The first thing you really have to consider if you want to extend your home into the loft is- Is there enough headroom? Can you actually stand up in your loft? The highest point should be at least 2.30 meters. Added headroom can be accommodated by the construction of dormer windows. The steeper the slope of your roof, the better it is.   

The next thing you really want to think about is -What is the purpose of your converted loft? Is it for an extra bedroom, or an office? Can the new loft accommodate an extra bathroom? Can your existing plumbing system cope with the pressure of the new bathroom? 

Having run through the checklist, what is the loft for?  A loft conversion is a major undertaking. You need the service of qualified builders and an architect to initially assess the existing structural make-up of the loft.  When you call experienced Cambridgeshire builders CD Hood Ltd we like to make sure that you know what you want your loft for.  If the loft is for an extra bedroom with its own bathroom we need to know if you want a shower or a bath en suite. Remember that if the plumbing and sanitary system of the rest of the house is at the rear, chances are the new loft bathroom would also most easily be located at the back of the house.

Building regulations approval is required if you would like to convert a loft or attic into a liveable space. 

There are various factors you will need to take into consideration
•    the structural strength of the new floor is sufficient
•    the stability of the structure (including the existing roof) is not endangered
•    safe escape from fire/mains fitted smoke alarms
•    safely designed stairs to the new floor
•    reasonable sound insulation between the conversion and the rooms below.

There are so many regulations, it is always best to contact an experienced builder, as they will be able to handle all of the planning and building regulations.

CD Hood, commercial and domestic builders in Cambridge realise that it’s a sign of the times, that many more households are considering extending their homes into their lofts, by creating that extra bedroom, home study. It’s not only a good way to increase the size of your house, it will also increase the value. 

One of the tricky things with a building project is the time it takes to submit planning permission and so fourth, however when thinking about creating space in your loft, permission is not usually required, as it can be classed as permitted development. But permission is required when you extend or alter the roof space and it exceeds the following limits and conditions:


•    A volume allowance of 40 cubic metres additional roof space for    terraced houses*       •    A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres additional roof space for detached and semi-detached houses*
•    No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the principal elevation that   fronts the highway
•    No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof
•    Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house
•    No verandas, balconies or raised platforms
•    Side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor
•    Roof extensions not to be permitted development in designated areas**
•    Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the original eaves

If you have any bats in your roof space, as they are a protected species you will need to have a survey done, before any work starts. 

However CD Hood, commercial and residential house builders in Cambridge, can do all the work for you, either working out whether you need planning permission or helping you apply for it. So if you are thinking of cashing in the space in your attic, then why not give one of our team a call today.

Source: Planning portal

CD Hood Commercial builders in Cambridge, specialise in creating new offices and school buildings, and improving existing school buildings, in and around the Cambridge area. Our business has been built on the foundations of reliability and delivering a high standard of work, we are always striving to achieve the best for our customers. 

We help schools to maximise their buildings potential, working closely with architects, designers and planning offices to make sure we achieve the best possible results. 

We understand all of the processes of creating a new school space/s from concept to design, and we will be able to guide you through process. 

All of our team have been CRB checked, and if we need to use external contractors we make sure they have been checked too. 

So if you are considering developing a new or existing commercial property, then why not give our team a call on 01353 658403, and we will be happy to discuss all of the options available to you.

CSEJ Ltd, commercial and domestic builders in Cambridge, were not surprised to see that house prices in England and Wales have increased by £532 last month, and over the past year they have increased by £6,700 according to LSL property figures.
David Newnes, director of LSL Property Services stated: “House prices have only fallen once in the last 16 months, life has become marginally easier for first time buyers and house sales are increasing.

"But there is still a long way to go. Mortgage availability is poor by historic standards. There is an army of first time buyers trying to enter the housing market but they are being held back by tough mortgage criteria. The key to the recovery of the housing market is more mortgages for first time buyers. The Funding for Lending scheme has gone some way to doing that. It has eased the pressure on the market, allowing lenders to lower mortgage rates which have helped boost the first time buyer market. But it needs to be increased in scale if it is to have a more significant effect.

"Sadly, the improvements in mortgage availability, prices and sales have not been spread evenly across England and Wales. Big regional disparities remain. The market in the South East, particularly London, is going great guns, but less affluent areas are struggling. While the north is showing less resilience, having experienced the largest fall in house prices, areas in the South including Brighton, Surrey, Bristol and Cardiff have seen prices soar.”

If you are looking to invest in a new building or extend and existing one, then why not contact CD Hood, commercial and domestic builders in Cambridge.

CD Hood commercial builders in Cambridge also noted that the government is going to be investing £50 million in a Green Deal Finance Company. 

The government has so far invested £20m into the company, and has pledged £30m of extra funding. The first loan will be made available once their funding finishes, and the £30m will only become available if the Green Deal loans rise higher than estimated. The government has provided this funding to underwrite the infrastructure projects. 

Funding from sixteen stakeholders in the company totaling £69m has already been invested. Mark Bayley, chief executive of the GDFC, said it was now ready to offer Green Deal providers a “one-stop-shop to set up, finance and administer Green Deal plans”.

He then added: “By ensuring that householders can only borrow what they can expect to save in energy bills, and by offering a fixed rate for 10 to 25 years, Green Deal Plans will be affordable and widely available to over 80% of the population.  No other consumer credit product offers a fixed rate for up to 25 years and is this inclusive.”

Throughout the month of March there have already been 1,729 assessments in homes since the scheme started at the beginning of this year. Energy minister Greg Barker said the Green Deal market was “gathering real momentum.’ And that the “9,268 Green Deal assessments taking place in just over two months is very encouraging and shows a genuine interest from consumers.”

The number of green energy providers, installers and assessors also grew within this time, with 48 providers being accredited and 108 assessors organisations accredited. If you are looking to improve the energy efficiency of your home, then why not give one of our team a call.

Source: Building News