Your loft

Particularly in inner city terraced properties where opportunity for extension is limited, the best option to create extra bedroom space is by converting the loft.

The great appeal of a loft or attic conversion is that it provides an option to add accommodation without extending the footprint and perhaps taking up valuable garden space. Where there is a need to create extra bedroom and possibly bathroom space, the homeowner can do so within a roof void that is at best likely only to be used for storage. It is worth noting that not every property will be suitable for a project such as this. It is vital to ensure the pitch, head height and floor plan beneath will allow for the creation of a new stair and useable rooms within it. There may also be chimney stacks, which interfere with the space.

The initial stage of any consideration of a loft conversion will involve a preliminary meeting at which Howie Architects will be able to give an opinion on the viability. There may be planning issues with the position of skylight windows and dormers, particularly if the property is within a conservation area.

The external appearance of a roof with a loft conversion can sometimes look ugly where no thought has gone into the external appearance. Howie Architects will look as far as possible at a dormer construction that looks elegant to blend into the existing roofline as sympathetically as possible.