I is for… insulation

June 18th, 2013 Becke

Thermal insulation materialRegular readers of our blog will by now be familiar with our handy A to Z offering weekly tips about all things technical relating to loft conversions. We’re now on to the letter ‘I’ and nothing quite fits the bill like insulation.

It is really important to make sure that your loft is insulated properly in order to keep the room warm and minimise overall heat loss from the house, meaning that your heating bills should not dramatically increase.

So here is your guide to insulating your loft conversion.

Why bother with loft insulation?
You may be wondering if it is really necessary to insulate your loft. You’ll no doubt be aware that heat rises. That means that should you choose not to insulate your loft, you may lose 25 per cent of your heat through the roof – and that is an awful lot of heat to lose.

So if you’re hoping to keep your energy bills low, make sure you insulate your loft. Good quality loft insulation lasts for a minimum of 40 years so over time, you’ll find that it pays for itself easily.

How to choose the right loft insulation
- If you have regular joists
The best type of insulation to use in this case would be rolls of mineral wool insulation. It’s a fairly easy job that you can do yourself should you wish. Simply layer the first piece between the joists and then position the next layer in a criss-crossed fashion until the joists are completely covered. If you don’t feel confident about doing the job yourself, you can always ask a professional installer to do it.

- If you’ll be using the loft as living space
For this purpose, you’ll need to ensure that boards are put down over the joists which remove the possibility of insulating on top of the joists themselves. To make sure that you have enough loft insulation, it’s a good idea to purchase insulation board that is already fixed to the floor boarding. Alternatively, you can raise the floor level, allowing you to fit in more mineral wool.

And of course, you could always insulate the roof instead of the floor. Do this by positioning rigid insulation boards between the roof rafters, ensuring that the boards fit snugly. Use the highest performance insulation board possible in order to fully insulate your loft.

- If you have a flat roof
For a flat roof, it is preferable to insulate from above. Attach a layer of rigid insulation board over the roof’s weatherproof layer. Should you choose to insulate from underneath, you may find that it leads to condensation problems and you don’t want to risk a damp loft, particularly if you’re going to be using it as living space or for storage.

Here at Econoloft, we’re something of an expert when it comes to converting lofts. Make sure your loft is correctly insulated in order to reduce energy bills and prevent the risk of damp.

If you’re looking for some inspiration, take a look at our gallery of previous work and have a read of our extensive client testimonial portfolio for proof of why we’re the best in the business.

For more information about loft conversions or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

Five Magnificent Master Bedroom Designs

June 13th, 2013 Becke

If you’re in need of a bit of extra, private space, away from the kids, you may want to consider converting your unused loft into a master bedroom. Just think, you’d have a whole extra floor level to yourselves and if you designed it so, you could feel as though you were sleeping under the stars every evening – how’s that for romance?

So to help give you a helping hand inspiration-wise, we’ve found five magnificent master bedroom designs for you to copy. If grandeur, opulence and luxury are missing from your life right now, this could be the solution to your problem.

1. Balcony bedroom

bedroom1How would you feel if we told you that you could have both the penthouse room as well as an adjoining balcony terrace? Well if the design of your house allows it, you could do just that – having the best of both worlds is possible.

We’d feel as if every day was a holiday with this gorgeous balcony master bedroom seen on houzz.com. In the bedroom, simple furniture and clean white walls allow the stunning balcony view to do all of the talking. And just imagine having your own private dining terrace during the summer – pure bliss, we reckon.

 

 

2. Under the sea bedroom

bedroom2If you’re looking for the ultimate relaxation tool in your bedroom, why not use a creative headboard design to help you achieve the desired effect? The calming influence of water and fish will send anyone into a deep, dreamful sleep.

Freshome.com is jam-packed with creative headboard designs to make your bedroom totally unique. We couldn’t resist this custom-built headboard fish tank.

3. Glamorous and chic bedroom

bedroom3If upholding a glamorous image is essential in your home, you may be interested in creating a sleek, expensive looking master bedroom.

Everything about this room from lovehome.co.uk screams glamour. From the opulent chandelier ceiling light, to the mirrored bedside tables and the studded headboard frame, the designer has combined a mixture of sleek and masculinity to achieve a bedroom fit for a king.

 

 

 

4. Hotel style bedroom

bedroom4Have you ever wished your bedroom could look as stylish as a hotel room? Well there is absolutely no reason why you cannot emulate the style of your favourite hotel in your newly converted master bedroom.

