The pandemic has pushed the amount homeowners spend on home improvements up by over 30% as so many of us hope to boost our living space after coming face to face with its downsides through restrictive lockdowns.
Loft conversions are a particularly popular choice, providing extra room for a creative space, bedroom or home office for the third of adults who are still working from home at least once a week because of a change in working habits post-pandemic.
The problem is, through all the excitement of changing things up, it can be easy to make mistakes with home improvements. When the improvements are much bigger than a lick of paint, and revolve around a huge change, like a loft conversion, those mistakes can go on to have huge consequences, which is why it is so important to hire an expert to get the job done right.
If you’re still thinking about cutting costs with a less than recommended local contractor, or the first company you find on Google, read on so that you can make the best possible decision for your home, your improvement plans and your budget:
Key Reasons Hiring An Expert Is A Great Idea When You Are Having Your Loft Converted
A Workable Design
Regardless of who does the loft conversion work, a great design needs to be created, or at least run by a professional to make sure that it can work. If the design is wrong, the conversion is destined for issues from the off. Worst of all, an incorrect design could mean the resulting work carried out is unsafe, potentially causing accidents or damage to the rest of your property.
Having Support Meeting Regulations
There are many different regulations that relate to loft conversions, and although you can (and should) read up on as much as you can through websites like the government’s planning permission page, the fact is anybody can get caught out by this kind of complex paperwork.
Experts can guide you through the paperwork process, letting you know exactly what you need to do and how to do it.
This ensures you have applied for everything that is going to be done to your home. You’re then protected from breaking the law and potentially facing fines, or even worse, reversal orders in future.
Ensuring Structural Soundness
The majority of lofts are not designed to support the weight of regular use, and so attempting a DIY job, or hiring somebody you don’t trust, could result in a high level of danger for anybody using the loft space.
Expert loft conversion companies will add a completely safe and strong structural floor to the loft that ensures there is no sagging when the loft begins to be used. This is peace of mind and security that you can only get from trusted companies.
A Loss Of New Homeowner Trust
Any new homeowner will want to be able to see what work has been done on the property, and who did it. If you show that you did the work, and perhaps did not meet the proper regulations, or cannot prove a professional design was met, you could struggle to sell your home, or potentially see a loss on the overall value because the work cannot be verified.
Avert The Potential For An Ugly Conversion
You can do a lot to add kerb appeal to any property, but you can only do so much to boost ugly work. There’s no point in putting lipstick on a chimp, right?
Instead, why not hire a professional loft company who knows how to ensure the aesthetics of the conversion, actively work with, or even enhance the look of your home inside and out.
A Cost-Effective Approach
You may well be tempted to DIY a loft conversion to try and save money, when in reality, it’s more cost-effective to hire professionals. This is because they do the work from start to finish legally, quickly and effectively. There are no delays, no issues with the design, no paperwork issues, safety problems or challenges getting workmen to get the work done right. All issues that can leach money from your budget and lead to the overall project costs continuing to rise.
Instead, the process is streamlined, there is attention to detail, there is minimal disruption and the results are functional, beautiful and designed to last.
No Stress, No Fuss
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking that having a loft conversion means having to project manage the entire process. It certainly will if you choose to mix and match your team, and manage every milestone and detail yourself. This can be highly stressful, with some statistics suggesting that nearly 10% of couples split during house renovations because of the stress.
By hiring a loft conversion company in Clapham you won’t have to do much more than communicate your needs effectively with the company you have hired. They will be able to provide you with regular updates, ensure you are consulted on any issues or changes, and ultimately keep you in control whilst taking away all the stress this process could cause.
All Kinds Of Possibilities
The best loft conversion companies know how to incorporate your budget, needs and vision into a loft conversion design that is exactly what you want. From the kind of loft conversion you have, to details like en-suite bathrooms, skylights and even floor to ceiling windows – the possibilities are endless once you let the experts show you what can be done.
Which Professional Loft Conversion Company Will You Hire?
Now that you know it is a smart choice to hire a professional loft conversion company, the next step is choosing a trusted home renovation team you can trust. Take your time, speak to several companies for comparison, and do your research. The result will be an easy, managed process from design to completion with exceptional results that transform the function and aesthetic of your loft space.