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Need an extra bedroom, but don’t want to extend your home or upsize? Loft can be useful spaces, but for many people, they end up as wasted space. If you have a loft, consider how you can take this space and convert it into a bedroom.
Simple Steps to Convert a Loft Into a Bedroom
Even if you don’t need an extra bedroom, a loft conversion could add some serious value to your home. This could mean more profit if you decide to sell up. To convert your loft into a bedroom, here are just some of the steps you should take.
Is your loft big enough?
Before getting any work underway, be sure that your loft is big enough to feasibly function as a bedroom. Make sure that there is enough floor space to fit a bed and other furniture and that the height of the room is no less than 7ft. Consider building a closet, as many rooms aren’t considered bedrooms without a closet.
If the loft space is less than 7ft, you may still be able to raise the roof to add clearance. This will add to the price of your conversion but could be important if you want your loft space to be legally classed as livable space.
Do you need to build a staircase?
As part of health and safety law, it’s also important to have a suitable fire exit leading from your converted loft. A ladder is not a suitable fire exit – which means that you may have to consider adding a staircase. In many homes, the loft is a space at the top of a staircase, in this case you wouldn’t need a staircase.
This could be an exterior staircase or an interior staircase (adding an interior staircase could mean sacrificing part of another room if your upstairs landing isn’t big enough). Work out the cost in both cases and decide what type of staircase will work best.
Related: 5 Reasons Why You Should Do It Yourself
Fix up the flooring
Some unconverted lofts don’t even have floorboards. If this is the case, laying down suitable flooring could be the next step for turning your loft into a bedroom. Our loft is carpeted like the rest of the upstairs, very little is needed to convert it into a bedroom.
There are lots of bedroom flooring ideas to consider from hardwood to carpet. You can have the flooring professionally installed, or your can do it yourself. Just be sure the floor is level when completed.
Board out the walls or ceiling
Next the walls and/or ceiling needed to be boarded out if these are currently exposed. This could be an opportunity to add insulation if your loft isn’t already insulated as well as sealing up any gaps. After adding boards consider texture, paint or wallpaper.
Consider electrical, heating and cooling
Please consider whether the space has access to heating, cooling and power. Trailing an extension cord up into the loft and relying on portable heaters and portable fans is not particularly practical or safe – by wiring in sockets and lights and adding vents for HVAC, you can avoid injury and make the space feel like an actual room.
Many lofts already have these included in this space and won’t need any additional work. However, it’s always something that needs to be addressed.
Related: Laundry Room Makeover
Are You Considering Luxury Features?
Your loft conversion doesn’t have to be basic. In fact, it can be turned into a luxury space, incorporating features that other rooms do not have. Below are just a few luxury features that you may want to consider if your budget stretches far enough.
A skylight
A skylight is a window in the ceiling. This could allow natural light to pour into your loft space, helping it to feel brighter. At night, it could even allow you to gaze up at the stars. Unless you have expensive experience, make sure that this skylight is installed by a professional window installation company.
A balcony
If the room has large windows, consider adding a balcony to your loft conversion. You’ll likely need a building permit to add a full scale balcony or roof terrace. Juliet balconies tend to have less restrictions, so this could be an alternative option if you obtain a permit. There are also dormer windows that convert into balconies, these are suitable for sloped roofs.
An en-suite bathroom
It could be convenient to have an en suite bathroom so that a trip to another bathroom isn’t needed. An en suite bathroom will push up the price of your conversion considerably, but could also add a lot of value. If the space isn’t particularly large, you may not have room for a shower or a tub and may have to settle for a half-bath.
Creating new spaces, converting old spaces and doing your own home renovation can be fulfilling and rewarding. It’s great way to add sustainably sourced updates to your home, and gives you skills for future projects. Converting a bedroom to a loft is a great way to add value to your home, while also gaining lifelong, sustainable skills, perfect for the self sufficient person.
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