Follow the recommendations of channel4.com and choose to make your bed the stand-out feature of the room. Invest in a good quality mattress for your king sized bed (luxury is key here) and sumptuous silk bed linen will take you instantly back to that luxurious hotel room you once stayed in. choose furniture to match the bed and stick to two main colours to bring everything together harmoniously. Dark purples will add a touch more opulence to the effect.

5. Multi-purpose bedroom

bedroom5If you have sufficient loft space, you may wish to turn your master bedroom in to a liveable space, almost like a loft apartment. This could be ideal for older children who have moved back home after university, giving them much-needed privacy at a rate they can afford.

The first thing that struck us about this beautiful loft bedroom on housetohome.co.uk was just how spacious it is. High ceilings, plenty of natural light and simple, fresh wall shades combine to make this room a knockout. With a huge French style double bed, seating area by a cosy heater, and chest of drawer storage, this room has everything you could need. We love the shuttered ‘window’ display, while the well-placed mirror adds even more space and light to the room.

We’re sure by now that you’re convinced just how amazing a master bedroom you could create, simply by converting your loft.

If you require any more design inspiration, our gallery is full of previous work we’ve completed for our clients, while our extensive client testimonial portfolio details exactly why we’re the best in the conversion industry.

For more information or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

H is for… heating

June 10th, 2013 Becke

Wow, we seem to be speeding through our A to Z blog posts – we’re on ‘h’ already! Regular readers will be familiar by now with our blog system – once a week we bring you information on the more technical aspects of loft conversion, to help you get yours just right when it comes to converting your loft.

So today we’re focusing on heating. After all, if you’re planning to spend quite a bit of time in your loft, you’ll need to make sure that it’s warm enough, especially during the winter months.

Gas central heating
If your home currently operates with gas central heating, you’ll have to determine whether or not the existing boiler will be able to cope with the extra heating requirements that come with a loft conversion. You may find that it is necessary for a new boiler with better heating capacity to be installed.

Consider loft insulation
However, if you invest in good quality insulation methods for your conversion, you may find that this helps to reduce the overall amount of heat lost through the house. In such cases, a new boiler will not be necessary.

Requirements for new boilers
Should you need to have a new boiler installed, it is wise to opt for one with a high efficiency grade (A or B). There are also some additional requirement regulations:

- It must be a ‘fully pumped’ heating system
- It must comprise a programmer control, room thermostat and hot water storage cylinder thermostat
- Room thermostats must be interlocked to the boiler (only fires up when there is a demand for heat)

Alternatives to central heating system boilers
It may be that your existing loft does not contain a central heating system – while you have the option of installing one, there are of course alternatives.

- Room heater
Choose one with a time and temperature control to give you better control of when the room will be heated.

- Natural gas heater
It doesn’t matter if your loft space is minimal, as you can purchase a wall-mounted natural gas heater unit. What’s more, gas-fired room heaters are far more environmentally friendly as they produce fewer carbon emissions than electric heaters, which can also be expensive to run.

So now you know the options available to you when it comes to heating your loft conversion. Of course, you can always ask for more advice during your consultation if there’s anything you’re unsure of.

Let Econoloft transform your loft into the space of your dreams. Check out our gallery for some design inspiration.

For more information or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

The Most Creative Staircases

June 6th, 2013 Becke

Most homes have at least one staircase, but rather than overlooking yours, have you ever considered that you can make it into a great home feature? Think of how many times a day you traipse up and down those stairs – would you feel any different if your staircase was more than just a set of steps transporting you from one floor level to the next?

Take a look at our selection of truly inspirational staircases to give you some ideas about how you can get creative with the staircase in your home.

1. Build a stepped library

stairs1If your love of reading has led to you accumulating a roomful of books, you may have already decided to build a library in your home. However, with so many books piled high from floor to ceiling, how are you supposed to access those that are out of reach?

By building a stepped library of course! We love this innovative idea for using steps inside a room to your advantage. This library, featured on thedesigninspiration.com has made us long to build a library in our homes.

 

 

 

2. Waterfall garden staircase

Stairs2If your garden is huge and steep, one easy way to help you get to the bottom of it is to construct a staircase to blend in with the design.

Step forward Portrack House in Scotland. Seen on au.lifestyle.yahoo.com, the designer of this truly stunning exterior staircase has done a great job of making the stone steps look like a cascading waterfall. How very grand!

 

 

 

 

3. Bringing nature inside staircase

Stairs3If you’re a lover of being outdoors, you’ll jump at the chance to bring a little bit of the natural world into your home.

