Be Prepared

Posted on Mar 30, 2011 in Loft Conversions & Extensions in London by APNM 0 Comments

This is the scenario. You have done the hard work by spending many hours researching on the internet about loft conversions London; you have invited London loft conversion companies round to carry out their surveys and quotations and you are spending so much time thinking about your project and picking up so much information as you receive your written estimates you are becoming an expert yourself. A specialist London loft conversion company has been instructed, plans prepared and permissions obtained. You are ready to start so what next. You may think that you can now sit back, relax and let the builders take the strain. Think again. Be prepared for the decisions that still need to be made. You may think this is the stage where your hard work has been done and you watch as the work is done around you.  However, there is more hard work to do – this is just beginning. Important decisions and choices are going to be needed about lighting, power socket positions, sanitary ware, room layout and the loft crew will need instructions at short notice. So be prepared.

During the lead up period to you starting for any loft extension in London, we recommend that you study the plans hard and in detail and discuss anything you want changed or unsure about with your project manager. Think about who is going to be using the room and how you think it should be laid out.  Start by looking at the position and design of the stairs. Is there an alternative that will allow a more comfortable rise or to create better sub-division of the space. If you are having a shower room or bathroom within the London loft conversion is this to be en-suite? Have you thought through the practicalities as to whether you may want other people, guests, visitors, or your own family to have access to it without coming through the new room, in which case you may be better off by having access off the landing. Or would access from within the room and the landing be possible with a “Jack and Jill” arrangement.

Unless you are happy for the builders to choose for you, decide where you want power sockets, light switches, power sockets, TV points etc to be positioned. Almost all builders for loft conversion London will supply basic white plastic switches and sockets but if you want a style to lift the look of your loft you will need to go and supply these yourself. There is a huge range of electrical fittings available and it would be time well spent to think about this in advance. We would suggest that you would be best off using an electrical wholesaler or lighting shop rather than DIY outlets.  Standard lighting arrangements are for single circuits so if you want to be able to turn lights on and off from your bed rather than at the entrance door think through the practicalities before the first fix electrical cabling is done otherwise it would incur additional charges later on.

The sanitary ware for a bath or shower room should not be purchased until this has been discussed with your builder but it would again be worthwhile thinking about your budget and style preferences. This will hopefully narrow down the enormous choices that are available. Discuss the project with your bathroom suppliers and let them know it’s for a loft conversion in London. They will know their products well and will be able to advise on what works well for loft conversions.

If you invest the time in making these choices for your loft conversion in London you will end up with a room that meets all your expectations.