Tell me about your loft conversion

[pigleychez]

We are contemplating with the idea of converting the loft.

What did you have done and how much did it cost?

Had ours done a couple of years ago and it's fab! We don't have a big house so we got one good size bedroom and a reasonable bathroom. If memory serves I think it cost about £40,000 but we're in London so nothing is cheap down here!

We had a dormer put on which made a good sized bedroom and a small en suite. I think it cost about £25k 5 years ago. Love it - totally worth it.

Just had ours done. No dormer or ensuite as didn't want either. 23k but then extra 2.5k decorating and carpets plus we are getting a built in desk and bed to maximise space. We love it and live up there (is

Posted too soon.
Is a playroom and study space for me &lordc

Had one nearly 9 years ago. Big bedroom and squeezed in an ensuite so now have two loos. Lost space downstairs but gained invaluable space and still have access to loft space for storage. Cost approx 25 K . Also balanced addtional living space upstairs with a conservatory downstairs which we use all round, as we have blinds and heating. Love it!

We are thinking of having one too, someone is comming to give us a quote tomorrow.

Had ours done about 8? years ago - a lovely big bedroom and ensuite with a shower, some under the eaves and a huge cupboard storage in the room plus the loft space over the kitchen is more storage. It was about £40K IIRC (London)

We looked around at other loft conversions and pinched the good ideas - stairs are very slightly narrower than the ones from the ground to first floor but look like they have been there forever and there is no wasted space on the turn/bit into the room. The windows are recessed up so that it gives you a bit more head-height (as opposed to being flush with the inside wall/ceiling IYSWIM!

The only negatives are that there is a long pipe to take the toilet stuff to the main soil pipe and I am always worrying that someone will block it or the macerator! Also the macerator is a bit noisy, but I believe they are much quieter nowadays!

Dormer put in for a large bedroom and ensuite for us. Basic quote of 32k 3 years ago for building, plumbing, electrically. Decoration, tiling, flooring and sanitary stuff up to us to buy on top but the bathroom stuff was fitted within the quote. We spent another £10k on nice ensuite stuff, the redecoration from the hall downstairs right up to the top and custom made wardrobes. We didn't lose too much floor space from our smallest room. Totally worth it.

Thanks everyone.

Dh estimated about 30K but yesterday he was talking about getting the chimeny removed up there too as its quite large and smack bang in the middle of the loft!
Guessing that is going to bump it up quite abit so best get saving!! But like DH says, if we are going to do it then we should do how we want it rather than making do and then regretting it.

OrangePudding- let me know what they say. Would be interesting to hear a very up to date quote.

pigley, why don't you just get some firms in to quote anyway - you can discuss with them and get more ideas. It doesn't mean you have to go with any of them yet!

We just put ours onto the mortgage

Hi. Can I just ask if people had the steels put in for their quotes around £30k or under - or was the loft strong enough so no steels were required?

I don't recall anything about steels

The guy came today and confirmed it was possible.

He is going to send us a quote with and without ensuite fitting.

Ours is going to be pretty expensive as we will need steel beams along side our wooden floor beams as the loft is too shallow to build on top of our exisiting beams. Also we have a trussed roof so that's goin g to cost a lot as they need to support it differently!

We need to get planning permission as we live in a conservation area - another added cost.
Should get the quote in just over a week.

We had 3 sets of steels going into ours I believe. We also had a truss roof but it was no big deal to sort that. Again, both of those were factored into original quote price.

8 years ago £20,000 for ensuite and bedroom East Midlands(carpet/decoration/vcheap tiny ensuite shower/loo was extra.) We had the chimney removed. We have a super kingsize bed and quite a but of furniture up here, but wardrobe had to go on landing because of sloping roof.
Only thing hadn't factored in was cost of alarm system because we have a lot of break ins in our neighborhood and I discovered I wasn't happy sleeping o a different floor to my kids!

We managed to get the basic structural work done for £15 including steels. DH then did the ensuite and decorating. It's our main bedroom.

We thought about getting people in to quote so we have an idea but the most impatient person and it will just make me want it now! :)

DH doesnt want to put it on the mortgage as it would mean we lose the very good rate we are on now!

Theres a house down the road currently having one done. It interesting seeing it develop each day. Yesterday the velux windows at the front went in and today they are doing the dorma at the back.
My friend said once its done I should knock and ask them about it but not sure im brave enough.

Go and ask them, it's good to get references of how good a builder is and you might want a quote from them too.
Our loft conversion mortgage is separate from our main house mortgage. Both are now on the same rate and length of time but originally, the loft part was on a lower rate for 2 years so that both parts came up for renegociation at the same time. It was not a problem.