The Official Loft Conversions Blog

Loft conversions A to Z- D is for dormer

December 31, 2011 admin No comments

Loft Conversions- D is for dormer.

Dormers are very common when a loft conversions is built. A dormer is normally built without the need for planning permission as it is usually a permitted development.

The best thing about dormers is that you are gaining extra living space for free, that is you are not having to pay for the extra airspace that you are claiming into your loft conversion. The other advantage is that you are not having to give up any valuable garden space for this extension, that could be used for a variety of different uses.

The above dormer is a flat roof dormer and a hip to gable conversion. The rear roof is extended horizontally from the ridge and the side hip roof is converted to a gable. The volume increase in the roof structure was around 25 metres cubed. This is well within the required 50 cubic meterage for permitted development. This loft conversion created two bedrooms and a bathroom.

A dormer is a major roof conversions and requires expert planning. It is paramount that permitted development guidelines are followed otherwise the local planning department has the legitimate powers to remove the dormer. These includes the size of the dormer and the position of the dormer base from the eaves. Flat roof dormers are the most common type of dormers as the create the most added room to your loft space.

You can see from this internal view the amount of room created by a flat roof dormer. The bigger your house foot print and the higher the ridge height, the bigger your loft conversion.

The other most common type of dormer is the pitched roof dormer, these are required in certain areas like conservation or listed buildings. They are also preferred by some as they are less imposing.

This dormer is a pitched roof dormer with Juliet balcony, this does not normally require planning permission. These dormers look great but do not provide the same internal roof size.

This dormer looks great as the existing rear stair window is continued into the dormer window maintaining the symmetry of the rear windows.

Touchstone lofts can provide you a choice of dormer designs to suit your individual tastes. Whatever your needs, space or designs and asthetics, we can provide the best design to make the loft conversion of your dreams.

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Loft conversions; A to Z- C is for company

December 26, 2011 admin No comments

Loft Conversions: Why hire a professional expert loft conversion specialist like Touchstone Lofts

Loft conversions are not a simple and straight-forward building process; it requires expert planning knowledge and expert building skills. To have your loft converted right, you actually need a loft conversion specialist with experience in loft conversions.

An experienced loft conversion company like Touchstone lofts has years of experience and will be able to provide you with detailed information on the various designs available, if your empty space is right for a loft conversion, if there are any building requirements, the cost, and the amount of time it will take to complete the loft conversion.

Not every roof and empty space in a home can be converted. If you do not have the correct ridge height in your loft, you cannot have a loft conversion. On the other hand, the majority of lofts can be converted without any problem. Touchstone lofts can convert if the height is 2 metres or higher.

An expert loft conversion specialist like Touchstone lofts will be able to show you the different types of loft conversions that will work in your loft area and from here you will be able to design your loft and create the type of room you desire with that loft space.

Trying to do a loft conversion on your own is certainly not a great idea and using a builder that has never done a loft conversion or the occasional one, is not a wonderful idea. In order to build the conversion properly and to meet any building requirements, you will need a specialist with experience like Touchstone lofts

By using an experienced loft conversion company like Touchstone lofts you can feel assured that you are in good hands. The reason is a professional loft conversion company like Touchstone lofts have been doing this for years and know the entire process, which allows them to complete the project in a timely manner.

Not only can a professional create a beautiful room with your loft conversion, but they will also be able to provide you with information regarding if the area is suitable for a bathroom or even a couple of windows. The best part of all is that you will have a professional help you design the loft conversion you desire instead of just using a blue print, making it unique and personal. If you do not use a professional, you may be missing these extras that might just help make the room more functional as well as comfortable.

With a loft conversion, you may be able to have that spare bedroom, game room, or office space with its own bathroom and window or skylight. Just by contacting a Touchstone lofts, you will be able to design and receive expert advice to create a loft conversion of your dreams.

TouchstoneLofts.co.uk is a family owned company offering a wide array of loft conversions. You can see their entire gallery for your loft conversion by visiting their website.

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What is the minimum height required for a loft conversion?

December 18, 2011 admin No comments

Loft conversion minimum heights

When customers ring Touchstone lofts our staff will ask you about your loft ridge height. This is the height from the ceiling joist to the apex of the roof of the loft space.

For Touchstone lofts the normal minimum required height is much smaller than most loft conversion companies.

The normal minimum height required is around 2.4 metres for most loft conversion companies. This is around the average height for a typical room, newer houses, built since 1980′s have a floor to ceiling height of around 2.3-2.4 metres whilst older Victorian house can have heights of up to 2.7-2.8 metres.

The starting point is however very important is it may not be the finishing height you are left with in the loft, there a reasons for that.