Okay so we cheated a bit with this one – but while the stairs are pretty average looking, it’s the tree-shaped handrail that caught our eye the most. Funonthenet.in picked a good one with this staircase – we love how the tree is rooted on the bottom step but then unfurls its branches elegantly towards the top of the staircase.

If you wish to add a touch of creativity to the staircase in your home, you can rely on us. We’ll transform your loft and of course the stairway leading up to the attic room.

Check out some of our fantastic loft designs in our gallery and if you’re looking for proof as to why we’re the best in the loft conversion industry, our client testimonials say it all.

For more information or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

G is for… gable

June 3rd, 2013 Becke

Can you believe that we’re already up to the letter ‘g’ on our A to Z guide to loft conversions? For those of you who don’t know, each week, we bring you a guide to all things technical relating to lofts but in an easy to understand explanation. Today, we’re focusing on gable roofs. We’ll be taking a look at what a gable roof is and the different variations in gable roofing.

What is a gable roof?
A gable roof is the triangular shaped section of wall between the two sloping sides of a roof. However, the shape of the gable depends on how the roof has been structured. The great thing about gable roofs is that they encourage rainwater and snow to drip off the roof, rather than gathering and forming large puddles. What’s more, they generate maximum space in the loft, which is fantastic news if you’re looking to convert your loft into a further room.

Variations in gable roof designs
- Crow-stepped gable
A stair-step design helps to accommodate the sloping part of the roof and makes it more aesthetically pleasing. The design dates back to the seventeenth century and can be seen on Muchalls Castle and Monboddo House, both are located in Scotland.

- Dutch gable roof
A hip roof, complete with four sloping sides and topped with a gable roof. Although hip roofs do not give the same amount of space in the loft as a traditional gable roof, it removes the difficulty of attaching gutters that is associated with gable roofs.

- Clipped gable roof
In contrast to a traditional gable roof, a clipped gable roof is flatter at the top instead of culminating in a point. In addition to adding visual appeal, this style also helps to reduce wind force.

Now you know more about it, you should be able to determine whether or not your house has a gable roof. If you’re planning to convert your loft, you’ll be pleased to know that this style of roof will ensure you have the maximum floor space.

Let Econoloft help to transform your home – with over 40 years in the industry, we know what we’re talking about.

Read our client testimonials for proof of why we’re the best. And if you’re in need of design inspiration, check out our gallery of previous work.

For more information or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

Your guide to loft conversion décor

May 30th, 2013 Becke

Regular readers of our posts will know by now that Econoloft is the place to go to if you’re considering a loft conversion for your home. But in addition to our extensive knowledge and experience, we also love to bring you practical tips and advice about all things loft-related.

For today’s post we decided to bring you a guide to loft conversions and ideas of how you can choose which style of interior décor is best, depending on the purpose of your conversion.

1. Floor to ceiling windows

decor1By fitting a floor to ceiling velux window in your loft, you’ll make sure that as much natural light as possible can enter the room, making it feel bright and airy.

If your loft is quite small, a floor to ceiling window will help to give the impression of a loftier height (pun intended) and make the room seem much bigger. Add to the lightness by painting your loft a brilliant white like in this photo from channel4.com. Contrasting black accessories will make your loft bang on monochrome trend.

2. Make a mood board

decor2If you’re unsure what colour or theme you should give to your new room, why not make a mood board? Fill it with a variety of snaps in your favourite colour, style or inspirational wording.

This London inspired mood board from mydeco.com gives plenty of ideas for incorporating the London style, through the use of the Great British flag, iconic street names, and of course, the colours associated with England’s capital city.

3. Turn the heat up

decor3We all know that heat rises but you may well find that if your converted loft room is fairly spacious, it cools off quickly in the evening and is distinctly chilly in the winter. Solve this problem by installing a small radiator.

This beautiful loft bedroom from lovehome.co.uk has all the elements to make it a modern, yet cosy room. Stripped wooden flooring brings a classic, rustic feel while the addition of the fluffy rug and simple white radiator add to the warmth. Muted shades of aubergine from the walls are accented with the coordinating bed linen, while the floral blind adds a homely touch.

 

4. Don’t throw anything out

decor4If your loft was jam-packed with all sorts of old memorabilia, vintage items and old school accessories that you can’t bear to throw away, you might not have to. Who says that you have to throw away all of your memories?

Instead, be inspired by this room seen on freshome.com – an eclectic mixture of traditional and contemporary, the designer of this living room was certainly one for embracing the vintage look. You have to admit, it does inject your personality into the room, while giving it a cosy feel.

