good loft conversion is making the most of the space created. One of the main benefits of using a locally renowned loft extensions specialist like OR Lofts is that we will use our experience and niche expertise in loft conversions to help you to realise the best potential for the space available. We will advise you on the likely timeline, the cost, and the most realistic vision for your space. We can work to a tight budget and timeframe, and we can also work to a more luxury brief. With our years of experience of creating bespoke living spaces in old, dark loft spaces we can make your vision into a workable reality that will serve you and your family for years to come.
Contact us to get a quote or a survey completed on your loft. It is vital that a survey is completed prior to work starting as it gives us an idea of what we are working with. Many older houses have rot in the roof space that may need to be treated first. This may seem like a pain, but it’s much better for you to get it sorted in the long run! This is why you should always use an experienced and professional firm like OR Lofts to entrust your new loft conversion Greenwich with.
To request a quote, please phone us on 0208 419 8329, email us on info@orlofts.co.uk or fill in this form. We promise to reply quickly to arrange a convenient time to view your property and provide a quote.
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