Thinking of adding an extra room to your home? Loft conversions are some of the UK’s most popular home improvement projects. However, garden rooms are heralding a new era of home extensions and are trending among architects and interior designers across the UK. But is a garden room the best option to add value to your property, or is a loft conversion the best choice?
Creating additional space in your home is an exciting project for every homeowner, but choosing the best option might be challenging. Since the main goal is to create a safe, functional, and cost-effective space, you first need to ask yourself what type of space is right for you. Let’s explore the top four factors to consider when choosing a home addition.
1. Year-Round Use and Comfort
Any addition to the home should be comfortable year-round. Integrating a loft conversion into your home offers easy access to this space at any time of the day and in all seasons. In contrast, regardless of how close your garden room may be, you must still step out of the house to access it. This makes it much more challenging to access this space during the colder months.
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2. Property Value Enhancement
One important consideration for any home addition is property value enhancement. Loft conversions can significantly increase the value of a property by adding additional, usable square footage that can be utilized in several different ways. A home office, extra bedroom, home cinema, or artist’s studio are among the most common loft conversion uses. Studies have shown that a loft conversion can increase the value of a property by 21%.
Garden rooms can also enhance a home’s aesthetic; however, this is highly dependent on the location, styling, and outdoor space. Garden rooms are often considered a good choice for adding usable space to a property, but they may not contribute as much to the perceived property value from a buyer’s perspective as a loft conversion would.
3. Planning Permissions and Regulations
In the UK, loft conversions are subject to specific UK regulations and considerations to ensure proper insulation, structural integrity, and party wall restrictions. These rules and regulations ensure that every homeowner has the confidence that their loft is built to standard.
On the other hand, in the UK, garden rooms are often exempt from UK building regulations. While this may seem like a positive for many people, this often means that garden rooms are built to a lower standard than a loft conversion, disregarding proper insulation and structural considerations.
4. Space Requirements
Do you have a small garden? Constructing a garden room is an incredible way to enhance your backyard, but it will also take up a lot of space. An important consideration when constructing an outdoor addition is whether you can afford to give up a large section of square footage.
A loft conversion is the go-to option for anyone who doesn’t have sufficient outdoor space for a garden room. Loft conversions seamlessly utilize and blend into the existing structure of your home and maintain the aesthetic flow. A loft extension allows you to enjoy additional household space without sacrificing your garden.
The popularity of garden rooms may be at an all-time high, but careful consideration should still be taken before embracing this trend.