Most loft conversions require steel for the floor and ceiling structures, especially if you have a trussed roof. This can raise the floor height by 20-30cm, quite significant if your are starting with 2.1 metres. This does not include the floor joists, floor boards and final floor surfaces, like underlay and carpet, adding some 10cm more. This is only half the picture as the headroom will also be reduced with new rafters, insulation, plaster-boards and plaster skim- reducing head height by a further 10-15cm.

Head height you start with is therefore crucial especially if you are starting with a low ridge height.

Touchstone Lofts are experts when working with very low starting ridge heights and have done many loft conversions that have a starting ridge height of 2 metres.

Touchstone lofts have the expertise and professional techniques, which we have mastered so we can still make your loft conversion work with even a low starting ridge. We have recently converted a loft that had a starting ridge height of 2.16 metres, the finishing head height was 2.09 metres.

Contact Touchstone lofts, the loft conversion experts if you considering converting your loft, whatever your ridge height no other company can provide you with the expertise and technical know how that can provide you with the best design and layout for your loft conversion.

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Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion?

December 15, 2011 admin No comments

Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion?

There is much confusion on whether planning permission is required for a loft conversion. The confusion is not without reason as the planning regulation are far from clear.

Lets begin with the simple rules, if your property is one of the following you will require planning permission-

Your property is either grade 1 or 2 listed.
Your property is in a conservation area.
Your property is a flat or part of any shared building like a house converted to various flats.
Your property lies in an “area of outstanding natural beauty” like the Cotswold’s.

If your property is any one or more than one of the above you will require planning. Touchstone Lofts are experts in tackling challenging loft conversions that require extensive knowledge and expertise. We have done many loft conversions that require expert planning liaison and detailed management.

We have converted loft in many grade 2 listed buildings and in conservation area do we understand how to provide you with the best possible loft conversion whilst complying with planning regulations.

Planning permission is not required if the above four points do not apply. Permitted developments were extended in October 2008 to allow roof extensions. Certain restrictions do still apply to the volumetric size of the extension allowed and the position of the dormer.

The likehood is therefore you will not need planning permission for your loft conversion.

Contact Touchstone Lofts for expert advice and a free no obligation quote for your loft conversion.

sales@touchstonelofts.co.uk or ring 0800 881 8194.

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How much do loft conversions cost?

December 7, 2011 admin No comments

How much do Loft conversions cost?

You may see various figures be banded around the Internet on the cost of a loft conversion. There are various types of loft conversions-

Types of Loft conversions-

a) Roof-light Loft conversion- These loft conversion don’t involve any roof extensions and involve just the addition of roof-lights. However this may sound cheap there are still a number of works that are still required. These include a new floor and internal structure, insulation, staircase, all electrical and plumbing works, not to mention all the required architectural drawings, structural calculations and other building regulation requirements.

loft conversion progress

b) Dormer conversions- A dormer loft conversion involve a roof extension, that is an extension to the roof to create extra space. This creates extra roof space

which is more important if your roof height is low. There are various types of dormers from small pitched roof dormer to full wrap around dormer to hip blade roofs.

If you have gabled roof, you will require a rear dormer.

So what about the cost, well if you are promised a conversion for less than £15,000 you better checkout the builder with a microscope. With the increasing costs of materials, that have to be used to get building regulation requirements it is surprising if it is possible to do it any cheaper. VAT at 20% is no help to those on a budget. Thanks Mr. Cameron, you should be discounting home improvements, we are after all spending and helping the economy!

A dormer conversion will cost around £25,000 plus Vat and if you want an en-suite, budget for around another £3,000.

If you have tanks in the loft you will need to consider the alternatives to remove this, either a pressurized cylinder or a combination boiler.

If your only parameter for a loft conversion is price, you are obviously discounting many factors such as reputation and affiliations of the loft converter.

Are you using a specialist loft conversion company or a builder who will lack the experience of a company that is a specialist. A specialist maybe more expensive for a reason, namely they will be fully appreciative to the costs and the ful extent of works required to complete the works.

A builder may enter with a cheaper initial price but may become stuck as the costs or building regulations pile up. After all would you really trust a car mechanic to service your expensive prestige car who services all makes of car. Are you really going to trust a builder who does the occasional loft conversion.

A loft conversion specialist like Touchstone lofts is an expert in the field of loft conversions and has extensive experience in all aspect of loft conversions.

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Loft conversions London

December 7, 2011 admin No comments

Loft Conversions London

We all need more room in our homes, the loft space over your head is usually not recognised
as being habitable but can be the largest unused room in your home.

A loft conversion is the ideal way to make your home bigger
without any loss of garden and major disruption to your home. Work is carried
out from the scaffold directly into your roof and you will be waving goodbye to
us in a matter of weeks, not months.

