Does a loft room add value?

Pixie5740

I've seen a number of properties for sale recently where the loft has been unofficially converted into a bedroom and it does put me off a bit. For me to use it as a bedroom I'd need to re-do the work to conform to building regulations, even if it the bedroom is only going to be used occasionally as a guest bedroom. I couldn't, in all good conscience, let someone sleep up there in case there was a fire.

The properties I've seen with the hooky loft conversions aren't worth the premium, to me, that the vendors are looking for.

bris

Structurally sound or not it is an illegal room, they can make you get the proper regs or take away the access to it. If anything happens up there while using it as a room it could even be classed as criminal negligence, there is a reason you need building regs.

monty-doggy

It was cheap because it was already partially converted, the previous owners did some work, we had three joiners come and look at it and went with the one we trusted most. It is more than structurally sound! We've not put fire doors in, there's no fire doors in normal two floor houses, the insulation was already done, velux was already done.

We had the floor strengthened with new heavy duty beams and floor boards and we had the walls battoned, boarded and skimmed. We also had storage fitted in the eves with a door on.

I don't really mind if there's no added value I was just wondering. I'd never use it if I thought it wasn't safe, as I said a lot of the work had been done already and I don't have tens of thousands to do it any other way.

monty-doggy

Cautious_Optimist wrote: »

Does it reduce the amount of fibreglass insulation you can lay in your loft space?

I don't think so. I called British gas when they were offering free loft insulation end they told me ours was already done to the best/maximum it can be.

Running_Horse

So what part of regs does it not comply with?

If it is such a good job you could get it signed off before selling.

onlyroz

If all that's required is to add a few fire doors then why don't you just put them in and get the building regs certificate? Or are you willing to risk burning to death up there just to save a few quid? (We did a loft conversion and I think the fire doors cost about £100 each)

2bFrank

We are in the process of literally finishing off our loft conversion now. It is going to be used as an office/ man cave as I work from home a lot and need the space. Most of it was done by myself so only cost £2k, however had a engineer mate to check the beams if they could hold the weight, another mate who is an electrician to do the wiring and my uncle is a window fitter and he fitted a small window for us.

Due to the layout of the house, there is no way we could fit a staircase or door, so we would not get building reg. Because of this we do not expect the house to increase in value at all, in fact we expect a little difficulty when we sell because the surveyors will be asking questions. I would however expect ours to sell first, if the neighbors sold at the the same time at the same price, but that's about it. I am afraid without building regs, the value stays the same, and expect a little bit of difficulties when you sell.