How to convert your loft

If you're inspired by Karen's project, follow our cheat sheet to plan your own conversion

- Anna-Lisa De'Ath

So often an underused dumping ground for the family's clutter, your loft has the potential to become a valuable extra room, giving you that bedroom suite, bathroom or home office you've been dreaming of. Before you start planning your loft conversion project, there are a number of key considerations to take into account.

Assess feasibility

Some lofts are more suitable for converting than others. Factors that determine whether or not your loft can be converted include:

Is there sufficient head height?

While building regulations permit head heights of 2.2m, it's best to aim for 2.4m once the flooring has been laid and the ceiling finished.

Is there enough space for a staircase?

Building regulations require a minimum of 1.9m of headroom at the centre of the flight, and 1.8m at the edges. You'll also need to allow space for the staircase on the floor below.

Consider your roof’s pitch.

The steeper the pitch, the easier the conversion will be, with most angles above 30° working best.

The structure of your roof.

There are two main types: a cut roof, or trussed. Both types are convertible, but will require different approaches.

Is there a water tank that will need to be moved elsewhere, or removed and replaced with a combi boiler?

Planning permission

A loft conversion undertaken in England shouldn’t require planning permission, providing:

• The new roofing does not add more than 40 cubic metres of space for terraced houses, or 50 cubic metres on semi- and detached houses. Any previous roof extensions will count towards this.