Loft conversion is one of those daunting jobs on a lot of homeowner’s lists. People often acquire property even if the loft isn’t all that pleasant. Guests won’t see it, so why worry too much about it? We’re just going to use it to store junk anyway, right?
Many dream of converting their loft into a space they will use, but the task seems so large. The tragedy is that a loft has so much potential. You could have a whole new room! If you’ve been putting off the task, here’s some advice that we hope will get you on the track.
Decide what you want to use it for
The whole task is so much easier when you have a clear goal in mind. If one bathroom in your house isn’t enough, you could get yourself a second one, even better than the first! If you still want to keep the space for storage, then why not making it more presentable? You could convert a loft filled with dusty books into a personal library. Telling your friends you have a library at home is a lot nicer than complaining about the dank attic. It could be the greatest home addition you’ll ever make!
Make room!
The least pleasant task is often the clearing out of the loft. If it’s been left for years, as many lofts are, there may be several problems lurking. Wooden materials may have rotted, or become splintery. The dust will be everywhere, and it will be thick. Insulation materials could be falling apart, leaving a lot of rubbish everywhere. There’s also all that junk you’ve put up there yourself to consider!
Get yourself the right equipment. Tough gloves, safety masks, and torches are a must. Comb through your belongings and get rid of the things you no longer need. Carefully remove any excess wood and plastic, and prepare it for the trash. If you end up with a huge amount of stuff you want to get rid of, hire a leading rubbish removal service to assist you.
Talk to a professional builder
The lofts in many houses were often built without fun use in mind. The structure may only be enough to support the roof. You may need to get professional advice if you want to install new systems in there. They will be able to provide safety advice, and will know how to build around plumbing and heating systems you may have up there.
Let there be light!
Many lofts/aeeics aren’t well lit. A single, weak bulb is usually what I have to deal with! Torches are good, but when working you may need both hands. A great way to deal with this is to get yourself a portable LED light. These allow for hands-free, powerful lighting. Best of all, LED is very energy efficient. Just don’t look directly into them!
It may be tempting to consider installing a window. Letting some natural light in could help inspire your building and design plans. It might be best to leave the window for last, though. You might end up building one exactly where you want to build something else later!
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