Although every project is different, we follow a general timescale that is used conditional to the type of Loft Conversion you may want installed.
To get your new loft, you must go through several procedures, each of which has a basic schedule that we will outline for you below.
The majority of Loft Conversion timelines have three stages: design, planning, and construction. We will briefly go over each one:
The design stage is principally a two-step procedure that involves drawing out a blueprint to plan out your vision for your Loft Conversion in Leeds. The first phase will generally require a design team, that will normally include an architect, who will visit your home to assess the area to gather crucial knowledge about the property to form a complete picture. The design team will also evaluate fire access, accommodation needs, headroom, and access.
Once you are happy with the final design, we move on to phase two. The plans are then presented to the planning and building control office, to obtain the necessary permissions so we can proceed with installing your Loft Conversion.
In total the design stage can take anything from two to four weeks to complete.
Some loft conversions in Leeds can be built without obtaining planning permission, for example a terraced or semi-detached residential property can be converted, but it must be no taller than 4 metres in height, and no longer than 3 metres high and be a single storey building, however you must by law adhere to building regulations, if it has a listed status.
The time it takes for planning permission to be granted varies depending on where you live within the UK. The local planning authority will offer you an estimate of how long it will take for the plans to be approved. If the design does not comply with local regulations, it will need to be revised until it is legally acceptable.
If you want to find out more, you can visit your Local Planning Authority through your council.
Once the drawings have been accepted and the building control office is satisfied, a Project Manager will work with you to identify a suitable start and finish date for your loft conversion. They will also keep you up to speed on the progress of the development using a detailed timetable.
The length of time it takes to finish a Loft Conversion varies on the type required and the size and scale of roof works to be completed, for example:
You will also need to schedule time to build the stairwell and the room’s entrance.
Keep in mind, any questions, concerns, or reasonable recommendations you may have will be promptly addressed by your project manager.
If you’ve got a loft in Leeds you need converted by a certain time-frame, then get in touch with us and we’ll do our best to help give you a fantastic new loft space, just when you need it! Fill in our contact form, or call us directly on 01134360251!
]]>More often than not, loft conversions are considered a permitted development and will not require planning permission, as long the building work fits certain criteria attached to your building. If your plans exceed these limits and conditions, like extending or altering the roof space beyond its current boundaries, you will need to apply for planning permission.
New planning rules and regulations came into force on 1st October 2008, these state the size of the proposed building extension, its position in relation to the house, and its proximity within your existing boundaries before the need to apply for planning permission, they must:
If your plans for a loft conversion exceed any, or all the restrictions to be considered a permitted development, you will need to apply for planning permission before going ahead with your conversion, failure do so can be quite expensive and even illegal.
If you are planning a development for a flat or maisonette these can vary in many key areas in comparison to houses.
For example, building an external roof extension or a dormer, would require planning permission, whereas internal works, do not generally require planning permission, though local interpretation can differ, so it is important to have clarification before proceeding with any works.
If you live in a conservation area you are strictly required to apply for planning permission. It is therefore important to be aware and rigorously follow any home development regulations to understand how these can restrict your home improvements, dormers, and roof extensions to conform to the existing environment. If you fail to do this you may face a fine, imprisonment, or both.
Of course! The reason we’ve developed such a strong reputation as a loft conversion company in Leeds is because of our dedication to helping out whenever we can!
If you’re not sure if your loft can be converted, then give us a call on 0113 436 0251 and we’ll do what we can to advise you!
]]>Dormer loft conversions are the most popular type of loft conversion in Leeds for a few main reasons:
Where dormers fall short however is that they can often be eyesores, especially when done on the cheap by cowboy companies. A row of beautiful roofs can be ruined by a giant black monolith in the middle of them. If your community has an active home owners association, you may also have some serious trouble with this! Also, Dormers can sometimes suffer from poor insulation form the new flat wall, especially, again, in the case of cheap conversions!
