Loft conversion Qs

kapz

Hi all

I'm thinking about a loft conversion but am worried about the headroom.
I have had two companies in, both say can be converted (w/ dormer at back). One of them says I'll get floor-to-ceiling headroom of 2.1m after conversion which is fine. However I'm worried he's giving me spin to get the job and the headroom might come in lower which I'd struggle with.

I measured the loft myself: joist-to-rafter is just under 2200mm. If I measure joist-to-highest point on roof inside loft (i.e. top of the rafter it's 2280mm).

Is it reasonable to expect to be able to get 2.1mm finished? Is 2.1m likely to put off future home buyers seeing it as too low for master bedroom + en suite?

Any advice would be great. It's an expensive project and I'm worried of making a mistake here!

missile

I doubt you will achieve 2.1m. I would not consider 6ft as acceptable for anything other than a child's bedroom / playroom.

Renovations always cost more than you think they will.

Doozergirl

2.1 metres is 7ft, not 6ft.

What you end up with is dependent upon how deep your rafters are presently to accommodate the required insulation to meet building regs, and what needs to go in over the present joists.

Unless you're super tall, then 2.1m is okay for most people to cope with. The average doorway is just over 2 metres and building control dictates 2m head height, so they must deem it useable .

Aylesbury_Duck

Wisdom from experienced people on here is to avoid lift conversion companies and use a proper architect and builder. Hopefully that’s who you’ve engaged?

As to the height, I agree with missile. 2.1m isn’t great but any lower and it’s nothing more than a hobby room. If I were a potential buyer, I wouldn’t consider it suitable for a master bedroom and en-suite and would “discount” it from the bedroom count.

sevenhills

kapz wrote: »

I measured the loft myself: joist-to-rafter is just under 2200mm. If I measure joist-to-highest point on roof inside loft (i.e. top of the rafter it's 2280mm).

You are really asking how thick will the floor and ceiling insulation be, to leave you with 2.1m(at the highest point).
Is the highest point the platform at the stiars and then most of the other parts will be lower? You need to clarify this with the people quoting.

ukjoel

we had similar height.
4 companies said they couldn't do it. It wasn't feasible.

5th chuckled and said he had done several lower, and as long as the height on the stairs was 2 meters then we were fine.

1 year later we started and 8 weeks later we were in.


You will need to go dormer but the good news is the lower the roof the more floorspace you get for your 40 or 50 cubic meter limits.

Admittedly the kids are up there (not us) but the ceiling is about an inch above standard door height.

FreeBear

ukjoel wrote: »

1 year later we started and 8 weeks later we were in.

Has it been signed off by building control and do you have all the necessary paperwork to prove that it is compliant with building regulations ?

southcoastrgi

Aylesbury_Duck wrote: »

If I were a potential buyer, I wouldn’t consider it suitable for a master bedroom and en-suite and would “discount” it from the bedroom count.

Providing it complies with BR then it will be classed as a bedroom & the property will be priced & advertised as such, you would pay the price for that bedroom & so would your buyer if you sold it

kapz

Our builder is very reputable and has done many loft conversions - some for people we know personally.
All his work has complied with BR - with checks throughout the work and a completion certificate provided afterwards so I'm less concerned about that.


I'm just worried that we won't get the 2.1m that he says that he can get us. But I guess that we'll know from the architect plans exactly what we'll get?

markin

southcoastrgi wrote: »

Providing it complies with BR then it will be classed as a bedroom & the property will be priced & advertised as such, you would pay the price for that bedroom & so would your buyer if you sold it

Well he wouldn't and many tall people may not either, And as said in the home buying forum, you aren't always going to sell it for what you spend on it. If you over spend on a terrible street you may never get it back. Spending 40 won't always add 40K value to the house.

Aylesbury_Duck

southcoastrgi wrote: »

Providing it complies with BR then it will be classed as a bedroom & the property will be priced & advertised as such, you would pay the price for that bedroom & so would your buyer if you sold it

I wouldn't, though. Some might, but I wouldn't, in the same way I wouldn't pay anywhere near asking price for a house that tried to pass off a box room only big enough for a desk or undersized bed as a bedroom. It can be classed however you like but I'll offer (or not) based on reality, not what the vendor thinks.