Why Are Loft Conversions Occasionally Known As Garrets?

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In recent years, loft conversions have become increasingly popular as a way to boost the usable space in a home. Rather than let an attic become simply a storage space, a well-made loft conversion can become another bedroom and skyrocket the value of a house.

However, whilst the modern concept of loft conversions has its origins in the 1970s, the concept of using attic space as livable space is far older than that, and some people of a certain age may be more familiar with the term garret than loft conversion.

The term itself comes from the word garrison, a rather loosely defined word for a unit of soldiers that is often used as a synonym for barracks or billet. Traced as far back as possible, it comes from the word “garir”, which means “to provide” in Old French and Germanic.

As buildings started to get larger, the attic space was often unused or simply a place for storage, but by the 19th century, there were already people turning them into habitable spaces.

However, before the invention of the lift, the social hierarchy was that the higher up in a building you lived, the lower your social status. This means that contrary to a lot of beautiful loft rooms today, garrets were seen as the absolute cheapest and worst places to live.

They had sloping ceilings, were traditionally cramped and had windows that were typically designed to look good on the outside of the building rather than how much light they would provide the inside.

Part of the problem was that they were somewhat hastily converted. Sometimes they would not have any furniture outside of what was used for storage.

Arguably the most famous depiction of a garret was the 1839 painting The Poor Poet by Carl Spitzweg, where the tiny garret was used as a metaphor for the life of a starving artist.

It is astonishing how much the role has reversed, with many loft conversions the highlight of the house and a selling feature in their own right.

Do You Need Planning Permission For A Home Extension?

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If you want to get a home extension there are two things you will need. One is to find a skilled and experienced builder to do a great job. The other is to establish whether you need planning permission for this.

There are many misconceptions about what people can and cannot do, but it is always wise to find out first, as nothing can be worse than building something, realising you need permission, and then having to get it pulled down because you can’t get retrospective planning consent.

To begin with, in most homes, you can extend within certain parameters using permitted development rights, without having to apply for planning permission.

For example, this only enables the extension to cover up to half the ground space of the original house and it cannot be higher than the existing roof or eaves. The height cannot exceed three metres where the extension comes within two metres of the property boundary. You should also use similar materials to those in the existing property.

Within these parameters, your extension should be permissible. Planning permission will need to be sought if it exceeds these, or if you want to add features like a balcony, satellite dish, chimney, or alterations to the existing roof.

Further considerations will apply in three special instances that may impact your property.

The first concerns the property itself. If it is listed, there will be restrictions on what you can do. There are 370,000 listed structures in England, although most are not homes people live in. If your house is listed and you do want to make any alteration to it, you will need to seek listed buildings consent to do so and there is no guarantee it will be granted.

Other considerations are connected with location. If you live in a conservation area, the need to maintain its character may constrain your ability to make significant changes to your property. These are common in urban areas; for instance, Birmingham has 29.

Finally, those living in national parks are subject to very strict planning rules. The one affected part of the West Midlands is an area of Staffordshire in the Peak District.