Mansards have a couple of advantages over Dormers, however they also have a couple of drawbacks. First the good news:
Their main disadvantages are three-fold however. Mansard loft conversions in Leeds absolutely need planning permission, as you are changing the structure of the roof, so this will add time and cost onto your conversion. Due to the complex construction work required, these conversions also take a fair amount of extra time and money compared to Dormers as well.
Generally, the rule will be that if money isn’t a great deciding factor for you, Mansards will be the better choice, however if money is tight, a Dormer will achieve most of what you want from a Mansard! We hope this post has helped you, and whether you need us to build you a new Mansard or Dormer loft conversion, get in touch with us today for a simple chat about how we can help you!
]]>Unfortunately, while every building team tries their best to lower the disruption for their clients during building projects, there will naturally be some due to the need of moving materials and tools in and waste back out as well as builders moving in and out of the property. What we do is try to ensure that our builders are as compassionate, understanding and friendly as they can be, which we hope will make you feel more at ease. The question of whether or not you need to leave is a personal one, but there are a number of factors to take into account that can inform your decision.
If you are getting a loft conversion that requires changing the structure of the roof in any way, such as a Dormer or Mansard, then our building team will build scaffolding to the roof and endeavour to only enter and exit the loft through a small entrance through the roof. This means that our builders will only have to go through your house near the very end of the conversion when they have to close the gap and place the finishing touches to the inside of the loft. this reduces the total disruption to you. At the same time, these conversions take longer, so noise and the scaffolding maybe be an issue for a few months.
If you’re getting a Velux conversion however, we won’t be erecting scaffolding as we won’t need to change the roof structure. While this will save you money, it does mean our building team will have to work through your home which may cause some noise, mess and in certain circumstances may distress those with special needs, such as autistic children, vulnerable elderly people or those with mental illness. In these circumstances we’ll do what we can, but it may be best for you to move out during the period of the loft conversion if you believe moving temporarily would be less disruptive. However, because Velux conversions are done quickly, you’d only be looking at a month to a month and a half of disruption.
This is something you should ask any building company you’re approaching regarding your new loft conversion. All we can say is that we take pride in adding value for our clients, so our builders do their best to clean up after themselves. We also hire a clean-up team after our work is done, to make sure your house is back to how you had it before the conversion, if not even cleaner! This includes any dust and dirt on the floors and walls!
Finally, while this may seem oblique, you’ve got to bear in mind, we’ll be cutting holes in your roof even if it’s just a Velux conversion (to place in windows/skylights). This means your house will be open to the elements! If you have to schedule your conversion for the Autumn, you’ll be a victim to the rain, and if you’ve scheduled it for winter, there’ll be no insulation from the outside air! We highly recommend moving out during the period if it is a time of year with bad weather just for your own comfort!
While there re other considerations, such as the electricity and gas being cut off at certain times for installation, dust reaching into other rooms and pets etc. the three questions above should help you come to a solid decision as to whether you want to move out or not! We always leave the choice up to our clients and can work whether or not you are living in the home at the time. If you have any doubts or questions for us regarding your planned loft conversion, then feel free to contact us today!
]]>One of the areas that we complete loft conversions within the surrounding areas of Leeds is Morley. Morley is a relatively small and quiet market town just south-west of the city of Leeds, and is one of the more beautiful places you could visit around the United Kingdom. We also have a few loyal customers within the area, and as we understand there are always those within the area looking to convert their lofts. We would like to go into some detail about the average loft conversions in Morley, as well as discuss some of the previously completed projects within the Morley area by us. Since we like to ensure that every area around Leeds has the chance to work with us if they would like, it is also important for us that those within the area know how much we care about them.
