Preparing For A Loft Conversion: The Things You Need To Think About

Many of us these days are choosing to build extensions and convert garages and lofts to create
additional space in our homes. Moving can be expensive, and if you otherwise like where you live,
it can be a pretty effective way of making more space, and if or when you come to sell, it
can improve the value of your home. 

A loft conversion is an ideal way of gaining an extra bedroom, a games room or a home office. You
do not need any additional land, and as long as you have the correct planning permissions in place, it
is relatively straightforward. However, there are some things that you need to bear in mind before the
work starts, and that is what we are going to be looking at in this post.

Image: Pixabay CC0 License

Whether you need a bat survey

Bats are one of the protected species listed under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This means
that you cannot kill them, injure them or remove them. You also cannot intentionally or recklessly
damage, destroy, or obstruct access to any area used as shelter or protection by a bat.
Unfortunately, bats like accessible spaces that are warm and dark - and the lofts of older houses are
often a prime spot for them. They are not quite so keen on newer homes, because they are harder to
get into, but if you have an old house with high beams in the loft, you will need to think about having a
bat survey done from Arbtech Consulting Ltd, especially if there are any other signs of bat life. If you
do have them, it will not necessarily stop your conversion, but it may make the process a little trickier.

Empty your loft

This sounds like common sense, but actually, it is so important that it needs pointing out. Whether you
are doing the conversion or are hiring the professionals to do it, you need to make sure your loft is
empty. This gives whoever is working up there a safe and clear space to work in. Lots of us tend to
have old childhood toys and seasonal items such as Christmas decorations lurking in the loft. This is
the time to have a good sort out - take anything you no longer need or use to the charity shop, get rid
of anything broken and neatly organise and store everything else somewhere for the duration of the
conversion.

How you will get rid of debris

This depends on who is going to be doing your conversion. If you are hiring a professional builder to
do it, this may be something that they organise on your behalf, but if they don't, or you are doing the
work yourself, you will need to think about how you will get rid of the debris. A skip is usually the best
way, but if you do not have a driveway or space on your property, you might need to seek permission
from your council to put it on the road outside your house.

A loft conversion can be a fantastic way of adding extra space to your home, but it needs some
careful consideration first to make sure it all goes to plan.

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