Should we convert the loft?

[wonderingwig]

We have a nice 3 bed semi which we've done work on downstairs so have it open plan. Up stairs now needs sorting and redecorating/ landing hall stairs need redecorating and recarpeting . All upstairs rooms need recarpeting. We have thought we would like to convert the loft to give a master suite with en-suite for us and then the second floor would be 3 bedrooms for guests/ dc can have our old bedroom so bigger I think the loft stairs would take up the box room) I've heard that dust gets everywhere doing a conversion so thought if we are going to do it no point redecorating and recarpeting before then

Quotes range from 45-65k. We have lots of equity in house so could remortgage now to release that and get cracking

But downsides to our house are its got a v small garden ( I can live with this and dc getting older so will be out with friends more at park etc) and it's in an area that is being increasingly overdeveloped. Developers are buying up houses extending and then putting loads of students in them so the street is becoming like an extension of campus ( the students are ok but obviously don't look after the houses gardens are a mess, there are noisy late nights etc. I think long term this will have an impact on whether we want to stay here but we are in catchment for great school at the moment and to move elsewhere in catchment with a bigger garden and what we want we we are looking at least doubling our mortgage plus stamp duty etc and even then we would probably have to do loads of work to it

I just don't want to spend all the money on the loft conversion if we are going to have to move anyway and worry we won't make it back

Any thoughts?

It might be worth getting some drawings done.

For me, it seems a lot to spend to essentially swap the smallest bedroom for a bigger one. If you can really get a 4th decent room in then great, but that would be a bit unusual in a 3 bed semi I think. If you loved the house and wanted to stay then great, that's much easier question, but it doesn't sound Ike you are keen to stay longer term.

I live in SE London and that is definitely the going rate for a decent loft conversion. We’ve had in a few quotes, and seen quotes other people have got, and £60k is standard. That’s for L shaped dormer, 2 rooms and shower room.

However quotes can vary a lot depending on things like whether you get the standard windows or better ones, number of windows, number of bedrooms, if whole roof is going to be retiled or you are just going to match the tiles, what flooring you choose etc etc.....

...As far as prices London is even more expensive than ‘the SE’ and although it’s obviously in the SE most Londoners would say London, not SE when looking at comparing prices. I’m about an hour south and no one I know with a 3bd semi has paid £65 for a loft conversion 🤷🏻‍♀️

Watch out for open plan layouts and building regs (fire safety).

If you have a hallway to the front door that your stairs go up from (ie the downstairs is open plan on the other side of the hall wall but not open plan to the front door and stairs) you will probably be ok , but if it's totally open plan you may need to put in a hallway wall or a sprinkler system.

We currently have fully open plan downstairs and in the middle of a loft conversion. To meet building regs we will (1) put in a wall and fire door to separate the kitchen, and (2) have a mist sprinkler system fitted.

To add - you will need to get advice about all this and make sure what you are planning meets building regs before you can properly cost the work. A mist system can easily add 5K or more to the conversion, plus mess up the finished decor downstairs.

We don't really need the space as only have one dc currently aged 6 ttc no 2 but looking increasingly unlikely to happen

But it would be nice for dc to have a bigger bedroom for sleepovers as currently in box room and spare room is used to house grandparents when they visit

Another solution is to move dc into spare room and evict when dgps visit!

Maybe that is the best solution until we know what is happening with future eg Brexit and also until dc gets junior place next year although we are right next to the school so should get in

If we move to more desireable area it's literally a few streets away so no obvious benefit other than the address and less development but I take PPs
point that in time the developers might develop there too!

It depends if you want to stay there for a reasonable period i.e. years. In the long term, you will recoup the money spent, in the short term not necessarily.
If you go ahead, use a loft specialist not a general builder. They deal with all the different aspects of what is involved all the time so nothing will be unexpected. They will also do it quickly and not be off on other people's little jobs every few days!. Choose a firm with good reviews and who will also connect you with people who they have worked for previously. It does affect the floor below more than you might expect so in terms of redecoration you're right, now is a good time.