5. Do consider rubber flooring

decor5If your converted loft is going to be a bathroom, you may wish to consider the idea of rubber flooring. Designed to offer ultimate grip, it’ll definitely make your bathroom a safer place for your kids, especially if they enjoy making tidal waves when they’re in the bath.

Slip-resistant and practical doesn’t have to be boring, as housetohome.co.uk proves. You can buy rubber flooring in a range of bright colours to match the rest of your bathroom décor – it also makes cleaning an absolute doddle. We love the matching hand towel too.

So remember, the next time you’re looking for practical, yet stylish advice for decorating your converted loft, you can rely on Econoloft.

For further inspiration, check out our gallery of previous work. And if you want proof of why we’re the best in the business, have a read of our impressive client testimonials.

For more information about converting your loft, or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

F is for… fire safety regulations

May 28th, 2013 Becke

It’s time for part ‘F’ of the A to Z loft conversion guide and today, we’re considering how you can ensure that your loft is protected against fire. Many people don’t realise that there are fire safety regulations to consider when you convert your loft. In fact, protecting your home and yourself from fire should be top of your agenda.

Half-hour fire protection
The majority of lofts give the house a third storey. As such, the walls, door and flooring needs to be given what’s known in the industry as half-hour fire protection. You can do this with a double layer of plasterboard and by investing in fire doors.

Why are fire doors so important?
Should you encounter a fire and you’re in the loft, your only real means of escape is down the stairs. You must ensure that the main staircase leads to an external door and that this too is given fire protection. All doors to bedroom should really be fire doors and you should ensure that you fit smoke alarms to each floor to give you and your family extra warning in the event of a fire.

Escape from the first floor
If the staircase to your loft leads to an open plan room rather than an external door, you can install a sprinkler system and a fire door to separate the ground and first floor levels of the house. That way, if you should encounter a fire, your escape route will be through the window of a first floor room.

Summary
Okay, so now you know the fire safety regulations regarding loft conversions. But if all that seems like a lot to take in, here is a quick summary of the most important bits.

- Fire doors for added protection
- Smoke alarms must be fitted on each storey of the house
- Sprinkler systems are an optional extra to give you some added time

So if you’re thinking of converting your loft, let the experts help. With over 40 years in the industry, Econoloft is something of an authority when it comes to loft conversions.

Check out our gallery of past work for inspiration about your loft design or have a quick read of our client testimonials to find out why we’re the best people to convert your loft.

For more information or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

Easy ways to add colour to your home

May 23rd, 2013 Becke

Are you fed up of staring at neutral walls every evening? Do you long for a bit of colour to brighten up your bedroom and liven up your living area?

Here at Econoloft, we’ve been thinking that as it is nearly time for summer, we should all have a bit more colour in our lives. So here are some easy ways to introduce colour to your home.

1. Colourful rugs

colour01They add an extra layer of warmth to the room, and feel soft underneath your bare feet – what’s more, rugs are really easy to change if you decide to alter the colour scheme of your bedroom.

There are some fabulous ideas on thelittleroomofstyle.com blog for injecting a pop of colour into your home. We’d love one of these bright, cosy rugs in our bedroom.

 

 

 

 

2. Living room colour scheme

colour02It’s likely that you go to your living room to relax and unwind after a long day. It’s probably also the room that you show your guests into first when you’re entertaining, so it needs to look warm and inviting.

Choose deep, rich colours such as purple for the walls to give the room a cosy feel. Mahogany furniture looks great with dark shades – take a look at this room from housetohome.co.uk for inspiration.

 

 

3. Step back in time with retro wallpaper

colour03The quirky, groovy vibe of the 70s can work great in a kitchen diner and makes a fantastic talking point when you have guests round for dinner.

To enhance the character of the room further, invest in some traditional china teacups and a table runner like in this picture from housetohome.co.uk.

 

 

 

 

4. Bold and bright home office furniture

colour04Your home office is a place of work but that doesn’t mean it has to be dull. Invest in some bold and bright furniture to inject colour into the room.

The general rule of thumb when it comes to bright colours is to choose one main colour and pick out different notes in the rest of the room. In this home office seen on channel4.com, the block yellow, green and red colours are accented in the rug and the cushion.

 

 

 

5. Nautical bathroom

colour05Decorate your bathroom to feel like you’re at sea with a blue and white nautical theme. These shades will have a calming effect on the room, ideal for bath time.

How adorable is this tug bath tub, complete with mini paddle? The nautical theme in this bathroom from bhg.com has been developed throughout the décor, and the designer has even gone so far as to use rope to hold the shower curtain back. If only every bathroom was as cool as this.

