Loft conversion

JayS_3

Check out the planning permission with your local authority, you can do this with a phone call, I was told dormer windows definately need planning permission. My conversion company (see previous reply in this thread) employed the architect so he knew how they liked to work etc

Good luck, well worth it in the end.

Sofa_Sogood

I think I was told the same thing JayS - that you didn't need planning permission if there was no obvious windows. Could be wrong though.

Without hijacking the thread, does anyone know what the minimum space needed is? I'd love a loft conversion (in a couple of years), but this is a small house and the only time I've popped my head up through the loft hatch, it looks too small what with all the beams etc.

robnye

JayS wrote:

Check out the planning permission with your local authority, you can do this with a phone call, I was told dormer windows definately need planning permission. My conversion company (see previous reply in this thread) employed the architect so he knew how they liked to work etc

Good luck, well worth it in the end.

its funny isnt it.... different authourities have different outlooks on dormers........ I queried this with my architect, he said he does work covering several different local authourities, they each have their own little querks.....

JayS_3

Hi Sofa_sogood

All you need to know about height restrictions are here: www.loftplan.co.uk/page4.htm
essentially, if you stand under the apex/ridge and have 7'6" approx it can be done, but the guys who did ours did say they had done such small conversions they were only the size of a walk in wardrobe and not worth the money, so check out the floor space too.

Good Luck

Sofa_Sogood

JayS wrote:

Hi Sofa_sogood

All you need to know about height restrictions are here: www.loftplan.co.uk/page4.htm
essentially, if you stand under the apex/ridge and have 7'6" approx it can be done, but the guys who did ours did say they had done such small conversions they were only the size of a walk in wardrobe and not worth the money, so check out the floor space too.

Good Luck

Thanks JayS, I'll bookmark it now. I'm sure it's high enough, and it wouldn't be used as a spare bedroom or anything, (possibly stick a z bed in just in case though) just not sure it's wide or long enough.

I'll get a man in to check

Thanks again.

Sheel

robnye wrote:

do you have plans drawn up then?

No , but I understood that the firms that are coming to give us quotes , such as THIS ONE offer a complete service including an architectural service

Have Mr Sheel and I misunderstood that? Quite likely as we've no previous experience of this sort of thing

robnye

no you havent misunderstood,

it is just the way i am dealing with it

we had a company come round and state that will cost you £xx,000 plus vat (another £x,000)

we said what about planning, no problem.

he didnt measure anything
so he couldnt even be sure that our roof was higher enough to put a room in...... they would supply the plans and sort out council paperwork, we asked for a breakdown of what figures for plans etc, and they came out 30% above the architect, he even quoted the wrong figure for the councils building regs.....

when we quiered about garage being too close and being included in the living space increase allowance..... no problem, if any asks, just knock your garage down......... the guy was so arrogant and blase it was unbelievable....

we where reccommended an architect, who is very down earth and practical, it was him that suggested he take measurements then go away and work out how big a room we could have without making a planning application.... at the moment all we have paid is a cheque to the council for building regs, the rest is due when he sends us the plans, if ok we then pay him

rough guide is
building regs £120 - 150
planning £300
plans £450
loft build, 1 room plus bathroom from £24,000 +

companies that do it all..... ususally charge a premium on top, ie if you went direct to the same architect as the company used, the company would charge you £100 (made up fig) for admin......

dont get me wrong there are decent companies around the country, and i have found from my experience, whilst some one does a good job for me, i then recommend them, they dont as good a job......

whoever you get to quote, ask for references, go and see other houses they have done (normally only from the outside), ask neighbours who you may have seen having work done, who they used.

good luck....

Sheel

robnye wrote:

good luck....

I think we're going to need it :eek:

Beginning to wonder whether I can face all the hassle

StockportGerbil

Hi!
I'm having one done now (builders first day today) so will report back in three weeks how it's all worked out. I had a hell of a job getting builders out to look at the job and give a quote. But eventually had three quotes and plumped for the middle figure as I was confident he understood what we wanted doing and was capable of doing it, even though it was £3000 more than the cheaper one. :-(

Before you do anything, write down exactly what you want even the stuff you think is crashingly obvious, like a strengthened floor and plaster finished walls. That list will form the basis of the quote. Then try and get some recommendations for builders. Ask them for advice as to what what you want is practical and a quote. Whether you need an architects drawings will depend on the size and complexity of the job and whether you need full planning permission or whether building regs approval would suffice (builder / local council to advise, but drawings do also mean you have a means of visualising the work. The builders I spoke to all had architects they'd worked with and were happy with.)

As for weeding out the good builders from the bad - asking for a written quote seems to get rid of an awful lot!

Regards

Kev

Sofa_Sogood

Sheel wrote:

I think we're going to need it :eek:

Beginning to wonder whether I can face all the hassle

After reading these posts (and now StockportGerbil's) I'm beginning to think I can't wait two or three years