My wife and I are starting to talk seriously about a loft conversion. We have some experience of going through a previous architect-designed renovation, but I would like to probe the wealth of experience out there in Homeone land.
We live in the Stonnington area of Melbourne. Our house is a 1940-ish 2-story solid brick free-standing home with a 2-story BV extension at the rear. It is roughly a long rectangle shape and just 7m wide. The current low-pitch tile roof is not tall enough for an attic/loft, so we would be rebuilding the roof entirely. I reckon a new 45-degree roof would probably give wide-enough space for some habitable rooms and still fall within the building envelope, but obviously I'll find out for sure when I engage a professional.
I am looking for tips on finding a builder. I think a loft conversion is a specialist project, so I am more inclined to hire a such a specialist (rather than a general architect and builder) because they should be more in tune with the livability of the space. The firms that pop up are:
- Attic Group - http://www.atticgroup.com.au/attic-livi ... on-process
- Attix - http://www.attix.com.au/products/attic-conversions
- Loft Conversions Melbourne - http://www.loftconversionsaustralia.com ... melbourne/
Purely on an aesthetic level, the web-sites appeal to me in the order listed.
Has anyone used one of these firms?
Has anyone used another firm that they recommend?
If I do go with an all-in-one designer-builder, should I hire an independent project manager - say an architect - to keep them honest?