Light – Increase the incoming light into your property
Many people think of loft conversions as simply a means to create more space. While this may have been the initial goal for a loft conversion, you will soon see that there are a host of other advantages you can enjoy when you choose to convert the loft of your London home. One huge advantage that’s so often overlooked is the increase in natural light that the loft conversion provides. This may seem like a minor advantage. But the impact that increased natural light has on your home can be extremely impressive.
Forgive us for stating the obvious. The roof of your house is hit with the most sunlight compared to any other part of your property. A loft conversion can take advantage of this by adding features such as roof windows that will take advantage of this natural resource and put it to great use.
Before the conversion, your loft may have been a dark and drab space. You may have simply viewed it as a seemingly cramped and dingy area of your home used mainly as a storage space for items you rarely use. But this seldom visited space can soon be completely transformed into a light and bright room bathed in magnificent sunlight. For many people, the transformation the loft conversion provides comes as a huge surprise. After all, we’re so often used to thinking of loft conversions as simply a room in the roof of our properties. However, maximising the opportunities for natural light to enter the room can deliver incredible results.
Creating opportunities for additional natural light to enter your loft conversion can deliver a host of aesthetic benefits. For starters, the natural light will make the room seem far brighter and more spacious. But aside from enhancing the appearance of the room, natural light can also have a really positive impact on your wellbeing. Natural light has many benefits, such as improving overall mental and physical health and sleep quality. Depending on the use of the room, it will also be an advantage in reducing eye strain and potential headaches, which can be an effect of poor light or overuse of artificial lighting. So, if you want your loft conversion to bring more natural light into your London home, we can help. We have plenty of loft conversion ideas that will maximise the use of natural light in your loft conversion and other areas of the house using clever design features to direct it towards more needed areas.
Plenty of companies offer a wide range of roof windows, both for pitched and flat roofs, with various visual finishes, meaning that roof windows can quickly become a functional and aesthetic feature of your loft conversion. We will happily talk you through all of the options available.
Easier – Easier than moving home
Moving home is, without a doubt, far more complicated than having a loft conversion done to your property. The endless list of considerations such as solicitors’ fees, surveying fees, moving logistics, change in commute, and potentially changing your children’s school is enough to put the idea in the bin, and that’s all before the most challenging part, actually finding the new home that you want. With London property prices soaring, attempting to find a home that you really want within your budget is a challenge that so many home buyers face. All those hours spent browsing online property listings and then arranging viewings can be hugely time-consuming. You will likely find that your new property also requires work to make it match your needs.
A loft conversion does away with all that hassle; an architectural practice such as GBS Architectural will ensure that measuring your home, designing, gaining approvals, selecting a contractor, and even overseeing the work is as stress-free as possible. In this situation, it is unsurprising that so many people choose to stick with their current properties and to add a loft conversion. Once all is said and done, you’ll laugh at the idea that you even want to leave the home you loved. Just think of all the time, money, and effort you will have saved!
As residential architectural designers, we always want to improve the local housing stock in London. This is another reason we encourage potential clients to seek to improve their homes rather than move.
Approval – Planning Permission is not always required
Many people shy away from the idea of improving their homes with extensions or loft conversions because they are concerned about the red tape. However, planning permission isn’t always an issue you need to worry about when you choose to have a loft conversion. We alluded earlier to the introduction of permitted development rights being one of the main contributing factors to the popularity of loft conversions. Due to the simple tick-box nature of permitted development rights, it is regularly possible to circumnavigate the need for a formal planning approval process, providing that the guidance is followed. This process is something that we are here to help you with. We can guide you through the entire process and help you to get your loft conversion started sooner.
The immediate concern is whether you have access to the rights; we can carry out the checks needed to confirm this on your behalf. If they are available and providing there is no reason not to, we would always advise that we look to utilise the rights to guarantee a smooth design and planning stage of your loft conversion project.
If the project doesn’t lend itself to using the rights or if they are not available to you, we could then look at the feasibility of a formal planning application; if the local planning guidance doesn’t oppose loft conversions, there is nothing to suggest that this would be a problem. Over the years, we have helped countless homeowners through the London planning process to get the go-ahead for their loft conversions. Regardless of the approval method, we have experience handling these matters and can offer you plenty of loft conversion ideas to ensure a smooth approval route.
