Make room in lofty heights

Comfortable bed in hotel room

Imagine having two new rooms and an ensuite without needing to move home? The answer may lie in the unused space in your loft.

Kiwis are often surprised at how large the space available in their loft is. Not only can the standing room be used. Beds, and desks, for example, can be positioned where the roof isn't so high, leaving plenty of stand-up room in the centre, says Chris Caiger, director of renovation franchise Refresh. A loft conversion can add 80 to 100m2 of space.

Expect to pay $100,000 to $150,000 for a top quality conversion. But a loft conversion can really transform your home and provide a "very characterful space," says Caiger.

It's very common to add dormer windows to a loft conversion, which adds both light and space to a roof space, says architect Ken Davis of Herriot + Melhuish: Architecture Ltd. These and gable windows add appeal to a home's exterior.

A cheaper, but good alternative to dormer and gable windows, he says, is a traditional sloping sky light.

It can be difficult for homeowners to visualise where the staircase might go. But spaces such as middle bedrooms and other small rooms can be converted to multi-use such as staircase and bathroom or study, says Davis.

It's often easiest to create loft conversions in villas, which typically have steeper roof pitches than most other houses. Nonetheless, Davis has designed them for all sorts of homes -- including former state houses.

Where there isn't enough space up top, the other option, says Davis, is to lower the ceiling height in existing rooms. This isn't always ideal, because the lowered ceiling can detract from the proportions of the room below. But it is sometimes feasible in homes with high studs.

Though the ideal is to have standing room in the loft space, Davis has also been commissioned to design playrooms, crawl space, or simply storage for clients.

Loft conversions, says Caiger are an excellent option for creating space in homes on already subdivided sections as they don't change the height to boundary ratio. "Sometimes the option to go out (extend) isn't there and the only option is to go up or down," he says.

There are times, however, says Davis when council consent is necessary for loft conversions. This is particularly so in heritage zones such as Grey Lynn and Ponsonby. "There are strict controls there and it has to go through a heritage assessment," says Davis. "[The design] has to be sympathetic and comply with the various rules."

Caiger recommends that home owners plan well and don't jump into the conversion without doing adequate research.

What's more, it's often essential to do other work at the same time, such as strengthening piles.

• Refresh is working with steel companies on a specification to product more cost-effective loft conversions. Craiger says the design will revolutionise the market and reduce costs.