Extensions, conversions and other additions to your home will usually
add some value, but this depends very much on the type of property,
location and supply and demand.
It would be a mistake to assume that a loft conversion automatically
adds value to a house. It may make it easier to sell but evidence shows
that you will not necessarily recoup all the building costs. The
exceptions being if you live in a very small house when it is
advantageous to expand, or you live in an area where there are not
enough houses to supply the demand.
However, estate agents say a fourth bedroom is the single most valuable
feature a family house can have and usually converting an attic is
simpler than building an extension.
The most important point to bear in mind is that a loft conversion
should not look or feel like an add-on because if it does it will add
little to the value of the house. The staircase is the key to making a
conversion look as though it is part of the original house. Wherever
possible the stairway should be a natural continuation of the original
staircase so that the transition from ‘old’ to ‘new’ is seamless and
within the conversion itself the style should follow that in the rest
of the house i.e. skirting boards, architraves, picture rails, ceiling
heights etc.
