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What Are the Key Pointers for Choosing a Loft Conversion Company?

What Are the Key Pointers for Choosing a Loft Conversion Company?

Loft Conversion Company North West London

If you’ve started your search for a loft conversion company in north west London, you’ll know there are many to choose from. Though this offers home owners in the area a great amount of choice when it comes to renovating their property, it can make selecting a contractor a challenge.

Finding the one loft conversion or home extension company that’s right for you among the multitudes on offer can feel daunting at first, especially if this is your first major renovation project. Here we’ve put together a few pointers to consider when making your choice.

How Experienced Are They?

A company with a proven track record and a long list of happy customers is much more likely to complete your loft conversion to a high standard. As well as checking your chosen company has experience, it’s important to make sure they know how to carry out a variety of conversions. This will help to ensure they’re able to deliver the result you’re looking for and tailor their extension to make the best use of space in your particular property.

Do They Know the Area?

Choosing a local loft conversion company with a detailed knowledge of north west London will help to make your build a lot easier. Whether you’re based in Edgware, Barnet, Colindale or the surrounding area, local builders will know the property stock, have experience of working on similar homes and be able to advise you on local planning rules and regulations.

Will They Manage the Whole Project?

Managing a building project is a big job. Co-ordinating builders, plasterers, electricians, plumbers and roofers is a lot of work, so hiring a company that can manage the project from start to finish for you is a good idea. To make your build run even more smoothly, it pays to select a company that has an in-house team of fitters with wide-ranging expertise, covering all these areas. They will be able to get the job done more efficiently and more quickly.

Can You See Customer Testimonials?

Hearing glowing reports from past customers will help give you confidence when starting out on your loft conversion. Looking at a company website will give you a chance to see photos of past jobs and should also give you confidence that your individual requirements will be considered and the work tailored accordingly.

Is the Work Guaranteed?

A loft conversion is a major project that will impact on the value of your home, so it is worth taking the time to make sure it’s going to be done properly. It is important to choose a company that guarantees its work, as this will give you peace of mind and a reassurance that the work will be completed to the highest standard possible. A long warranty, such as a 10-year guarantee, is ideal.

Loft Conversions by Modern Attics

Now you know what you’re looking for, have a look around the Modern Attics site and you’ll see we meet all the criteria for the best loft conversion companies. We have years of experience, a talented team of highly trained staff and an in-depth knowledge of the property stock in Edgware, HA8 and surrounding areas, as well as across London. We also provide 10-year guarantees for our work.

Modern Attics has a proven track record in carrying out high quality conversions on a variety of projects and can tackle any type of loft conversion you’re looking for, including mansard, dormer, hip to gable and roof conversions. What’s more, we can provide you with your own project manager, arrange all the necessary licences and manage the entire installation from beginning to end. With one of our directors a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and many satisfied customers, as you can see from the testimonials on our website, we really are the best choice for your home renovation.

To find out more, have a look at the services we offer or contact a member of our expert team by calling 020 7254 5222.


Fight Against the Cold This Winter

Fight Against the Cold This Winter

With the arrival of the recent cold weather, millions of people up and down the country are feeling the chill. Around 25% of all heat in the home is lost through the roof, often leading to a very cold loft. One of the best ways to ensure that those cold feet are kept warm during the long winter months is to invest in the latest insulation technologies. The initial cost of good quality insulation may put people off but in most cases, reductions in heating bills mean that the investment pays for itself within just the first 24 months of installation. The newest insulation methods also are effective for at least 40 years giving you piece of mind, as well as keeping you warm.

One of the cheapest ways to ensure that your loft temperature stays nice and toasty is to upgrade your cavity wall insulation, which could save you up to £160 a year. Most homes that were built after the 1920s have cavity walls and an easy way to tell is to look at the brick pattern.

cavity wall insulation

If your bricks have a regular brick pattern (left), you probably have cavity walls whereas if your bricks alternate in size (right) you probably have solid walls. If you have solid walls, don’t worry! Solid walls can still be insulated, and though it’ll cost that bit more, they actually save more money in the long run that standard cavity walls.

So how much can you save? The table below shows costs and potential savings for houses in England, Scotland and Wales. In Northern Ireland, the payback time is even quicker at around 2-4 years.

rates

The Green Deal Initiative

Britain’s building stock is one of the oldest in Europe. In order to bring it up to date, properties need to be adequately insulated. Then, once buildings are properly insulated, occupiers will spend less on energy bills to heat them. The government has recently introduced the Green Deal Initiative to help businesses and home owners to implement more green technologies in their properties. It’s a very simple idea, install green technology in your property and pay no upfront costs. The costs incurred will be repaid through your energy bill over a period of time. The ‘loan’ is associated with the property rather than the bill payer so there’s no obligation to continue paying after you move out.

The golden rule of the initiative is that the expected savings must equal or be greater than the costs attached to the energy bill. There are two main ways to apply for the scheme, through a Green Deal Provider or via a Green Deal Assessment.


