- General Interest
With the average house price currently at £223,000[1], it is no surprise that the number of young adults living with their parents has reached an all time high – more than a quarter of people aged 20 to 34 are still living at home[2]. As such, family life has become busier over the years and the need for extra space is high in demand.
Depending on the roof structure and planning constraints, maximising the roof space of a property by creating a loft conversion is one of the easiest ways of getting extra space in a home. And for housebuilders that want to appeal to more families, it is definitely worth exploring building up into the roof.
There are three main types of loft conversions in the UK: dormer, hip to gable and mansard. Dormer conversions involve constructing a vertical wall from the bottom of the sloping roof and meeting it with a flat roof, while hip to gable conversions increase the small existing spaces of hipped roof properties. Mansard conversions are usually constructed at the rear of a property, with a flat roof and back wall.
When part of a refurbishment project, a loft conversion will not only provide families with the extra space required, it could also add up to 20 per cent to the value of the house.
There are many factors that need to be thought about when it comes to creating a loft conversion, but one of the most important considerations is the need for high quality insulation. For example, there are products that have been designed specifically for pitched roof applications, such as our Metac range.
Compared to other insulation materials available on the market, where the costs have inflated significantly over the last 12 months, Metac is a cost effective glass mineral wool solution. It has a thermal conductivity of 0.034W/mK and can be installed in a variety of building details in order to meet a wide range of U-values to help families to live more comfortably within their property and receive lower energy bills. If support is required when it comes to building details and calculating U-values, Isover’s Technical Advice Centre can provide unrivalled advice and guidance on the appropriate products to use to meet and exceed the Building Regulations (details of which can be found here).
Metac is also quick and easy to install, as it’s lightweight and can easily be friction-fitted between the rafters which will result in no slumping or air gaps. What’s more, Metac has inherent sound absorbing properties, which reduces the impact of external noise, such as traffic, aircraft noise and weather, and improves the comfort for homeowners further.
For more information about the insulation solutions we have to offer, please call 0115 945 1143 or email us on isover.enquiries@saint-gobain.com
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-house-price-index-hpi-for-june-2017
[2] http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/young-adults-live-parents-at-home-property-buy-homeowners-housing-market-a8043891.html