Something we get asked regularly is, how much does a loft conversion cost? We are happy to always give no obligation quotes for a loft conversion, but it’s worth bearing in mind that there may be a loft cost or two that you may not have thought about upfront.
In this article, we’re breaking down all the extras that you may not have considered. Those additional costs that may not be immediately obvious, but that you may wish to budget for.
Here are just a few aspects that you should think about as part of your overall loft conversion cost:
Legal and professional fees
There are various legal and professional fees that you’ll need to consider as part of your loft conversion cost:
Planning Permission
Although not all loft conversions require planning permission, it may be the case that planning permission from your local authority is required before work can commence.
If this is the case, many local authority websites have a planning permission calculator as part of their planning portal which will give you an indicator of how much you need to budget for.
Building Control Fees
These are charged to the nominated Building Control Company, who will check the overall work undertaken against the drawings of the plans to confirm the structural calculations and designs.
The work will be checked periodically throughout the build. This will include once the insulation has been installed, the staircase is in place and all the works have been completed. If everything meets their requirements after the job is complete, a Final Certificate will be issued for your records.
Certificate of Lawfulness
This is not technically a legal requirement. However, we would highly recommend it to our clients, as it provides the paperwork to show that the loft conversion work is completely lawful, which is useful if the property is later sold or if a neighbour has a complaint.
Party Wall Survey
As part of the build, you may wish to instruct a party wall surveyor to resolve any differences that may arise between you and your neighbours during construction work, under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
There may be more than one party wall surveyor appointed, one by the person undertaking the loft conversion work and one by their neighbour, should they feel the need, and the cost for this is the responsibility of the person having the loft conversion built.
Design costs
It’s worth remembering that a quoted loft conversion cost usually only refers to the
structural building work, and not the interior design element.
You may therefore want to consider other costs to get your new room up to a habitable standard, including:
- The cost of fixtures and fittings, e.g. bathroom installation, fixtures and fittings (e.g. bathtub, shower, toilet, basin, etc.).
- Painting and decorating
- Tiling
- Flooring
- Lighting
- Soft furnishings, etc.
Many loft conversion specialists can assist from start to finish with your loft conversion project. They will quote for the full works, from building right the way through to the finished interior design.
If this is of interest to you, it’s worth speaking to your loft contractors to see if they can quote for this one-stop-shop service.
Get an accurate quote for your loft conversion cost from Bespoke Lofts
Want an accurate quote for your loft cost? Speak to Bespoke Lofts. We can talk you through all the aspects that you may need to consider, from the initial paperwork and contract administration right the way through to interior design.
For a no obligation quote for your loft conversion cost, get in touch with Bespoke Lofts today.