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Steps in pulling off a successful DIY loft conversion
Converting your loft involves a lot of factors to consider, but these things should not hinder you from pursuing your plans. That’s why we have this loft conversion guide, to help you navigate through the nitty gritty details.
Start with the basics
Before buying any furniture or tearing down walls, you need to answer the following basic questions in converting a loft:
- Does your local building code allow you to convert your loft?
- Is your roof space tall enough to make your loft conversion plans possible?
- Will the floor below the loft remain unaffected by the changes?
Do the floor
If the floor in your loft is already fit for your needs – say, solid floorboards sitting on strong wooden beams – then you don’t have to worry too much about the loft flooring. Otherwise, you need to carefully plan what kind of flooring you will install in your loft conversion.
Make sure that your loft floor is sturdy enough for your needs. Failing to check the floor integrity may cause you to fall through the ceiling and destroy your loft conversion project in one fell swoop!
Add insulation
Insulating your loft is something that many homeowners fail to consider, and this may lead to extreme temperature changes when you’re inside the loft.
The good news is that putting insulation on your loft has become more convenient than before. You may purchase insulation boards that you can slide in between beams and walls. Make sure that the insulation covers the entire room with minimal gaps, so that you can protect the loft from sudden weather changes.
Before insulating your loft, you should also consider where you will have your windows in order to get enough light in the room. Installing soundproof windows in your brand new loft room would be the icing on the cake! More light and less noise!
Connect to utilities
Planning to convert the loft into a bathroom? You need to check if the plumbing system is accessible. Otherwise, you will have to spend a little more to install additional pipes and fittings.
In short, plan out your loft conversion to include access to necessary utilities such as electricity, water, and gas.
Include safety precautions
Most lofts are not as accessible as the rest of the rooms in your home, and so you need to make sure that safety precautions are put in place. Some measures that you can put in your loft conversion include the following:
- Install smoke detectors
- Put a fire extinguisher
- Install an alternative access door
- Make the windows big enough for people to fit, in case of rescue operations
- Check the electrical system for proper grounding and integrity of circuit breakers
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