‘Our recent loft conversion with Anglian Carpentry has been such a positive experience for us providing stunningly perfect results. We are absolutely thrilled with the work and every aspect of the service provided to us along the way’.

How could I not blog about that statement?!

Until recently we lived in a small flat in East London where utilising all available space (it wasn’t a lot) had been completely exhausted. We’d even looked into loft conversions (as have half of London) but because we didn’t own the whole house we were only permitted to add one room in the roof and this just wasn’t going to work for us. So, we did what the other half of London are being forced to do and upped sticks to the country where houses are cheaper and you get way more for your money! But… I couldn’t get the thought of a loft room out of my head…

Our new house in Norfolk is lovely but I had been so upset at the thought of leaving the capital that I asked my husband to agree on three things if we moved. A loft room (the light and space in them is so gorgeous that it was a must for me), 2 kittens and another baby. Well, we have the kittens, are working on the third and the loft room has just been completed so I feel like a very lucky girl indeed. Our new room (the penthouse suite as I am lovingly calling it) is stunning; I couldn’t have asked for anything more! Sometimes I go up there just to dance around in the space while pinching myself that it’s actually mine and if you’ve ever lived in a small London flat with two children, you’ll probably know where I’m coming from! Square foot by square foot, the new space in our loft is the exact same size as our old flat entirely (minus the living room)…

We embarked upon the project soon after we moved in and our friends and family were quite divided on whether we were doing the right thing. Our pals from London, most of whom have loft conversions of their own, were all for it but I found other people were a little concerned. Perhaps loft conversions aren’t as common in Norfolk as they are in London and I definitely found a little negativity. Friends said ‘But it will be so intrusive having builders all summer’ and ‘something is bound to go wrong’ as well as ‘Your house is big anyway, you don’t need it’. And the last point I guess is true. We didn’t need it but we wanted it and why not?

Why not make our house the best space that it could possibly be and why not make it exactly as we wanted it? People spend too much time and too much money on moving house when they could convert their lofts to get what they want so we in fact bought this house knowing that it wasn’t as we ideally wanted it. Knowing that a loft conversion would make it so. Not only this but also that we could control the fixtures and fittings with a loft conversion much like when you buy a brand new house. I just felt very, very excited by this.

And guess what? The builders couldn’t have been less intrusive. If anything I think we indruded on them more than the other way around and nothing, absolutely nothing went wrong. I hold this entirely down to Anglian Carpentry, the team we appointed to carry out the work. They literally did everything for us from the planning application, architect’s drawings and scaffolding (which was an immense structure) to the plumbing, tiling and all other finishing touches. The only things added extra on top of our agreed quote were the actual bathroom suite (although AC fitted it) which we bought from Victorian Plumbing and flooring (Anglian Carpentry recommended on both counts) and yet again, we were very happy both with the services AND the products we purchased. It would have been a nightmare finding the right team of people if we’d employed a loft conversion team who only dealt with the actual conversion; it was worth every penny for them to take all of those decisions and the control with people they trust and use every time.

Having the conversion never once felt like a hassle for us and I’ve been so impressed with Anglian Carpentry, so happy with everything they have done, that I just want to recommend them to everyone I see. We are thrilled and I know if you are thinking of converting your loft that I can, without any reservations or hesitation, recommend Andrew and Chris from Anglian Carpentry as well as their team of wonder workers who come in like an army of fixers to render, plumb, electrician and all the rest of it!

So… What did we have done? 

One set of stairs (over the top of our current stairs) leading up to the open plan large bedroom on one side and a dressing room to the other which is followed by a door leading to an ensuite shower room. We chose one big dormer to run the length of one side of the house giving it height and room with two big windows opposite two velux windows on the sloping side.

Usually I will shop around for even the smallest of items collating reviews and comparing prices. So when it came to my loft and parting with a massive chunk of money you would think I’d be the same… However, the decision to use Anglian Carpentry became as easy as the rest of our loft conversion turned out to be because as soon as I met Chris and Andrew I got a sense about them and I knew they were good people. I liked them; plain and simple. And most importantly, I knew they were trustworthy. I don’t know how I knew but I did and of course, I was absolutely right. I’d actually been given their name from another person in my village on a local Facebook site so I guess they did come with recommendation but honestly that is the only research I did because sometimes you just have to go with instinct and I’m so glad I did. As well as our loft they also fitted us with a brand new and solid wood kitchen, changed both our original bathrooms (again we bought from Victorian Plumbing who were brilliant as before) and did a whole host of other jobs that I kept throwing at them like fixing our windows, putting pictures on the wall and even making me a chopping board from some left over work top…

The results are my light and bright bedroom which is mainly open plan through the dressing area to the sleeping part of the floor with a bathroom and a wonderful staircase downstairs which do both have doors. The door into the loft comes at the bottom of the stairs which wind up to the floor showing a cascade of photos on the wall which I LOVE. The other door frame is beside the dressing area and leads into the bathroom. Everything from the doors to the walls is exactly as I wanted it and I love that NEWNESS and clean feeling it offers. It’s wonderful!

So… You want to see the results? Let’s start with a picture of the before!

After their architect come to measure up, he and we came to an agreement of how it would be. I was a bit of a drama Queen about it (I cried over the loss of a cupboard) and Chris and Andrew pandered to me while the architect re-worked things until I was satisfied and then the work began immediately! And this hole in our roof, this gaping gap which the builders went in and out of every day for a few weeks so that we hardly even knew they were there, began the start of the transformation.

The full sized stair case to wind around with light flooding into it and at the top, an open plan bedroom, dressing area and ensuite shower room also filled with natural light. A very modern feel in keeping with our modern house to follow the natural line of the property just as Anglian Carpentry do with all of their builds. New rooms in the loft simply become part of the house rather than an add on and although it was hard to tell exactly from the plans, and harder still with just a hole in the roof, it all came to fruition!

And now I can show you around properly. Because the painting is done, the floors are in, the furniture is in situ and we LOVE it! Absolutely love it so… Come through the key hole if you will and take a look around out gorgeous loft conversion!

So, what can I say other than bravo to Anglian Carpentry and to thank them so much. They made spending a fair few thousand very enjoyable and we totally feel like we have had value for money as well as the loft room of our dreams. This time last year I couldn’t have imagined where we’d be living right now and I’m just pleased that we had the foresight to buy somewhere with a view to changing it because I didn’t see any other houses with a loft room quite like our one! If you want the best then you have to employ the best and we absolutely did – meet the faces of Anglian Carpentry below!

Chris (left) and Andrew (right) own and run Anglian Carpentry who are loft and garage conversion specialists. Ring them for a free quote on 01953 452269 and visit their website at www.angliancarpentry.co.uk. to see more of their work in pictures as well as to read testimonials from all their other satisfied customers.

I will show you my new kitchen and bathrooms which also have the Anglian Carpentry stamp on them another day but for now, what do you think of my loft?!