One recent project that we completed within Morley was a dormer loft conversion. A dormer loft conversion itself is relatively uncommon within the area, since the homes themselves are very suitable to hip to gable conversions, and the additional space does not benefit many homeowners within the area based on prior projects. However, this specific customer was looking for a lot of additional space within their home to create an additional bedroom and bathroom set within the home itself. For those within the Leeds or Morley area who are looking for a relatively cheap loft conversion that can create additional living space, then a dormer is a very wise investment compared to hip to gable and mansard loft conversions however.
The average cost of a dormer loft conversion in Morley can be anywhere between £20,000 – £35,000, with the average dormer conversion in Morley costing £25,000. Unlike the city of Leeds or other surrounding areas, Morley residents that not necessarily in need of the additional space, making the average cost on the lower side of the price band. This means a lower labour cost per project, and a lower cost of raw materials since the steel beams and other materials do not necessarily have to be as large as other conversions. If you are looking for a larger increase in space to perhaps create additional living space for up to three rooms, then you would be looking towards the higher price bands within the Morley area. As far as loft conversions go however, this is still a viable option and is a relatively efficient one at that.
We have also noticed dormer loft conversions taking slightly longer within the area than say Leeds, because of two unfortunate factors. The first would be the designs of the buildings themselves requiring additional work to complete the dormer conversion efficiently, but also that most of our employees live relatively further away from the area, meaning that they cannot spend the additional time they may otherwise be able to. While the average dormer conversion within Morley can take 5 – 10 weeks to complete depending on the size of the project, we would suggest that the dormer conversion on average takes 6 weeks (two additional compared to the hip to gable loft conversion) due to the location distance. However, this is still on the smaller national scale average. This is also based completely on projects which we have completed within Morley on the past, meaning that we cannot suggest it should take any faster or longer depending on which company you go with.
Many customers within Morley often request loft conversions that mainly maximise the size within their current loft, rather than extending the loft during the conversion itself. However, each project comes down to the needs and requirements of each customer, so I would not rule out any loft conversion specifics until you are aware of the project you would like to complete and the size of the project itself. We will discuss more about loft conversions in Morley within the future, but I hope you enjoyed today’s post and will look forward to more within the future!
]]>One of the most commonly asked questions for us at Leeds Loft Converters is how much it costs to convert your loft. Every loft conversion is different, with there being three different types of loft conversions and all of them being different shapes and sizes. It is hard to give an exact estimate on the price of a loft conversion without first learning the requirements and specifics of the project, and knowing what will be needed to complete a loft conversion to the needs of the homeowner. However, based on our combined years of knowledge and experience regarding loft conversions in Leeds specifically, we are able to give you some averages for each loft conversion. This is based on previously completed jobs, and will be separated by the type of loft conversions themselves. On a broad average, a loft conversion in Leeds would cost between £20,000 – £40,000.
Mansard loft conversions are becoming the most popular loft conversion options for home owners in Leeds. Mansard loft conversions can cost anywhere between £30,000 – £45,000 in Leeds dependent on the size of the project. The mansard conversion is the most varying in price however, as it can cost as low as £25,000 or as high as £50,000 depending on how much space you would like to add and the specifications of the project itself. Many customers like to extend their loft with a mansard by three or four rooms, which in turn means an investment in more raw materials and labour hours overall. This contributes to the higher budgets, since the raw materials are the most expensive factor into the project. If you are considering a mansard conversion as a dormer or hip to gable loft conversion cannot provide you with the space that you need, then the investment provides a strong Return of Investment. Otherwise, you should consult with us to see if the same project can be completed using another loft conversion option.
Dormer loft conversions are the most common loft conversion option within Leeds, as it can provide you with adequate extension space along with your conversion. A dormer loft conversion on average would cost you anywhere from £20,000 – £30,000 in Leeds. This is once again dependant on the size of the loft that needs converting, and how much space your dormer conversion will extend to. Another factor that is included in a dormer loft conversion is if planning permission is necessary or not. The process of planning permission itself can be long and time consuming, and can automatically lengthen the time and partial cost of the dormer conversion. Since a dormer conversion is also an extension like a mansard, the raw materials necessary for the conversion also factors into the price.
