Loft Conversion - Advice

HappySad

Have you done your loft conversion or getting one done? What advice would you give someone who is planning to get this done.

Do you have wooden floor in your loft conversion? I have heard that this can be a problem because of noise. I have also heard that there is no problem with this. Is that true?

I am looking to get it done from a Federation of Master Builders - Government Trust Mark company.

What potential problems can come up and what is it best for me to sort out before/during the work, with the aim of this going ahead with as little problems as possible.

nelly_2

theres ways of doing it and ways of doing it

ie if you get a kosher job done then you have to have a window so you can get out in a fire close to the edgeof the building and have all the 1st floor ceilings over boarded for fire protection and have door closers fitted also for fire.

However if you dont claim its a bedroom then i think you can dodge all these and the cost or building regs.

Gingham_Ribbon

You might be better asking one of the board guides to move this further up the boards for you. Maybe 'In My Home'?

It's a big job but I know someone who researched it well, was very clear about what she wanted and got a good firm in and she has a beautiful loft now which has made her home much bigger.

sneekymum

nelly wrote:

However if you dont claim its a bedroom then i think you can dodge all these and the cost or building regs.

well really nelly - no you can't dodge Building Regulations!!

If you are creating a Habitable Room then you need Building Regulations Approval - and in some cases Planning Permission too.

HappySad

I want everything done properly with all the required regulations.

How do I get his moved to "InHome". I did not know that this section existed.

sneekymum

Perhaps you should start a new thread there too.

Anyway -

I suggest you write to the council (Planning Department) and get written confirmation as to whether or not you will need Planning Permission - even if you know you won't need it it's a good letter to have when you come to sell your house.

I would go to a Loft Conversion company to get the whole job done - the building work and any drawings and structural calculations (required for Building regulations approval) and any notices under the Part Wall Act. Find one with an insurance backed guarantee - and ask to see the documentation (I would contact the insurers) - ask when you'll be getting a certificate of insurance.

Some companies don't ask you to pay a penny till they've finished - most will want paying for work completed - perhaps in stages. Don't pay upfront.

Gingham_Ribbon

HappySad wrote:

I want everything done properly with all the required regulations.

How do I get his moved to "InHome". I did not know that this section existed.

One of the boards guides at the bottom of the page will move it if you ask them by pm. Or you could start a new one on that board and they can close this one for you.

Hope that helps.

Gingham_Ribbon

Not sure whether 'In my home' or 'I want to buy it or do it' would be best. I think probably 'in my home.'

Becles

My friend had the loft converted into a master bedroom. However they didn't put central heating up there thinking the heat would rise from the rest of the house and it would keep it warm. It was ok most of the year, but it was freezing in there in the winter.

If you can't stand the cold, have the heating extended!

nelly_2

sneekymum wrote:

well really nelly - no you can't dodge Building Regulations!!

If you are creating a Habitable Room then you need Building Regulations Approval - and in some cases Planning Permission too.

i plastered one once and we was doing something else at the house and we had to take the beds out and sling a load of toys in cos the building inspector was due nowt to do with me

Mr_Warren_2

We live in a 1930 semi and had the loft converted about 5 years ago. As regulations go (building regs and planning), we needed a structural engineer to design a frame of I beams in order to support the new floor. These beams were delivered in smallish lengths and were bolted together. The beams outside this frame sat in notches cut inside the brickwork.
On this new frame sits the flooring (real wood floor, chipboard or anything else you fancy).
Then with what's left of the height you have to build the room, plasterboarded walls, insulation etc. We plugged into our existing central heating system to have 2 x radiators in the new loft bedroom and a towell radiator for the new loft bathroom.

We had to have dormer windows fitted otherwise headroom would not have permitted the room to be used effectively.

We also had a special staircase made to match the one we already had. All in all it was 7 weeks of mess but fun as the result is worth the hard work.

The builder we used was a member of this building association and that was a piece of mind for us.