Increasing the Price of Property Through the Roof

June 11 2019 0comment

Increasing the Price of Property Through the Roof

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Property sales here in the UK have been seriously affected by the prospect of Brexit and the ongoing uncertainty caused by the Britain’s imminent exit from the European Union.  However, if you’re thinking of listing a property for sale, there are steps you can take to increase the value of your property before selling.

House price figures here in the UK experienced the largest month on month increase for more than a year in April which provides would-be property sellers with a level of hope that this is becoming a sellers’ market again.  However, if you want to maximise your profits when selling a property, a little bit of forward planning, combined with a home improvement project could reap huge rewards right now.  Property experts are advocating converting the loft space to add value to a property – this is unused space that could add up to 15% to the value of your home.

Most lofts can be converted, but it’s wise to get a builder or an architect to double check on this before you begin to think about the types of loft conversions available and which would best suit your property.

You’ll have plenty of options available to you, ranging from a roof light conversion (which is the type of conversion that involves the least amount of structural work), to a more costly mansard conversion, where one or both slopes of the roof are replaced with a new roof with steeper sides and an almost flat top. 

However, a mansard conversion will usually require planning permission and home owners who are considering this type of conversion must check with their local planning authority as there are some complex regulations involved.  For instance, you should apply for planning permission is you intend to increase your roof space by more than 50m3 (or 40m3 for terraced houses).

If you don’t have a loft that can be easily converted, converting your garage into an extra room is another possibility to consider.  A garage conversion done well is likely to add more value to your home than it costs (the average garage conversion costs between £5,000 and £8,000) and usually involves less disruption in the home than a loft conversion.  However, careful planning will be required to make the most of this opportunity to increase the size of your home. 

When planning a garage conversion, consideration should be given to the roof as it will need roof insulation, especially if you’re not planning a two-storey conversion and building an extra room on top of the garage. 

A flat roof (most garages have a flat roof), you’ll need one layer between of rigid PUR insulation board and another below and the space in between the flat roof joists cannot be entirely filled as you’ll need to leave a 50mm air gap above for ventilation.  The second layer underneath is likely to result in quite a low ceiling height.  If you opt to have a pitched roof installed in order to increase the room height, then you’ll need two layers of 150mm glass fibre quilt – one between the joists and another above.

 

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