RE: Dormer Loft Conversion

PierremontQuaker03

Hi All,
I have put the plans thru for a loft conversion and they have came back approved so I am ready to go.
I have had one quote so I am going to get a couple of others.
I am trying to think of a list of things I need to think about or have sorted when I do go ahead, such as amount of sockets, heating (radiators Vs Under floor heating - electric or not) and also I was thinking while the scaffolding was up I would get the soffits, facias and guttering replaced.
Can anyone think of anything that I should ask about who has also had experience of a loft conversion. I am also getting an ensuite put in with a shower. I am also losing all our storage by doing this so I want a small space to hide suitcases and christmas decorations etc.
Finally I live in a semi, and I have been told because it is under permitted development I don't have to tell my neighbours either side and behind. I don't particularly like the neighbours we are joined too as they have two uncontrollable dogs which at times do my head in (constant barking) and when they owned a caravan it was parked in front of our house for a few days at a time - and at no point did they say sorry for parking it their etc etc or say do you mind if we park it there. Therefore I think I will go ahead without telling them as they just don't seem to give a crap anyway. A few years ago they had an extension built and they had to notify us but we did not contest it. Any I digress any opinions on this I would be grateful.

McKneff

Dont even think abour doing anything before checking about the neighbours you are joined to.
Ask the council, get it in writing. It could cost you a lot of money and stress in the long run.

Whatever has gone on in the past is irrelevant

Doozergirl

I don't know who you spoke to, but that work is highly likely to fall under the Party Wall Act! You need to google and read up on it. It has nothing to do with planning permissions and everything to do with how your work affects the party wall you share with next door!

PierremontQuaker03

Doozergirl wrote: »

I don't know who you spoke to, but that work is highly likely to fall under the Party Wall Act! You need to google and read up on it. It has nothing to do with planning permissions and everything to do with how your work affects the party wall you share with next door!

I am not touching the parting wall - I have been given full permission from the council - I will of course check this out

Toby09

I did a loft extension on my house in 2017, I didn't have to do a party wall agreement. Everything else went through planning and was signed off by building control.

Fire_Fox

"I have put the plans through ... anything I should ask about ... I have been told ... "

Insufficient information supplied/ too vague. The first post has more about your neighbour dispute than your loft.

Have you read through the recent threads on loft conversions?

Doozergirl

PierremontQuaker03 wrote: »

I am not touching the parting wall - I have been given full permission from the council - I will of course check this out

That would be a good idea, given that you haven't used the right name for a party wall and I've already told you that it has nothing to do with the council.

Most loft conversions involve the insertion of at least one steel into the party wall. A significant dormer may well come up to the boundary and affect how the neighbour can potentially build their own loft conversion. The way you build now can significantly affect how easy it is to maintain in future.

PierremontQuaker03

I have questioned the Planner as I noticed the Dormer didn't go to the parting wall and got the following response:
1. Permitted development rules mean that the dormers need to be set back from the eaves up the roof slope slightly, otherwise full planning permission will be needed.
2.Structurally, it is doubtful that an enlarged dormer of full width would be able to resist the lateral loads without being braced somehow with a steel frame and / or beams .
3. This would obviously increase costs and make the build more difficult.
4. The plans were drawn up on the basis of the builders quote / method of construction , which acts as a design brief for myself.
5. Using timber composite beams ensures a standard proven construction method which has shown to be structurally acceptable to current codes of practice, and is acceptable to Building Control Authorities.

Doozergirl

Someone who understands the Act needs to see these drawings as, with respect, you are totally out of your depth here. Your responses don't relate to the questions we've asked and you haven't provided enough detail in the first place. What do you even mean by 'planner'? That sounds like a designer speaking, not a planner, meaning 'planning officer'.

From their answers to questions that we arenm't privy to:

1. How do you have planning permission from the council when answer 1 clearly refers to permitted development? There is no actual reference in their answer to how the build affects the PARTY wall, only the eaves.

2. From their answer number 2, a structural engineer hasn't been involved yet and that determines how you build - which your designer indicates will more than likely involve steels and therefore the party wall.

3. Cost more than what?

4. How did the builder quote without a plan?! Who is this "planner"/ designer and what qualifications do they have?

5. Are we supposed to be psychic? What is this about?

I'm seriously worried about the route you are taking here. You:
- have a quote before drawing up plans
- think you have planning permission when they are aiming to come under permitted development
- have a designer who has incorrectly answered a question about the party wall (although you insist on using the wrong name for it).
- have a designer that appears to be suggesting that doing things properly involves a higher cost than you have been quoted

What is happening about Building Control here?

You can't have submitted designs for Building Control Approval without structural engineer's calculations.

Dean000000

PierremontQuaker03 wrote: »

4. The plans were drawn up on the basis of the builders quote / method of construction , which acts as a design brief for myself.

You need to also be sure of who is assuming the design responsibility for this.

You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where a builder is blaming the design/drawings, and the designer is blaming the builder for having ‘followed his brief’

In short, this thread looks like an absolute receipe for disaster.

I strongly suggest you get a professional involved (architect) who can guide you through the process.

You do appear to be using terminology well out of context - which just makes it appear you have confidence beyond ability....

Sorry!

PierremontQuaker03

sorry it may be me confusing everyone.

The guy I have used is an architect, he carried out a measured survey of the property to confirm dimensions, prepared an
AutoCad working drawing suitable for Building Regulation Approval.
He outsourced a Structural Engineer to design new beam sizes, as required to satisfy Building Control.
The he submitted Council Building Control- plan check.