Loft Coversion costs....

confirmer

Hi all,

We are looking at converting our loft into a bedroom as our family will be expanding in the near future, we currently have 3 bedrooms but will be requiring 4 soon. I have contacted a few local loft companies as we want to do some of the work ourselves to cut costs. We're thinking that we need the builders to: put in a couple velux windows, build and fit the stairs, strengthen the floor joists, remove a chimney in the loft. We would then insulate it, plasterboard the walls, put the flooring down and decorate it. But would also need some electric plugs putting in and a radiator. The best quote I have had so far is about £3500 for the builders side, is this about right?
we were actually hoping for around £2000!! any help and suggestions welcome, also if anyone lives in or around Chester do you know of any good but cheap builders to do the work?? many thanks

roses

For putting in all the steel work that price is fantastic!

For the shell, I have just paid £37,000. I got three quotes: :
1) £37,000 (estimate)
2) £37,000 (fixed) - this is the one I went with
3) £48,000

My builder told me materials alone for a full buildings control approved dormer conversion cost in the region of £20,000 if you are looking at a space of 40 cubic metres.

beaker141

Confirmer - I fear that is far too cheap !

Sounds like you are making a proper habitable room and will need building reg approval. I have had mine done by my father in law who is a builder who pretty much did what you are asking for, I am now in the middle of insulating the rafters.

The staircase I got for mine was over £1000 alone, steels are a good few hundred, new joists are going to be about £400, perhaps rockwool in the floor joists for fire resistance if your ceiling isnt 12mm thick PB and skim etc.

Is the quote just for labour only or includes materials ??

Doozergirl

I agree it sounds far too cheap. You will be lucky if the materials come in much under that for a proper, structurally sound loft conversion. AT 2k you are having a laugh

Ours will be very large indeed but it cost 5500 just to get the structure in. It costs about 200 for a modest Velux - you will need a proper escape one. Someone else has already mentioned the stairs. Structural engineer? Steels / new joists and all the labour that goes with these things? I'd double that 3500 just for the shell of it.

Kandipandi

I had mine converted about 6 years ago and its not terribly large and it cost me £4,500 all in, and I was very happy with that price for the quality of the workmanship.

Doozergirl

Kandipandi wrote: »

I had mine converted about 6 years ago and its not terribly large and it cost me £4,500 all in, and I was very happy with that price for the quality of the workmanship.

Did you get Building Control Approval for it?