Design Buy Build Issue 23 2016 | Page 65

Econoloft Conversation text Econoloft photo Econoloft www.econoloft.co.uk conversions and so the precedent was there for the Fynauts who concluded that, in order to get the space they needed, the only way was up. The property is built on a slope with the front higher than the back and various rooms in the house are on different levels - the loft was no exception and so the conversion had to be built as a split level space. The Fynauts knew exactly what they wanted in the room - a sleeping area, a study/ relaxation area, storage and a toilet and shower. In order to get some ideas of how their conversion would work and who best could do it John asked several neighbours if he could look at the space they had created in their loft conversion. T he couple have three grown up children and although the property had four bedrooms, the smallest room was about 8 ft. x 8ft and was simply too small. John said: “Our 19 year old son Kieran was sick of trying to sleep, relax and study in this tiny room and as our two daughters were still living “It was useful to see what other people had built as it helped us decide what we did and didn’t want,” he said. at home there was no other way to give him more space without expanding.” The property is situated in a conservation area and expansion to the rear would have been a major modification; it was unlikely that planning permission would have been granted for something this substantial. Many other neighbouring properties already had loft “For example, one property had a bulk head going into an existing bedroom which we didn’t like and another had the new staircase built separately from the existing one which we didn’t want.” 65 John met with several potential builders including small local businesses and national loft conversion specialist Econoloft. “Some smaller builders were uncomfortable when I asked about subcontractor tax and VAT; and other quotes were simply too costly. It was immediately apparent that the Econoloft representative had relevant experience and could explain the technical aspects of the work, rather than just acting as a salesman. “As our house is in quite a desirable area of London, local builders also seemed inclined to hike up the price just because of our postcode, but Econoloft came in with a competitive and fair price. We also checked the website, which reassured us that Econoloft was an established business. It was their expertise earned over 40 years, their business transparency and a good price that convinced me to go with Econoloft.” The family were also keen that the internal and external work would blend seamlessly with their period home. Econoloft made sure the roof tiles matched the existing ones and that the dormer windows were in line with the roofline.