A hip to gable is the final option available to any home owner who is looking to have their loft converted. The average hip to gable loft conversion in Leeds costs on average between £18,000 – £25,000 depending on the size of your current loft and how much your loft conversion company would need to expand the hip on your roof However, the conversion could cost £30,000 + depending on if you decide to construct a Juliet balcony or double Velux window balcony to the loft. It’s mostly dependent on the project and the specifications of the completed loft when factoring price, which makes the estimation more specific once consultation begins.
Although the cost of loft conversions in Leeds dramatically differ depending on the size and scope of the project itself, I hope you could grasp the general average. While it is difficult to give anyone an average price for their specific conversion before a consultation has begun, we hope to have given you some insight onto the budgets required for the conversions to see if they are viable for you or not.
I hope you enjoyed todays blog post, and be sure to check out our recent posts along with this too!
Hip to gable loft conversions are becoming an increasing popular and interest loft conversion choice for the city of Leeds. Many of the homes within the city of Leeds are built as detached or semi-detached housing, meaning that a hip to gable is the least suitable option for most home owners. This does not necessarily mean it is the incorrect choice, however. Depending on the size of your loft and more importantly, if the size of your loft wall is slanted, then it could still be a viable and useful alternative to other loft conversion options. Leeds Loft Converters often come across homes that – while not the most suitable – may still be eligible and can benefit from a hip to gable loft conversion. If you are one of these home owners, then I would advise reading this blog post today. We will discuss a hip to gable loft conversion that falls under this situation.
Earlier this year, we completed a hip to gable loft conversion within a semi-detached residential property within the city of Leeds. While a dormer or mansard loft conversion would have been more suitable for both additional space and size restrictions, the hip to gable was still the most suitable overall. Within the exposed side of the home, the loft itself was very slanted. It was slanted more than the average residential property within the area would be. This meant that although the left side of the home that was not exposed could not gain any additional loft space with the hip to gable conversion, the exposed side did offer the suitable space for the home owner to still benefit from. Since the home owner was considering a common double bedroom and bathroom conversion, with some creativity on the design aspect and placing fixtures and furniture to maximise as much space as possible, we could turn a difficult project into a standard hip to gable conversion.
The average hip to gable loft conversion takes anywhere from 4 to 7 weeks depending on restrictions and other factors such as budget and man-hours. This hip to gable conversion was completed in 4 and a half weeks, since we only needed to construct within one side of the home. Other construction aspects included building thick walls to separate the bathroom and toilet, and the creation and installation of stairs leading up to the loft. The construction process itself was more complex when considering health and safety, since the primary cause of concern during loft conversions is ensuring viable living space. Pulling the construction further towards the right meant that although the loft itself was relatively uneven in space, it was still suitable for living.
The project itself also cost a total of £20,000, much like the average hip to gable loft conversion. Any financial benefits they would have received from only converting one side were unfortunately defeated since the overall size in which we had to extend was still the average for a normal conversion. Within this large additional space, we could create the bathroom, meaning that the bedroom was the larger room that was able to take most of the space within the loft conversion. Often this is a benefit the standard home cannot take advantage of, but this was not a planned benefit. The automatic nature of the loft conversion meant we had to pull most of the loft conversion design towards the unexposed side of the home to ensure structural integrity, leaving the smaller, lighter items which would be installed within the bathroom on the exposed side.
Rarely in Leeds or any other city in the United Kingdom would such work and creativity within the construction need to take place. Very few homes around the area would have such slanted hips, making this a more unique and special construction case. If you are looking for a loft conversion in Leeds, then contact us at Leeds Loft Converters today! Also, make sure to check out our blog on dormer loft conversions in Leeds!
