Hip to gable loft conversions have become incredibly popular with UK homeowners as a wonderful way to add extra room for their property.
You might be considering this option yourself because as well as increased space it could lead to a higher home value on the property market.
However, before you make a decision to complete this type of change, there are a few things that you should be aware of.
In particular, you need to know:
- what a gable loft conversion actually is,
- whether your home is suitable for this type of improvement and
- the limitations or restrictions that might impact your desire to complete an extension like this.
What is Hip to Gable Loft Conversion?
Typically, houses are built with the typical “hipped” roof and have a sloping side. As such, the loft space is often limited, and there is very little space to move around up there.
Due to this, it’s difficult to complete a conversion in your loft without completing a property extension first. This what a hip to gable loft extension is for.
With an extension like this, you can add space to the property on the side where the roof slopes. Instead of the sloping roof, this area is replaced with a vertical wall.
That adds more headroom as the space between the wall, and the roof is filled in. This added space can provide a wide range of fresh options from setting up a children’s play area to providing the perfect location for your home office.
You can actually complete a double hip to gable loft conversion and have more space on both sides of your home.
What Are the Planning Permission Considerations for a Gable Loft Conversion?
From 2008 onwards, planning permission has not usually been required to complete a gable loft home extension.
This was due to new laws that allowed homeowners to complete what became known as “permitted developments.”
These are small developments that allow homeowners to make changes without alerting the local authority.
That said, we do recommend you contact your local authority as an extra precaution. You might find that your local council have not yet approved these laws.
You will also need to obtain planning permission if you have completed a number of other permitted developments or if your hip to gable conversion adds a particularly large volume onto your property.
Is my House Suitable for a Hip to Gable Loft Conversion?
Your home will be suitable for a hip to gable loft conversion if you live in a semi-detached or detached property that has a hip-end roof.
Or, one or both the smaller sides of your roof are slanted. You might also find that you can complete this conversion on a bungalow.
This type of conversion could be a huge benefit to bungalow owners because it gives extra space to a single storey property.
However, you must be careful when completing this type of conversion as a single storey home may not have the right structure to support it.
A mid-terrace home will not be viable, however an end-terrace property could certainly match this type of loft extension.
You may need to get planning permission for this type of change if it significantly alters the aesthetic of the houses adjoined to yours.
Regardless of your roof style and build it is important to take height into account. A hip to gable loft conversion will only prove to be effective if the loft space is high enough in the first place.
Otherwise, this type of conversion will not provide a new area that you can actually use. Instead, you will need to look at other options (like the Mansard Loft Conversion) to maximise the potential of your loft.
How Do I Get Started?
If you’re interested in getting started with a hip to gable loft conversion in Essex, you first need to make sure that your home is a good fit.
Check that there is enough space in the loft to stand comfortably and look at quotes for this type of conversion online.
You will also need to complete measurements of the depth of the main roof, the main roof height and the distance from the eaves in the plan to the ridge. This will allow you to work out the volume of your loft conversion.
If you are unsure how to complete the measurements, we can do this for you.
We can then discuss this type of loft conversion with you and help you decide whether it is the right decision for your property.
With the right roof, this could be a brilliant way to add extra space and extra value to your home.