Cost of bringing loft conversion up to standard

Help1234

Hi, I am interested in buying a house with a loft conversion. The loft conversion is currently being used as an unofficial bedroom as it does not have building regulations. The loft was done over 10 years ago and has velux windows.

If I buy this property I would want to bring it up to BR standards. Does anyone know what the rough cost of this would be? The changes we would want to make is that the floors are properly supported, walls properly insulated, it is fire safe and has safe stairs. We wouldn't want to put in a bathroom or dormer - would keep the velux windows.

Aylesbury_Duck

Help1234 wrote: »

Hi, I am interested in buying a house with a loft conversion. The loft conversion is currently being used as an unofficial bedroom as it does not have building regulations. The loft was done over 10 years ago and has velux windows.

If I buy this property I would want to bring it up to BR standards. Does anyone know what the rough cost of this would be? The changes we would want to make is that the floors are properly supported, walls properly insulated, it is fire safe and has safe stairs. We wouldn't want to put in a bathroom or dormer - would keep the velux windows.

Probably one of those how-long-is-a-piece-of-string questions because we don't know its size, construction, contents, why it doesn't meet building regs and so on. It might not even be possible which I suspect is the case because if it were, why didn't the previous owners do it?

I could say £50k and you'd have no idea if that was sensible or not.

Help1234

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

Probably one of those how-long-is-a-piece-of-string questions because we don't know its size, construction, contents, why it doesn't meet building regs and so on. It might not even be possible which I suspect is the case because if it were, why didn't the previous owners do it?

I could say £50k and you'd have no idea if that was sensible or not.

I really don't know. For some reason the last 3 houses I have viewed all have loft conversions that are being used as bedrooms and don't have building regulations. My limit would be £8,000

Aylesbury_Duck

Are they all in the same street/estate by any chance? That would suggest that the lofts are not of the right dimensions/structure to accommodate a conversion compliant with regs, so the homeowners have pulled a fast one, had the conversion done "for storage" and then used it as living space.

Even if it's possible, I'd be stunned if it could be done retrospectively for £8k. If it were that cheap, one, two or all of those houses would have had it done in the first place because it would have cost even less.

MisterP123

To echo the above, it's almost impossible to say.

From what you've said it sounds as though they've just boarded the joists, plaster boarded and stuck in a few velux windows.

Ceiling joists are not large enough to support a floor structure as far as building regs are concerned, if this is the case it means pretty much ripping everything out and starting again.

Also, is head height an issue above the access? Larger joists will decrease this again. There could be a plethora of things that don't meet building regs. End result could make it even more expensive than converting a loft that hasn't been touched.

macman

As above. If they haven't put in the steels to support the load, then effectively everything has to be ripped out and redone from scratch. Your builder/surveyor will have to do some dismantling to assess what has already been bodged. Then you'll need BR and possibly planning permission.

hivoodoodoll

I bought a house with a loft conversion that wasn't signed off and when I enquired I was told it could be anything up to 30k.

This is because if they start looking, drilling holes in ceilings, walls and the floor, and find that the joists aren't the right size, the installation is wrong or the stairs leading up to it wrong, they will have to change them. I was told that if I start the process and things needed fixing I would have to get them done. How true this is I do not know but as I only use it as a occasional spare room it isn't a real issue for me at the moment.

sevenhills

I have just had a quote for a loft conversion, from Eco Lofts. £29k +VAT down to £4770 +VAT
£450 to remove the chimney, I am still thinking about things.
£450 for a Velux window
He said that they would move my boiler into the loft, and that would leave room for the stairs in the 2 cupboards.
I am not sure what I want yet, and if I want to spend more than £5k
I may do this next year. I may be able to add £5k to my mortgage, not sure.

magn8p

Agree with all the opinions above. You don't know whats lurking under the nice looking loft.

Your best bet is to request for another viewing and take a builder whom you trust with you into the loft and assess the cost to make it BR compliant.

All the best.

Risteard

Help1234 wrote: »

as it does not have building regulations.

I presume that you mean that it doesn't comply with Building Regulations (which is illegal). Work can neither "have" nor not "have" Building Regulations.

Doozergirl

sevenhills wrote: »

I have just had a quote for a loft conversion, from Eco Lofts. £29k +VAT down to £4770 +VAT
£450 to remove the chimney, I am still thinking about things.
£450 for a Velux window
He said that they would move my boiler into the loft, and that would leave room for the stairs in the 2 cupboards.
I am not sure what I want yet, and if I want to spend more than £5k
I may do this next year. I may be able to add £5k to my mortgage, not sure.

You're better off starting a new thread.

As you see, people don't bother to read through or check the date and end up posting in reply to the OP.

Anyhoo, I can't help thinking your quote is a typo. What are you having done for £5k plus VAT? Whatever it is, it isn't a loft conversion.