]]>The first room that we worked on with the loft conversion was the hobby room. We created two separate walls for both the bedroom and the bathroom, allowing for enough space for each room without compromising. We also didn’t use thicker materials and instead created thin walls per request of the home owner. The hobby room itself was interesting, as it was for an artist. The actual view of the home was nice and the home owner (who is a painter and artist) wanted to see the view for artistic purposes. We fit a large, double Velux window within the hobby room of the loft conversion to ensure as much natural light as possible. Using a double Velux window, we also allowed to enough view space no matter where you are placed within the room itself. We also used automatic blinds for additional elegance and style for the home owner, who appreciated the look.
The hobby room was also decorated to include many different artwork pieces created by the home owner, while also creating what we called the ‘Painters Corner’. The corner of the room closest to the Velux window was decorated to home a desk on the side that housed all painting and artistic materials, and we then installed a large easel holder within the other corner close to the window. We placed a large stool in front of the easel, and on the side closest to the desk we placed a paint brush holder and a pallet holder. The last thing we placed within the space of the hobby room was a decorative flower pot holder for the home owner to place a flower they found inspirational. We left the overall design of the room quite plain per request, painting the walls a plain white. We also laid dark brown wooden flooring for easy clean up, and to ensure as little as possible stain exposure.
The bedroom was very different in terms of the design. We painted the walls purple while filling pattern within the walls that were almost a black rose pattern. In terms of aesthetics and look, it may have been one of my favourite wall designs that I have seen within recent years. The purple itself was not too dark or light, using Royal Purple. The black pattern paint also looked exquisite after it dried, as it matched the furniture within the room perfectly. We also laid light brown flooring within this room and installed a large skylight within the ceiling to bring a large amount of natural light within the top of the bedroom. Along with the skylight, we installed remote controlled blinds within the ceiling to allow for easy opening and closing of the bling themselves. Finally, we installed a small Velux window to not allow too much light within the room.
Finally, the last room we worked on was the bathroom. Since the room itself was relatively small, we could only add a shower, sink and toilet within the room. This is what the dormer loft conversion was used for, meaning they could create a little bathroom to be used along the bedroom. Adding a towel rack and a large mirror, we managed to make the bathroom as stylish as possible and functional with the space restrictions provided.
At Leeds Loft Converters, we provide the loft conversion Leeds offer. We hope you enjoyed this post, and you’ve checked out our previous post about mansard loft conversions in Leeds! Also, make sure to check our next one too!
]]>Recently, we completed a mansard loft conversion in Leeds that was one of the largest of scale we have ever completed. Yesterday we spoke about loft conversions in Leeds generally, but today we are talking specifically about a mansard conversion we completed. The average mansard conversion in Leeds can usually fit three different rooms within the conversions altogether, while this mansard conversion was large enough to fit 4 and a half rooms. For those who are unaware, a four and a half room addition within a home is the same as the average two bedroom flat within Leeds. That is a large amount and as a loft conversion company, this is something we also see rarely.
The customer wanted two double bedrooms, a hobby room and a bathroom on the half for their room specifications, while also having a specific layout in mind. This is usually how we complete most projects, but the issue with this specific mansard conversion is that the layout they wanted meant a large increase in budget unnecessarily. We believe it is our duty as a loft conversion company to raise this concerns with the homeowner to let them know that we could save them quite a bit of money by changing a few rooms around for special restrictions so they wouldn’t have to invest so much into the raw materials required. Unfortunately, the customer would not change their mind. This isn’t an issue for us as a company since the main aim apart from the construction of the loft conversion is to ensure customer satisfaction, so if they were happy, we were!
The mansard loft conversion itself was on the financially higher end of the average loft conversion. When you consider how much manpower and resources is required to complete a project of this scope, this is natural. The average mansard conversion can cost between £25,000 – £55,000 so if you consider that this specific customer was spending within the higher end for their conversion, then you’d realise the investment is large. This customer also specifically pursued the mansard and a loft conversion in general to add what you could consider an additional extension within their home for the reason of rising property value, so the investment would be well returned.
