So you’re bursting at the seams and want to extend but the big decision is – do you go up or down?
There are definite plus and minus points for both – a light, airy loft makes great sleeping quarters, while a cool, subterranean basement could be a fantastic media room or family den. A lot will depend on the type of property you have, your family needs and of course, your budget. Here are the main pros and cons:
Loft conversion
Pros:
- Great views, a wonderful feeling of space and light
- Relatively cheap and straightforward if you can keep plans simple – i.e. staircases over existing staircases and plumbing over existing plumbing, using roof lights rather than dormer windows
- Fabulous as a master ensuite bedroom or home office
Cons:
- There may be restrictions to the height you are able to build
- You may have restricted head height in your loft space which will need to be taken into account
- The space will be limited to the size of your loft space
Basement conversion
Pros:
- If you have an existing cellar, a basement conversion is relatively cheap and straightforward to do
- Creates a fabulous, large space, ideal for a growing family, especially if you dig out under the garden too
- Could have multiple uses as a great family den, media room, home cinema, home gym…
- Can have a separate access making it ideal for guest accommodation or home office
- Adds a feeling of luxury – you could create a luxe basement kitchen/diner that opens into the garden, install an underground swimming pool or a bespoke temperature-controlled basement wine cellar and tasting cave
- New technologies mean basements are light and airy so you don’t get the feeling you are under ground
Cons:
- Costs will increase if you need to excavate a new basement rather than convert an existing cellar
- Time frames will also increase if it is a basement excavation rather than basement conversion
- You may need planning permission depending on your local authority, especially for London basement excavations
