Should You Retile When Converting Your Loft?

Having a whole new loft conversion is an exciting step, but if you start to think about replacing the roof tiles whilst you’re at it, you could be concerned about it also turning into an expensive one!

However, the good news is that for most loft conversions, it’s really not necessary to retile the roof. And the even better news? If you do decide to have the roof retiled at the same time as the conversion, this could be a cost-effective decision which brings several other advantages …

Additional design options

Hopefully, many loft conversion designs will fit into the existing roof structure, so you’ll have plenty of options. However, your dream design may be facilitated by retiling at the same time. For example, retiling the roof could create a more usable pitch or facilitate a feature such as a dormer window rather than roof lights.

Increasing the property value

Any home improvements come at a financial cost, but work on the roof – both inside and out – can be improvements which can definitely bring a return on your investment when it’s time to resell the property …

• By improving the aesthetics of the house
  Enhancing the kerb appeal of your home can be a way to improve the value of your home as well as its chances of selling when the time comes, according to Homebuilding & Renovations.
  So, if your loft conversion is going to affect the roof line overall, retiling your whole roof alongside this work can be a way of ensuring a perfect match across the tiles used, something which greatly improves the aesthetics of the property. When you consider that a loft design which features a dormer window involves removing and retiling a certain section of the roof anyway, retiling at the same time certainly makes sense.

• By investing in a substantial home improvement
  Having a loft conversion is a significant investment in your home which has been reported in recent times to increase your property value by around £21,000 (Spectator, 2017). Adding the cost of retiling the roof to this investment can really help to secure this potential return on investment and increased value, by offering an additional added value itself, of around 63% of the cost of retiling (ThisIsMoney).
  Add to this any soffits and gutter work at the same time and the property is likely to offer a much wider appeal to those who just want a new home to live in and enjoy, not to have to immediately pay out for repairs on as soon as they move in – whilst also adding to that kerb-appeal, of course!

Safeguarding against leaks

Old roof tiles, their fixings and flashings do deteriorate over time and any wet penetrating through can have implications for the internal side of the roof – and particularly those lovely new walls and insulation you’re having as part of your loft conversion.

So in the interests of repair and prevention, if your current tiles are borderline or there’s even the vaguest chance of leaks inside, it can be sensible to secure against problems penetrating into your new space by having a retile around the same time. Such improvements to the exterior will also support the improvements (and comforts) you’re making to the interior too.

Maximising insulation

And about that lovely new insulation in your loft installation … retiling the roof can be a chance to improve the insulation properties of the tiles themselves, maximising the efficiency of new insulation to the floor, walls and ceiling of your new loft conversion.

Combining the costs

If the roof is in poor condition then it’s likely that repairs are regularly needed – particularly in the spring and autumn. If this is your experience, it could be cheaper for you to retile rather than repair, particularly if this ensures that the loft conversion will be of optimum structural and finished quality. If the roof is in a very poor state, extensive retiling be necessary in order for the loft conversion to be compliant with regulations.

If you are likely to need retiling in the near future then combining the projects will mean you don’t have to pay for scaffolding twice.

Combining the convenience

Although a professional loft conversion company will go out of their way to minimise inconvenience to your household, there’s no getting around the fact that there will be some disruption. So, just as it makes sense from the cost perspective to just have scaffolding up once for the two jobs, it can also make sense from the convenience factor of getting all the work done at once.

Finishing – professionally

Of course, it’s not just the aesthetics on the outside that are important. When it comes to achieving the best professional finish for your new loft conversion, making the most of the professional services and expertise of your loft conversion specialists is vital. So, checking if they offer the convenience of an all-in service for retiling the roof at the same time as completing your loft conversion can really help you decide on whether to retile at the same time, as the ultimate way to minimise inconvenience, maximise cost-effectiveness and optimise the professional finish of your roof – inside and out!