How to Turn Your Loft Into a Home Office: Ideas and Advice
Even before Covid-19, there was a demand for home offices. In 2019, slightly less than 30% of the workforce worked at home, but during the pandemic, that number grew to almost 50%.
More people than ever before are considering switching to working from home and there’s ample reasons why. There’s no need to commute and you’re surrounded by home comforts day in and day out. You might prefer working from home for productivity reasons or you may enjoy a more flexible or hybrid work schedule.
However, working from home does have its downsides. If you have children or pets it’s easy to get distracted. While working from the settee might work in a pinch, many of us would benefit from having a distraction free office space where you can truly immerse yourself in your projects.
Considering converting your loft into office space? Read on to find out more!
Why think about using your loft space?
For many of us, the loft has slowly become a generalised dumping ground for things you haven’t quite mustered up the courage to get rid of. Aside from the Christmas decorations that come down once a year, how much of the items that you put in the loft are actually used on a regular basis?
If most of the items in storage in your loft could actually be decluttered, maybe it’s time to reconsider your loft space and transform it into a useful office space where you can focus on your productivity and work.
Even if you decide not to work from home anymore or if you retire, the loft conversion can still be used in a variety of different ways. It can become an additional bedroom, a wellbeing and hobby space or an additional living room.
What are the benefits to a loft office conversion?
There are a multitude of benefits to a loft office conversion. You’ll be able to create a dedicated space for working – no need to work in the kitchen or in the living room with the TV blaring. You’ll be able to work in a place that’s full of peace and quiet, with limited distractions, allowing you to have meetings without worrying whether you’ll be disturbed during an important business call.
You can also turn dead loft space into a usable space, which will add value to your home if and when you choose to sell.
A loft conversion will also add extra square footage to your home, enabling you to accommodate not just a home office but also an additional bedroom or living space too.
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What type of loft conversion is suitable for me?
There are many different types of loft conversion to office options. The one that will be the best fit for your home will depend on a number of factors, including The type of property and existing roof structure
There are four different types of attic conversions to consider -Skylight loft conversion, Dormer loft conversions, Mansard loft conversions and a hip to gable loft conversion.
What is a Skylight loft conversion
A skylight loft conversion is a type of a loft conversion that’s built into the existing roofline. Skylights are added to the roof, creating a usable space – perfect for an office space, or even an extra bedroom.
Often, pitched rooflights are used to add light and ventilation to the loft space.
Is a dormer loft conversion right for me?
If you’re looking for a more substantial loft conversion, maybe a dormer loft conversion is the perfect choice for you. With a dormer loft, you’ll be able to create a large amount of space for your new attic office space and you could consider adding a bedroom and an en-suite bathroom too.
A dormer loft is created by building a box shaped extension on an existing roof, allowing for generous headroom and vertical walls and horizontal ceilings. This allows furniture to be placed flush against the wall, maximising space.
A dormer loft conversion often houses full length windows too – and these can include floor to ceiling windows, French windows and bi-folding doors. These will let in tonnes of natural light, allowing you to work in a bright and airy environment while allowing you to get some fresh air when you need a breather.
What is a mansard loft conversion?
A mansard loft conversion will allow for a considerable amount of space. This will of course depend on the size of your property but with many mansard loft conversions you can fit in a home study and an additional bathroom and bedroom.
The main difference between a mansard loft conversion and a dormer loft conversion is that a mansard loft conversion has a slightly sloping face, which softens its outward appearance.
Is a hip to gable loft conversion suitable for my property?
Hip to gable loft conversions are suitable for properties with hipped roofs on all sides. To ensure that the loft conversion has enough headspace, a section of the hipped roof is removed and replaced with a triangular shaped gable wall.
If needed, a flat roof dormer can also be added to increase space.
The resulting conversion will create a spacious home office with potentially space for a bedroom and an en-suite too.
Is an office loft conversion really suitable for my home?
An office loft conversion is an extensive and expensive project to undertake, so it’s crucial that you find out whether your home would even benefit from one before you start seriously thinking about one.
Firstly, you must consider whether there is enough headspace. To find this out, measure the height from the loft floor to the ridge beam. An ideal height is 2.2 metres.
Secondly, you must consider the height of the loft staircase too. At the moment, building regulations require that there is a minimum of 1.9 metres of headroom at the middle of the staircase.
However, if your loft isn’t high enough, you can often still achieve the required loft height by lowering the ceiling joists from the floor below or exploring another structural option.
How much will an office loft conversion cost?
The specific cost of your office loft conversion will depend on a whole host of factors, including type of loft conversion, the internal finishes of your attic conversion and the size of roof space.
You must also consider that the number of rooms you want to have in your office loft conversion will impact the final cost of the project.
Is a garden office a better option?
While loft conversions are going to set you back financially, you might be tempted to consider a cheaper garden office instead. However, although garden offices are cheaper in the short-term, loft conversions offer a range of positives that could benefit you long into the future.
If you choose to undertake a loft conversion, these projects typically will increase the value of your home by 20% partly because a loft conversion opens up possibilities of having more rooms such as bedrooms, offices and bathrooms in your loft space.
If you do decide to sell your property, this uplift will cover the cost of the conversion. A loft conversion can be converted into a hobby room, an extra living space or another bedroom – always giving your family room to grow.
Unlike a garden office, with a loft conversion you don’t need to worry about heating, lighting or electricity. Your toilet and kitchen will all be nearby too. It isn’t particularly appealing to trudge up and down the garden path in all weathers whenever you need a cup of tea.
A garden office will also take up valuable garden space and is pretty vulnerable to break-ins. Additionally, garden offices require a lot of maintenance to ensure they don’t fall into disrepair. Deterioration can set in just after a couple of weeks.
You should also consider the cost of heating up a secondary building, whereas loft conversions do not require this – and they are already as secure as the rest of your property too.
Do I need planning permission for an office loft conversion?
Since most loft conversions will fall under permitted development rights, planning permission isn’t usually required. However, you should be aware that planning permission may be required when your new loft will exceed 50 cubic metres or if you live in a conservation area or in a listed building.
Our specialists can guide you through this process and you’ll be able to submit the right application for you.
Even if your planned loft conversion does not need planning permission, this loft extension should adhere to the latest building regulations such as structural stability, fire safety, suitable stairs to access the loft and sound insulation.
What should I consider when planning a loft conversion?
There is a wide range of different elements you should consider when planning a loft conversion. These include:
- Office Furniture – Decide on what items of furniture you’d want to make space for. This could include a desk, chair, storage units and shelves.
- Comfort – Would a kitchenette or an en-suite create a more comfortable environment to work in? These are certainly aspects to consider when planning your home office.
- View – It’s important to consider window placement and how to optimise the light throughout the day. Are there any views of nature that you’d want to optimise?
- Light – In a loft office space you shouldn’t compromise airflow and light. Think about the windows design and size to maximise light in your space.
- Features – In many older buildings, the loft space will be full of interesting nooks and old beams. You might want to consider leaving beams exposed to maximise your office space’ character.
- Storage – Utilise the space under your pitched roof for storage space. You could consider constructing low level cupboards or shelves to ensure that all your office supplies can be neatly stored away.