Do you have an unused loft that you wish could be transformed into one of the colourful room styles above? Let Econoloft help – with over 40 years’ experience in the loft conversion industry, we’re something of an authority.

Browse our gallery for inspiration and check out our client testimonials – they’ll convince you why you should choose us to do the work.

For more information or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

E is for… Econoloft

May 21st, 2013 Becke

It’s that time of the week again where we bring you the next installment of our A to Z guide to loft conversions. For the letter ‘E’, we were really left with no choice; it had to be Econoloft. Here’s a bit more about our company and how we can transform your loft.

40 years old!
Econoloft was established by Derek Livesey a little over 40 years ago – it was his aim to create a business that people could trust, and that placed customer satisfaction at its heart, which is why he decided that Econoloft should remain an independent, family owned business.

We aim to please
We know that as well as staff dedication and hard work, it takes loyal customers to help establish a brand. That’s why it is such a pleasure to see that the hard work we put in pays off at the end of a day. Our many customer testimonials prove that we place great importance on customer satisfaction and aim to consistently deliver, both in terms of excellent quality of work and outstanding customer service.

Professional, expert service
Converting a loft is no mean feat – it’s only natural that as a customer, you want to ensure that you’re getting the best possible service and that we know our stuff. With Econoloft, you can rest assured that our team has expert knowledge. What’s more, we work in conjunction with professional associations such as the Federation of Master Builders, The Fair Trades Association and Trustmark.

FREE estimates
We also understand that you have a lot to consider when making the decision about whether or not to convert your loft. As such, we offer a hassle-free, no obligation FREE estimation service, which includes a complimentary feasibility study and a guide through the loft conversion process. You have to be completely sure about what the finished product will look like, and how it will be achieved, which is why we invest so much time in the preparation before you commit to any work being done.

Inspiration
Our team of experts are always on hand to give you advice when it comes to the design aspect of your conversion. If you’re looking for further inspiration, our gallery of past work we’ve completed is a good place to start.

10 year guarantee
All of our work comes with a ten year guarantee – that’s how confident we are that we deliver fantastic quality that you’ll be more than satisfied with.

If you require more information or wish to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

Essential Home Office Features

May 17th, 2013 Becke

Have you always wanted a home office? Somewhere calm that offers you just the right amount of privacy to be able to get your work done, but also reflects your personality?

Here at Econoloft, we love to offer you tips and advice to make your home special. Today we’re focusing on home offices and the essential features every home office requires.

office11. Storage space

It’s likely that you’ll be dealing with a lot of paperwork in your home office. That means that you’ll need somewhere to store those all important documents, a filing system for the files you’re currently working on, and space for any paperwork that is yet to be dealt with.

Channel4.com recommends that you are imaginative with your storage space. If your office loft has a sloping roof, work with the space you have. Installing handy shelves above your desk gives you easy and instant access to all of your documents.

 

office22. Noticeboard

Some people may prefer to write all appointments and memos on a calendar or store the information on a mobile device, but a noticeboard offers you the space to dedicate everything work-related to the board, so you can easily separate business from pleasure.

Take inspiration form this Pinterest.com user and hang a chalkboard on the wall. The great thing about chalkboards is that you can easily erase a memo once it has been dealt with, saving you from filling notebooks and calendars.

 

 

office33. Desk and chair

It may sound obvious to say that your home office needs to have a desk and a chair, but there are many different styles out there to choose from. You can choose between having a small and compact desk, big enough for your laptop, or a spacious room-filling desk so that you can spread out with your work.

If you are trying to save space, this compact desk from housetohome.co.uk offers you an easy solution. Small enough to fit in to the corner of the room, it also provides storage space – ideal for those who love organisation.

office44. Individuality

If you plan to spend a lot of time in your home office, it makes sense to turn it into a place where you enjoy being. Make your home office as individual and as personable as you like to help you feel truly at home.

There’s no rule to say that you can’t hang photos of your favourite people on the walls of your home office. Arrange them in a cluster like in this shot from freshome.com and invest in the monochrome look to show off your personality but still keep your home office professional-looking. Why not add a touch of luxury in the form of this chandelier light?

We love to help you transform your existing loft space into the room of your dreams. Take a look at examples of our previous designs and see what our clients say about us.

For more information about converting your loft into a home office, or to book your FREE estimate, contact Econoloft today on FREEPHONE 0800269765 or fill in a call back form and we will contact you when it’s convenient.

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