How Loft Conversion Increases the Value of a House

Extending a part of a home horizontally to accommodate another room is quite costly. That is why many homeowners are constructing up instead of out through loft conversion.

Loft conversion is a process wherein an empty attic is converted into a fully-functional room. The room could be used either as a living area, a sleeping area, or storage space. In the United Kingdom, it is one of the most popular home improvement projects. Though it requires a lot of work to raise a roof, loft conversion is less expensive than making an extra room altogether.

There are several advantages offered by loft conversion. But the best advantage is that it increases the house's value when it is sold. Why is that? Well, first, the house gets up to 30 percent more space when the roof is elevated. A house with more space usually has a better value and is perceived as a better investment than a house with a limited amount of space. In fact, in recent surveys among real estate agents, it was discovered that a loft conversion that was done professionally can increase a house's value by roughly 20 percent.

For the homeowner, it is also easier to have a loft conversion since planning permissions are usually not needed. Building control regulations, however, are almost always required and are subject to local authority requirements. These requirements are for the safety and conformity laws. Another point why a house with a professionally done loft conversion is worth investing in is that the roof and ceiling structures are made stronger. Standard houses are usually designed to support the weight of the ceiling only. Loft conversion, therefore, requires modifications that strengthen the structure to support the extra weight of people and other equipment.

Thus, it is a good idea to start considering a loft conversion now!