14 tips for.converting your loft

Adding a loft conversion is a cost-effective way to get more space without extending your home's footprint - but is it the right route for you? Our expert guide explains key factors you need to know

- WORDS: SARAH HARLEY AND MICHAEL HOLMES

Opting for a loft conversion can be one of the best means of increasing the floor space and number of rooms in your home - and, when well executed, it can also significantly boost the value of your property. As well as avoiding loss of outdoor space, it can also be a more cost-effective means of extending.

There's plenty to consider before you embark on a loft conversion, however, and it's crucial to know what kind of project you are stepping into and what it might entail. In some cases, for example, it might be necessary to extend the roof in order to increase the available headroom and space.

Our in-depth guide is designed to answer your key questions on adding a loft conversion in order to help ensure your project is a soaring success.

1 Check your existing roof structure

So what are the easiest types of home and roof structure to convert? 'Traditional brick-and-block constructed buildings with the ridge running left to right and a timber roof structure, with good access for vehicles and plant, are generally the easiest lofts to convert,' advises Daniel McMurtry, group sales manager at Simply Loft.

'Timber-framed houses, properties with unusually complex roof structures, and post-war prefab houses with iron roof trusses are the most challenging to design and build.'

Traditional timber-framed roof structures are often the most suitable type for loft conversions as the space can be opened up relatively easily and inexpensively. Typically found in pre-1960s houses, rafters on traditional roofs run along its edges, leaving a good amount of free space. The rafters may need to be strengthened or additional supports added (your structural engineer will advise on what is required).