One of the biggest expenses of a loft conversion is labor, so doing it yourself will obviously save you a great deal of money, provided you have the time. If the loft conversion isn’t absolutely essential and you don’t have time constraints, you can probably do it yourself. Doing it yourself does not mean that you have to do absolutely everything yourself. Obviously, there is structural work that you cannot and should not attempt. Any good builder will be happy to do the structural work for you and let you do the rest. This will save you hundreds if not thousands of pounds and give you a great sense of accomplishment not to mention the fact that the loft conversion will certainly add value to your property.
Before you make your final decision on whether to attempt a DIY loft conversion, always remember that if you run late or need help with the job, you can always call the builder. Think of them as help when you need it, guys. They will come and do only the things you can’t do for yourself and let you do the rest. A good builder will be happy to oversee the project for you and will show up every few days to check on your progress and give you some good ideas about what you can or cannot do, what you should or shouldn’t do and in what order the work should be done. .
Ideally, you’ll also need someone to help you with odd jobs, an extra set of hands. Some jobs require more than one person and it’s always good to have an extra person around, it helps make the job more enjoyable.
DIY requires confidence in your own abilities, ask yourself if the current level of my DIY is close to what you are about to attempt. For example, if you’ve never done odd jobs around the house, like fixing a leaky faucet, fixing a creaky floor, tiling and grouting, putting up new shelves, painting and decorating, then maybe a DIY loft conversion isn’t for you. a good idea. Ideally, you should be familiar with the tools and have experience using them correctly before you can attempt this type of work. If DIY isn’t what you used to do, then don’t fool yourself and start this job. First, you won’t enjoy it, and second, the quality of work you do is probably not what you wanted to achieve, so leave it to the professionals. On the other hand, if you’re pretty handy with tools and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, then maybe a DIY loft conversion won’t be much of a problem for you, so give it a try.
Depending on the size of the building and whether roofing work is required, a loft conversion can take anywhere from 3 weeks to 3-4 months. It all depends on the work that needs to be done, so be prepared for unexpected delays.
Plan for the unexpected; make sure you have a contingency fund for odd jobs that show up after the job has started. For example, gutters, some roofing, roofing facade, replacement soffits, and additional containers are sometimes needed to name just a few.
If you plan to do your loft conversion yourself, you may want to source all the materials yourself. Some construction vendors may charge more than they should for materials, so it’s best to take a look. If you’re having trouble finding materials, just send us an email and I’ll look it up.
Before I leave you today, I just want to make sure you think it through before you start anything.
1. Ask yourself, do you really have time to fit a loft conversion into your current job?
2. Do you have someone you trust to help you when necessary and support you throughout this project?
3. Do you have the funds, including a good contingency, to successfully complete the job at the level you really want?
4. Can your family cope with the inconvenience? Give it some serious thought, because if you’re retrofitting it into your current job, the loft conversion could take months to complete. Also consider the fact that you will have less time to spend with your family.
Whatever you decide, remember that if all else fails, you can always call the builder to help you out and finish where you left off.
