Will the boarded loft storage add value or not?

917700

Hi all

Just got another question. I am renovating my Victorian mid terrace house and I am not sure what to do with the offshoot building loft. The main loft was converted in the past, but the offshoot building loft is still a shell.

Option 1: Loft boarding company quoted £1,300 to board the space, install a small door and led lights. The finished room will be 3.65m X 2.43m

Option 2: An architect suggested it will cost £15,000 to convert this space into a bathroom. The finished room will be 2.4m X 1.6m


Below is the proposed plan and existing plan

greatcrested

option 1 is expensive and will add no value. For £25 you can easily board it yourself. It will not increase the property value just be an added attraction for a buyer.

Without Buildings Regulations approval, nothing you do will add value.

A 'proper' conversion (option 2) may add value but not as much as the cost of the conversion.

macman

I agree. Either you have not described the full extent of the works allowed for in 1), or the quote is just ludicrously high. 
A few sheets of MDF, a off-the peg internal door, and running a spur off the 1st floor lighting circuit: £1300? That's a day's work.

UnderOffer

Are you planning to live in the property for several years after the renovation? It’s unclear if you are making these changes to suit you and your family or for resale. I’d probably just board it myself if reselling. 

917700

Thanks greatcrested and macman 

Wow, I thought loft boarding is as difficult as a loft conversion. 

917700

UnderOffer said:

Are you planning to live in the property for several years after the renovation? It’s unclear if you are making these changes to suit you and your family or for resale. I’d probably just board it myself if reselling. 

Hi, I will probably sell and move in 3-5 years if my son can get into another school. 

There is already an en-suite in the loft bedroom, but it is using Saniflo. 

youth_leader

Almost everyone that viewed my house asked if my loft was boarded, it seems to be something that people want.  I'd lived in the house for 20 years and always been too scared to go that far up the ladder, but I knew it was far from boarded!

greatcrested

https://www.diy.com/departments/building-supplies/timber-sheet-materials/loft-boards/DIY1092393.cat

AdrianC

917700 said:

Wow, I thought loft boarding is as difficult as a loft conversion. 

Boarding is literally just putting some boards down on the joists to form a floor.

Doozergirl

I think I remember you posting about the bathroom question before and the cost would be more than the added value.  If you're not staying that long it may not be worth it for you.  

However, there won't be many people with the experience of having a loft room with a door instead of a hatch.  We do, as we have two gables that aren't tall enough to be rooms.  You just walk up the stairs, through a door and straight in.  

I absolutely love them!    We've not long moved in, so all the stuff that still needs sorting is there, like the art work for the walls, as well as the stock of paint tins that are currently in use.    It means that everything that doesn't yet have a permanent home isn't in the main house, keeping that nice, but it's very easily accessible.  

I do keep hitting my head as I don't know where the roof slopes after I've bent down, so I wouldn't leave the rafters exposed as a dull thud is much better than cracking your head off an exposed corner.  Ours is totally structurally sound, dry and clean, H even put down a carpet - a total luxury considering that I don't have any in my own bedroom yet!  We've put unwanted cabinets from our old house in there to maximise the storage.     It does make it an absolute no-brainer for safe storage, better than any normal loft, cellar or garage.  

I think you'll find it really useful, as will future buyers, and it will spark their imagination to looking at it as a potential room.  It would be a really good selling point.   Spending on making it a good space might add more value in use and potential than just a few boards.   

 

Jeepers_Creepers

Big number, if you are happy to lay that floor yourself, then fill your boots - it'll be a very useful space, and folk will find it an attractive feature. It won't add 'value' as such, tho', but could help tip your house over another.

If you aren't up to this, find a local handyman - you should have it done for a fraction of the quoted price - unless there's something we're missing, like the other person was going to strengthen the joists first, or summat?

You can get T&G chipboard flooring boards in a compact size (1200x600) to make it dead easy for one person to handle. It'll cost a bit more, obviously.