Hard lofts vs soft lofts, explained

What a hard loft is

A hard loft is a home inside a building that started life as something else: a factory, a warehouse, a school or a commercial block. The conversion keeps what the building was made of. Expect exposed brick, heavy timber posts and beams or concrete columns, very tall ceilings, oversized industrial windows and open floor plans. No two suites in a hard loft building are quite the same.

What a soft loft is

A soft loft is a newer condo building designed with a loft's look: high ceilings, large windows, open layouts, and often exposed concrete and ductwork. Because it was built as housing, it tends to come with the things conversions often lack, such as balconies, underground parking, a gym and modern mechanical systems.

How they compare

• Character: a hard loft has original materials and a history. A soft loft borrows the style in a new building
• Supply: only so many old factories exist, and most suitable ones have been converted. Soft lofts can still be built
• Ceilings and windows: both are tall. Hard lofts are often taller, with window sizes set by the original building
• Sound: concrete floors carry less noise between suites than old timber floors. Ask what was done between floors in a conversion
• Bedrooms: in either kind, a bedroom may have partial walls, a sliding door or no window of its own. Decide whether that works for you, and for the next buyer
• Amenities and parking: soft loft buildings usually have more of both. Many hard loft buildings have few amenities, and parking can be scarce
• Outdoor space: balconies are common in soft lofts and rare in conversions, though some hard lofts have terraces or a shared roof deck

Fees and upkeep

Both are condominiums, so you pay a monthly maintenance fee either way. Fewer amenities can mean a lower fee in a hard loft building, but an older structure has its own costs: windows, roofs, masonry and heating systems all need work eventually. The status certificate shows whether the building has been saving for it.

Resale

Scarcity works in favour of true hard lofts, and well-known buildings have their own following. Soft lofts appeal to a wider group of buyers who want the look with modern comforts. In both cases the building's reputation and finances matter as much as the suite.

What to check before you buy

• Whether the building is a true conversion or new construction, and when the work was done
• Ceiling height, exposure and how much natural light reaches the back of the suite
• Whether the bedroom is enclosed, and whether it has a window
• How the suite is heated and cooled, and what the utility bills run
• The monthly fee, exactly what it covers, and how it has changed over the last few years
• The reserve fund balance and any special assessment, planned or recently charged
• Parking and a locker: owned, rented or not available

Most of this is in the status certificate, which your lawyer reviews before your offer goes firm.

Think in monthly cost, not just price

A cheaper loft with a high fee can cost more each month than a pricier one with a low fee. Our monthly cost calculator adds the mortgage, the fee and property tax together so you can compare suites fairly.