If you need more extra space in your home, relocation may seem like your only option, but it’s not. With the cost of moving becoming extremely high, many people prefer to convert their lofts. There are so many benefits of loft conversions. For starters, it increases the value of your home up to 20%, and it’s also an affordable way to add more space.
But individuals who have low or hipped roofs can be limited with the headroom, which forces them to have a dormer or carry out roof alteration work to create more space. However, what many homeowners don’t realize is that they are in a position to create roof light conversions without putting much effort, according to Mick Sleigh owner of www.dulwichloftconversions.co.uk . Here is why you should opt for rooflight conversions instead of a dormer.
1. Cost Effective
It’s way more expensive to hire a team of builders to carry out dormer loft conversions as compared to rooflight. Approximately, one will use between £20,000 and £30,000 to do rooflight conversions. But if you decide to convert your dormer, you’ll be paying around £30,000 and £40,000, and it can be more expensive depending on the size of the dormer and the design you chose. A difference of £10,000 is quite alot. So, it’ better you do a rooflight conversion as it’ll still add value to your home.
2. Provides More Natural Light
Compared to standard windows used in a dormer, rooflights can bring more light into a room. If you are to do a rooflight conversion, chose those with frameless design. Since they are designed to face the sky, they can capture and channel more sunlight during the day.
3. More Appealing
Oversized dormers are not that attractive, and worse is that they make a house look top heavy. Of course, there are other beautiful and unique conversions designs, but you’ll be forced to spend more money than the standard traditional models that have hanging tiles. Well, if money is not an issue, you can do the modern dormer loft conversions.
However, to those people who want to achieve an aesthetic appeal while using minimal costs, then their best option will be to do a rooflight loft conversion. The good thing is that the rooflight can be fitted flush to the existing roof to avoid altering the aesthetics of your home.
4. Flexible Ventilation
When it comes to dormer conversion, one is often limited to install a window on a dormer. But, homeowners have a lot of options to decide where they’d like to fix an opening rooflight on their roofs. This, therefore, gives them more freedom to choose to add ventilation where they feel it’s appropriate for them.
One can decide to have the opening rooflight installed directly above a shower bath or any other place they deem fit. Plus, some opening rooflight feature free rain sensors which automatically close the roof in case of rain. That means that you can comfortably leave your rooflight open without worrying about the weather changes.
5. You Don’t Need Planning Permission
Standard windows used in dormers overlook neighbour’s properties. For them, it’s compulsory that you get a permission to plan. But you don’t exactly need to apply for planning permission to install a rooflight when converting your loft. Since loft conversions fall under permitted development, homeowners can create a rooflight loft conversion without going through the hustle of getting a planning permission.
While the choice of the type of loft conversion to do is entirely yours, we suggest that you examine the type of roof you have, what the loft will be used for and your budget first. Rooftlights conversions involve converting the existing loft space without making too many alterations on the roof space. If you are on a tight budget, you should consider this internal loft conversion since it’s cost effective.
