Just completed and discovered loft conversion

mahoney

We had a home buyers report done and it said he couldn't access the loft so didn't inspect it. EA never mentioned it. Then on the fixtures and fittings sheet it said the loft insulation had been left. So I thought it was a bob standard loft. We took a ladder today to look inside and it's a carpeted room! The only furntiure in there are 2 chests of drawers. There's are elctrics and a window.

I've googled and it seems planning permission is not required as the shape of the house hasn't been altered. But what about building regs? I guess I need a builder to come and check it's safe and has been done properly. I won't stand on it untiI know it's safe - though someone has been in there to fit the carpet and do the window. I'm wondering also if I should get back to my solicitor to see if he can find something out from the previous owner. BTW, previous owner never lived there he rented it for 5 years.

Feel silly I didn't see it before, but I didn't so now I just need to know what to do going forward. Am thinking it can't be a proper conversion as that would have been used as a selling point I'm sure.

property.advert

I guess that is why you have a surveyor's report isn't it ?

Never understood people paying hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions over a mortgage term and skimping on a report which tells you , amongst other things, whether you are buying a lemon.

Fire_Fox

There are all sorts of fire regulations surrounding loft conversions, as well as the issue of the floor being reinforced sufficiently and head height. Sounds intriguing tho!

Zelie

On the plus side: yay! extra room!

chappers

The reason it wasn't mentioned is because it isn't realy a legit conversion the lack of a staircase for one, along with probably a hundred and one contraventions of the building regs.
What the previous owners of you use it for is up to you.
Just remember that a large proportion of the regs surrounding loft conversions are to do with fire safety(allbeit some are over the top), would you feel safe using it as a bedroom, your call.

Doozergirl

What chappers said. It is most certainly not a room not least because of the missing staircase. As soon as you put in that staircase then current building regulations must be adhered to for the full conversion.

A loft conversion is not putting in a window, electrics and some board and carpet. A loft conversion is strengthening(replacing) the ceiling joists to be safe to hold the weight of a room, not just a plasterboard ceiling below. It needs to be a certain height and that window must be an escape window (around 90cm wide and 1.50 metres high and not just a pivot but a fully opening window)

It's really not as simple as people think - that is why genuine loft conversions cost five figure sums.

themanbearpig

The main problem with using it as a room is whether the joists can support the typical usable loads, as it was not designed into the initial build.

I would avoid using it as anything other than storage, until you find out more about it.

michaels

However unless they have detrimentally altered the structure of the roof or the window is not correctly fitted then it does you no harm that your loft has been boarded.

mahoney

Thanks all. I don't think I'll use it at all until I know how it has been done. Scared of going through the ceiling. Until I know what it can hold i might just put a few boxes up there. It has a window so that would be the fire escape... The steps upto it would not be much good in a rush though.

If it isn't a proper conversion (which I doubt it is), any ideas how much would it cost to put it right? Do I need to do anything now about building regs? I understand I might need to post some more building related questions on the diy forum.



I paid 300£ for the home buyers report (after bank survey) hoping it would pick up on any major stuff. Amazingly surveyor pointed out that the chimney breast had been removed but not that there was a room in the attic.

mahoney

To be clear, there are no stairs up to it, just a full down ladder. The window is quite big - I could fit through it easily.

FilthyLuka

Shouldn't this type of thing have been mentioned in the HIP?

It's really a bit of a liability unless you can pull the same 'no access' trick when you come to sell.