A loft conversion can be that master suite, en-suite and dressing room included, an
office, a child’s room, a cinema room, a gym or just a chill out room.

building regulations is
always required. Permitted development rights recently changed making a loft
conversion possible even if you have an extension.

Most lofts can be converted, the only requisite is the
minimum height requirement in your loft space. We can work from a height of 2.1
metres.

If you’re currently out-growing your home and need more
space, a loft conversion may be the best and certainly the most prudent way to
extend your home. It definitely beats the expense of moving home especially in
these tense and uncertain times. Consider the costs associated with moving-

Estate
agents fees
Solicitors
and surveyors fees
Removal
costs
New
schools
Refurbishment,
carpets and curtains for new home

That dusty and un-used space over your head may be the answer
to your growing family.

Even if your loft is of trussed roof construction, it can
still be easily converted, if fact nearly half the loft conversion we convert
are of this construction.

Speak to the experts, speak to Touchstone lofts

Visit our website at www.Touchstonelofts.co.uk or ring 0207 870 1117 for a free feasibility study.

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Loft conversions London- Do I need planning permission*?

December 6, 2011 admin No comments

Most loft conversions London do not need planning permission.

If your property is not in a conservation area and is not a listed building*, it is highly likely that a
loft conversion can be carried out without planning permissions.

Most of the confusion with planning is based on previous planning rules. New planning
regulations were introduced in 2008 that completely changed the landscape for
the better.

Permitted developments were introduced for the ground floor and the roof-space separately.
Typically a roof can be extended in volume by 40 to 50 metre cubed.

A London loft conversion can increase the value of your home by over 10-20% of the
amount you spend on the loft conversion.
Loft conversion can have a variety of uses from a new master suite bedroom
with an en suite, or a study/home office, cinema room, spare bedroom, chill-out
room or in these days of austerity-a letting out room to generate rental
income.

Whatever your needs the most likely position will be that the London Loft conversion
will pay for itself easily and is a sound long term investment.

So, even if you have a ground floor extension, you can still have a loft conversion. The
roof extension and the ground floor extension are treated separately for
permitted development purposes. Visit www.touchstonelofts.co.uk a market leader in attic conversions. There is a page on permitted developments. Or email sales@touchstonelofts.co.uk
or ring 0800 881 8194 for your free no obligation feasibility study for Loft conversions London.

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Touchstone Lofts A-Z- B is for bungalow

November 16, 2011 admin No comments

Touchstone Lofts are experts in Bungalow loft conversions. Loft conversions for bungalows are on the increase despite the current economic climate.

There are many reasons why Bungalow loft conversions are quite popular, bungalows are often built on a large footprint so the roof space is pretty large.

Even for small bungalows, semi detached or detached the footprint allows for 3 rooms, 2 bedrooms and an en suite.

loft conversion

It is paramount that the bungalow loft conversion is designed so the new stairs are located so they look like they have always been there and they do not adversely affect the existing ground floor accommodation and they maximise the new accommodation on the first floor.

Bungalow loft conversions clients include those preparing the conversion for their retirement and younger families looking to convert and gain a bigger house.

A loft conversion to a bungalow can add up to 40% to the value of the new home, depending on the size and the area of the conversion.

Trust Touchstone lofts to convert your bungalow, we will provide with our award winning credentials- Master Builder of the Year 2010- Highly Commended for “Outstanding Quality Craftsmanship and Excellent customer service”.

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Touchstone Lofts- (A-Z-) A-Is for Attention to detail.

November 13, 2011 admin No comments

A- is for Attention to detail.

Touchstone Lofts are not just concerned with the basics, we are committed to the attention to detail in all aspects of our business.

You will notice the difference from when the surveyor enters your property, we notice items and come up with ideas that customers have heard for the first time, it’s quite common to hear something like- “Oh, I have not been told that before”, and “that has not been mentioned by my previous visits from other companies”.

This attention to detail includes our extensive knowledge and experience in all aspects of loft conversions and all associated property care relating to a loft conversion.

loft conversion with rear pitched dormer

This includes your heating and plumbing, roofing, bathroom design and tiling, electrical, audio-visual and computer technology, design and decoration.

As a national and prestigious award winning company, we are are keen to extend all of our services to our most valued customers.

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Touchstone Lofts reviews

August 26, 2011 admin No comments

Touchstone Lofts reviews

Touchstone Lofts were employed by us to convert our loft in Fulham. We asked a few loft conversion specialists to quote and decided to use them as they seemed very professional and only did Loft conversions. The job was completed without any fuss and no hidden extras. All the workers were very friendly, efficient and left no mess. The main loft team got on very well with our neighbours as we needed their co-operation for the loft conversion.

Overall could not realy ask for more, there were only a few days when no one was working. We has a small leak and they were straight out to sort it out.

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