Loft Office Suitability Query?

wolfmansgotnards

Hi guys. I bought a house that has a huge loft. I want to use the loft as a temporary office space if possible. The loft is already floored and insulated, but the walls of the loft and the ceiling (roof) of the loft is not lined or insulated. There is a nice large velux window in the loft, if this helps answer my question.

I am basically wanting to use the loft space for my office equipment and in it's current condition, I am aware that it is not possible. Is there any cheap/quick way of being able to use this space as an office? It will have lighting equipment, electricals etc.

Is it possible to just temporarily cover the beams with things like ThermAll Bubble Insulation? Or cheap insulation boards? And is there anything I would need to do in order for my equipment to remain safe while stored up there?

-taff

How temporary?

lewisa

The absolute basics are you need a ventilation gap between the roof and the insulation, and you need to ensure airflow can travel through that ventilation gap from one side of the building to the other.

Beyond that there is a lot to think about.

wolfmansgotnards

A few months?

wolfmansgotnards

lewisa wrote: »

The absolute basics are you need a ventilation gap between the roof and the insulation, and you need to ensure airflow can travel through that ventilation gap from one side of the building to the other.

Beyond that there is a lot to think about.

Pardon my ignorance (I am a dummy when it comes to this) but when you say a gap between the roof and insulation, would my attic be THAT gap? I have insulation on the floor of the attic and a window in the attic roof. Would this be a good start?

lewisa

wolfmansgotnards wrote: »

Pardon my ignorance (I am a dummy when it comes to this) but when you say a gap between the roof and insulation, would my attic be THAT gap? I have insulation on the floor of the attic and a window in the attic roof. Would this be a good start?

No.

It is normally achieved by placing Kingspan(other brands available) foam boards between the rafters, and there needs to be a gap between the the underside of the roof and the top side of the insulation board.

Air can then flow from the eaves on one side of the building to the eaves on the other side.

For a full blown conversion building regs would demand specifics, something like 50mm air gap and 100mm of insulation board (those values are a guess)

d0nkeyk0ng

If you have insulation between the floor of the loft and the ceiling of the room below, the heat will remain in the house and the loft will remain cold. By adding insulation in the rafters, you allow heat to remain in the loft. If you pack the rafters with insulation with no gap, condensation will occur.


Look up "cold loft" and "warm loft" to get an idea.



A properly converted loft will have strengthened joists so you can put weight on it quite easily. A loft where the floor was boarded over but not reinforced is mainly for light storage and would not be strong enough to support stuff like a desk, bookshelf etc.


What kind of support does it have?

wolfmansgotnards

d0nkeyk0ng wrote: »

If you have insulation between the floor of the loft and the ceiling of the room below, the heat will remain in the house and the loft will remain cold. By adding insulation in the rafters, you allow heat to remain in the loft. If you pack the rafters with insulation with no gap, condensation will occur.


Look up "cold loft" and "warm loft" to get an idea.

A properly converted loft will have strengthened joists so you can put weight on it quite easily. A loft where the floor was boarded over but not reinforced is mainly for light storage and would not be strong enough to support stuff like a desk, bookshelf etc.


What kind of support does it have?

I have absolutely no idea. All I see is the cheap chipboard tongue and groove boards placed on the beams. I assumed that it was properly floored as they went the lengths to install a decent velux window. I could be wrong of course.

Fire_Fox

Welcome to MSE.

If your loft area is going to have almost everything a regular living space would have - inc. a window and plug sockets - will you accidentally be creating an illegal living space?

Check your local council's information on planning permission and building regulations, as well as your home insurance policies. If you are intending to work full time from home/ run a business also check the terms of your mortgage.

Don't assume anything about prior work, and don't forget a smoke alarm.

wolfmansgotnards

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Welcome to MSE.

If your loft area is going to have almost everything a regular living space would have - inc. a window and plug sockets - will you accidentally be creating an illegal living space?

Check your local council's information on planning permission and building regulations, as well as your home insurance policies. If you are intending to work full time from home/ run a business also check the terms of your mortgage.

Don't assume anything about prior work, and don't forget a smoke alarm.

I'm a YouTuber, so I would only be using the loft space for filming my videos. So I will be in the loft around 30 minutes maximum per day. No heating or electricity required. The electricity would come from an extention cable that will be removed once completed a video.

If it were as simple as that, I wouldn't be asking for more advice. The reason I need more advice is mainly because I want to leave my backdrops and blu-rays up there in the hope they won't be destroyed by the natural elements. I just need a way to keep them safe without having to get a loft conversion done.

sevenhills

wolfmansgotnards wrote: »

I'm a YouTuber, so I would only be using the loft space for filming my videos. So I will be in the loft around 30 minutes maximum per day. No heating or electricity required. The electricity would come from an extention cable that will be removed once completed a video.

If it were as simple as that, I wouldn't be asking for more advice. The reason I need more advice is mainly because I want to leave my backdrops and blu-rays up there in the hope they won't be destroyed by the natural elements. I just need a way to keep them safe without having to get a loft conversion done.

My loft is boarded out, it is draughty at times, but nothing will be destroyed by the natural elements.
Its cold, but nothing will be getting wet, why would yours be?