Loft conversion building regs

hollyneedshelp

Hi there, I’m after a bit of advice re. Loft conversions.

We bought our house about five years ago (it was built in around 1900), the loft has been converted into an office and has a full staircase accessed through a door off the master bedroom.

The seller had out an indemnity policy in place presumably because the loft didn’t have a building regs certificate. Although I am told the conversion was done over twenty years ago (but I have no evidence of the actual date)

We were happy with this at the time as only intended to use the loft for storage/ as an office.

However, we now have two children and love our home and the area we live - it is impossible to find a three bedroom house for sale in our village so we now want to convert the attic into a proper room for my toddler daughter.

I want to meet the regs for a bedroom with new insulation, new windows, ensuring the floor is up to the right standard to support the weight etc, moving the entry point from our bedroom to create separate access BUT the headroom is an issue, I have read there needs to be 2.3m but we have nowhere near that, it’s actually about 1.6 from existing floor to top of the arch.

Lowering the ceiling/raising the roof is not an option financially at the moment so I guess my questions are: 

1. If I got everything else up to the correct standard so I know it is safe etc for my daughter, can I use this is a bedroom but just call it a “loft room” or whatever when we come to sell
2. Would reputable builders / loft conversion companies carry out this work without building regs being met 
3. How are building regs assessed for refurbs of old conversions - do I even need to go down this route?
4. Any thoughts on the situation welcome, please be kind and understand I have little knowledge on this, nor am i trying to cut corners - I’m trying to make the room safe, habitable and meet the regulations, I just need to understand the restrictions on head height.

Thanks you so much for your time

Doozergirl

What do you mean by '1.6m to the top of the arch'?

Do you mean the ridgeline?  The very highest point of the room is only 1.6m high? 

rach_k

If the room is only 1.6m high, I think it would be a waste of money to improve the rest.  I can't see it being cheap to do it all, even leaving the roof alone.  My 9 year old is 1.5m tall so you'd probably find the room too low for your youngest child well before they finish primary school and then you'd want to move or have both kids share again.  If there really are no 3 bedroom houses where you are and you feel you need to stay in the same village, what about looking for a 2 bedroom with a roof suitable for conversion?  If both of your children are under school age now, I'd move now so you don't have to worry about moving schools etc later on.  

NeverTooLate

Or do you mean that you've only got 1.6m on the stairs?

DevilDamo

“I have read there needs to be 2.3m”

Read that where and in relation to what? The only thing that sounds ‘kind of’ familiar is the height regulations for habitable rooms that were removed from the BR’s in 1986.

TrixA

I'm not knowledgeable on the regulatory issues, but we are planning a loft conversion and were advised by several people that 2.1m is considered the minimum ceiling height for a habitable room. We didn't have the required height but were able to get planning permission to raise the roof ridge. If what you mean is that your loft has only 1.6m headroom I think it would not be financially sensible to spend money converting it.

DevilDamo

What ‘several people’ have advised you incorrectly that you require height of at least 2.1m?

TrixA

DevilDamo said:

What ‘several people’ have advised you incorrectly that you require height of at least 2.1m?

Two architects and 3 loft conversion companies. They weren’t implying it’s a regulatory requirement, just a common rule of thumb, hence my phrase “is considered”. Really no need to take such an aggressive tone, especially on someone else’s post.

DevilDamo

TrixA said:

I'm not knowledgeable on the regulatory issues, but we are planning a loft conversion and were advised by several people that 2.1m is considered the minimum ceiling height for a habitable room.

Your post appeared to imply 2.1m was the regulatory height as now advised by architects and loft companies. People coming across this thread may read to assume 2.1m is the minimum. This height is not referred to in the BR’s. With 2.1m being a ‘normal’ window head height, you wouldn’t then have your ceiling at the same level. If anything, you’d want it to be at least 2.2m, which gives you the option for curtains and/or surface mounted blinds.