One of the most exciting parts of having a loft conversion, is the design process. For years you may have been researching and accumulating lots of different ideas for your perfect loft conversion, and suddenly you are in a position to move forwards with your plans and make your dream come to life. But what happens during the formal design process? Who designs your dream loft conversion?
The first step of the design process is having a site survey with one of our experienced surveyors. They will visit your home and take appropriate measurements of your loft space, discussing which type of loft conversion would best suit your home and how many rooms you can fit inside. You can talk about all of your design ideas and your needs that have brought you to the point of having a loft conversion. From this, our surveyors will create the first rough set of plans with accurate costings and a choice of variations for you to decide on.
Next, you will have some time to consider the cost of your loft conversion, any changes you want to make to those initial plans and discuss how long your project will take to construct. Our surveyors will be able to offer you different glazing options, with VELUX skylights and balcony options for you to consider – you may realise there are a lot more options than you first thought! Whilst our surveyors will be the ones to create the plans, you are ultimately in the driving seat and they will work with you to create plans which suit your needs and preferences.
The next phase in the design process begins after you sign your contract and the surveyor’s plans are passed over to one of our architects. Your architect will check the measurements taken by the surveyor and create a set of architectural plans. This is the last stage of the design process that you will be able to make changes to, so it is important that you are completely happy with your designs at this point. Once the architectural designs are completed, a structural engineer will translate them into building regulations for builders to use to construct the loft conversion for you.
This being said, there is the option to make last minute changes, called variations, when construction is taking place. However, these will change the total cost of your project and will increase the time it takes to complete your project. Your Project manager from your building team will discuss these variations with you and the implications it will have on the cost and timescale of your project. Once your loft conversion is built, you will need to assess your conversion and create a snagging list, for any small corrections or fixes you notice.
At this point, you are ready to start designing the interior of your loft conversion! If you require our building teams to tile your bathroom or fit any bathroom fittings, we can do this for you as long as you discuss this with your surveyor at the beginning of the design process. Your loft conversion will be completed to a plastered finish, leaving you to paint and decorate your loft however you please. We have many case studies for you to browse through for inspiration on how to design the interior of your loft conversion.
If you are interested in having a loft conversion, contact the Simply Loft team today on 0800 917 7571 to arrange your free site survey. Our experienced surveyors look forward to hearing all of your design ideas which they can help to make a reality!