With home owners who are specifically investing within their home using a loft conversion, we must keep specific needs in mind that we wouldn’t otherwise. When a home owner invests into a large loft conversion for the idea of raising the property value significantly, you should design the loft conversion in the eyes of both the current and the next home owner. While this may sound obvious, it can be very tricky to understand someone’s needs while predicting another’s. This is where our personal designers come into place, since they design very ergonomic rooms to ensure general aesthetical pleasing. An example of this would be a gender-neutral children’s bedroom, so the next homeowner can see a sample of the room and design from there. The rooms must also be easily accessible for anyone who would like to use it. This includes children, adults and those with a physical handicap and often this need can be accidentally neglected.
That is why with this specific mansard, once we learnt that the conversion was to add property value and not for use of the home owner himself, we pushed for neutral colours and designs. After explaining the issue of the potential buyer needing to see the room in their vision rather than the home owners, the loft conversion itself was smoothly transitioned and the designs our professionals created were both aesthetically pleasing and practical. This is something that we as a loft conversion company must always keep in mind when completing these projects. The overall goal is for the customer to receive a loft conversion they are happy with and they see value in, so to explain something simple that would benefit them in the long run is what made this mansard loft conversion a success in both our eyes and the home owners.
If you are interested in any more loft conversion stories or thoughts, please check out our next blog post!
]]>In our companies first blog post, we will be discussing loft conversions in general. In the next few weeks we will make individual posts regarding mansard, hip to gable and dormer loft conversions but we thought it best to start with a brief outline of loft conversions specifically in Leeds. Loft conversions are becoming very common in Leeds specifically because it is becoming a cost-effective way to add extra living space within your home without having to pay the same amounts an actual home extension would cost. This is especially important if you approach a professional company such as us, since you can rest assured that the service you will receive would be the best possible quality.
When you are converting your loft for the additional space and you approach a company like us, you would also receive updates throughout the whole process and you would also be told in detail what is being done throughout every step of the way. A loft conversion can give you many benefits from both the additional living space and the financial returns the investment could give you, making it one of the best ways in today’s world to invest in your own property without having to spend more than you would wish to.
The most common loft conversion that you would see in the Leeds area is a mansard conversion because of the large amount of space that is created within the loft. Not only do you benefit from the space that already exists within the loft using a mansard conversion, but you also receive additional space from the extension itself. This is beneficial to many within the Leeds area because of both the way the homes are shaped within the area, but mainly because it is the most cost-effective way to gain a large amount of space without a ground floor extension.
The dormer conversion is also a cost-effective way to extend the space within your home without using a traditional home extension on the ground level of your home. Like the mansard conversion, it would allow you to gain a decent amount of space. While it does not provide the same amount of space the mansard would, it still provides a good amount while costing less, which makes it the perfect in-between for those who do not want to invest in a mansard conversion while wanting more space than a hip to gable would provide. This is a growing trend in Leeds while people are becoming more invested in increasing the property value of their homes rather than investing in living space.
A hip to gable loft conversion is perfect for customers who are not looking for a large increase within their property value but are instead looking for a decent amount of living space within their home to create an additional bedroom and/or bathroom if the space permits. This is a common conversion for home owners who have a growing family, since it doesn’t require them to purchase a new home for an additional bedroom. Since the average hip to gable conversion is less than half the price of a normal home extension, the hip to gable has become a very popular option in the United Kingdom overall.
The rise of loft conversions came just after the crash of 2007. If you look back at any statistics towards loft conversions, you can see the trend grow. Roughly 2007-2012 is where I got my start in the loft conversion industry because of the crash. It became a way to increase the property value of your home for you to then sell for profit, or to ensure that you have the space required within your home without having to compete for what where at the time very expensive homes for an additional bedroom. This is something I lived through, and I think that is why we have become one of the best companies that provide loft conversions Leeds offer. With the experience that I have gained throughout the years and the collective experience our employees have, we believe we are the best.
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