Loft Conversions London – Why Convert a Loft?

Loft Conversions London – Why Convert a Loft?

How often on average do you go up to your loft? Perhaps it is a world of dusty old books, toys, and Christmas decorations, a dead space in your house.

Lofts have near unlimited potential when it comes to conversions, from an extra bedroom, to a luxury bathroom, turn that wasted space into a usable one that can add value to your property. Apart from costing less on average than a standard ground floor extension, loft conversions use the available space that is already in your house.

So what could you use that new available space for? Here is a list of potential ideas and common designs for attic conversions:

  • New master or guest bedroom
  • New bedroom with en-suite
  • Bathroom
  • Living room/Den
  • Office/Study
  • Playroom

Guest bedrooms and bathrooms are very common, and with a rise in people working from home, home offices are being requested in ever greater numbers. Loft conversions are especially great for young families who can’t afford to make that move to a bigger house, an extra room gives that additional space that’s desperately required for a growing household. All loft extensions that we undertake are based on the needs of our clients.

Converting your loft can be a perfect upgrade to your house, creating a functional new space and a new look for your house. Modern Attics has years of professional experience in building loft conversions in all areas of London. To learn more about how we could help you refresh your home, please contact us on 020 7254 5222, or email us at info@Modern Attics.com


Why choose house extension in north London over Relocation?

Why choose house extension in north London over Relocation?

Has your family grown and you don’t have enough space in your house to accommodate everyone? Are you in need of more space in your home for setting up a small office? If you have been thinking of relocating to another larger property, you must take a break and think about a house extension in north London. There are many benefits of extending your home. Read more


Solving the Space Issue with Loft Conversion in London

Solving the Space Issue with Loft Conversion in London

If you want to make full use of the space in a loft, there are some things that you will have to take into account first. Loft conversions in London can vary greatly in design and cost and this will largely depend on how your roof is designed. We have vast experience in loft conversions in London and can help you regardless of what your budget is. We have wide ranging products and offer functional designs for the project. There are some specific steps that we follow: Read more


When the parties over,, advice for dealing with party wall disputes.

When the parties over,, advice for dealing with party wall disputes.

When thinking about a loft conversion, a major factor that may play a part in wether the project can go ahead  are concerns over adjoining properties.

If you own a property that shares a wall with a neighbour, for example a roof beam may sit on a shared wall or adjoining foundations. These situations are governed by the party wall act which lays out how these disputes should be resolved.

You must notify your neighbour of any planned building procedure and gain their consent. They are well within their rights to refuse consent so if you have any issues with your neighbours you would be well advised to try and resolve any diferences and find a common ground before you move forward.

Here at Modern Attics we will take care of notifying your neighbours for you and handle the consent. Again we would always advise someone wishing to have building work done on there home to consider how it may affect your neighbours and how that may effect your relationship with them.

If you have extreme problems with your neighbour then here are 5 tips that may help to resolve the situation.

1. If your neighbours seem to have a dislike for you then it may be something they think you may have done or something you have done that you didn’t realise had affected them. Sometimes people don’t realize what they are doing wrong and a honest conversation could help.

2. Get other homeowners in the neighborhood or any mutual friends to talk to the person. This might help them to see things from an objective view point and coming from a person outside of the dispute can often help.

3. If a dispute and refusal to give consent means that the project could still go ahead but with higher costs involved. Think about paying a percentage of the extra cost to your neighbour for there consent.

4. Try to find some common ground. Is there something that interests or is important to your neighbour? Try to bridge the gap in your relationship with a conversation that will interest them and you may find you have something in common that you never realised.

5. Don’t be too proud to apologise for something you may have done. Even apologise for something you believe you were in the right about. Pride might stand in the way too extra value on your property and enjoying your new conversion.

 


Electrical fittings for loft conversions

Electrical fittings for loft conversions

There are many safety precautions that must always be taken hen going up into an attic or loft space, pre or post conversion. The loft can often be a central hub for electrical and plumbing, making it full with all kinds of hazards. Modern Attics addresses the electrical hazards this week to be followed shortly by a blog on plumbing. Read more


Shelling out for a shell loft conversion

Shelling out for a shell loft conversion

You may have heard of a shell loft conversion before, you may not. Essentially it is what it sounds like; a builder/contractor will complete a shell conversion of your loft before handing over the reigns of control to the householder. It basic terms it’s a part loft conversion. Read more


Insulating your loft conversion Part 1

Insulating your loft conversion Part 1

Insulating a loft is not technically a difficult element of the loft conversions process to pull off! It’s more to do with the working conditions that often make it a challenge. Lofts can be unsafe places for DIY activity to be carried out, especially if you’re not experienced.
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Adding value to your home through a loft conversion Part 2

Adding value to your home through a loft conversion Part 2

In the previous blog we introduced you to the idea of giving a tremendous boost to your property value through loft conversions. We thought we’d explore the matter a little more in-depth…
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