Loft Conversion Advice

kellym5

Hi All,

We bought a house a few years ago with a loft conversion that was done 30 years ago. We would like to improve this by moving the staircase and adding a dormer/gable extension.

As you would expect the original conversion would not now pass building regulations for a number of technical reasons. If we wanted to add a dormer and move the staircase to improve access would we need to then meet the current building regulations for a whole loft conversion, or only for the elements we are changing (dormer and staircase)?

A builder who had a look for me suggested the work would need to be equivalent to a whole loft conversion from scratch as they would need to bring the whole loft up to current building regulations which would effectively require starting from scratch.

Thanks in advance.

Doozergirl

Does the existing loft conversion have building control approval? 

kellym5

It was done 30 years ago so trhere is very little paperwork from the time.

FreeBear

Assuming the original conversion is structurally sound (i.e. joists thick enough), it wouldn't hurt to improve the levels of insulation. It was probably done with just enough to pass scrutiny at the time. Things have moved on in the last 30 years, and energy costs are increasing. It makes sense to upgrade the thermal performance to the best of your ability when the opportunity arises.

A better insulated property will be kinder on your pocket, and will be easier to sell when the time comes for you to move.

Apodemus

kellym5 said:

It was done 30 years ago so trhere is very little paperwork from the time.

Most Councils have Building Control approvals available to view through their Planning Portal.  Our Council info goes back 30 years, so check yours out. 

kellym5

Just checked and it doesnt feature, although our other extensions do earliest being 1992, so the loft must have been done too long ago to be included on the portal.

DougMLancs

kellym5 said:

Just checked and it doesnt feature, although our other extensions do earliest being 1992, so the loft must have been done too long ago to be included on the portal.

Or Building Control weren’t consulted 

kellym5

I have documents which indicate that the plans were passed within building regulations at the time.

My question doesnt really relate to the building regs at the time, but whether any amendments to the loft (Dormer and stairs) require the whole loft to meet building regulations, or whether the regulations which apply to the dormer/stairs are the only relevant ones?

Thanks

orangecrush

We have a similar situation. The loft in our house was converted, in the early 90s, but over time any knowledge of whether it met building regs at the time was lost.

We wanted to add a dormer and hip to gable, but most builders said it would essentially ve starting from scratch even though we didn’t want to move the stairs. 

If you want to move the stairs also, I suspect the whole thing will have to meet building regs.

Édit to add: we spoke to the council and they said one option would be to get a private company to inspect and highlight which areas were not up to current regs - as if we were going to apply for a regularisation cert. But the builders we spoke to said they cost difference between stripping it all out and starting over, and trying to do retain some aspects and change others, would actually be small, and may even go the other way as they’re so efficient with conversions. 

Bendy_House

kellym5 said:

I have documents which indicate that the plans were passed within building regulations at the time.

My question doesnt really relate to the building regs at the time, but whether any amendments to the loft (Dormer and stairs) require the whole loft to meet building regulations, or whether the regulations which apply to the dormer/stairs are the only relevant ones?

Thanks

So the original conversion was passed by BC?

I don't know for certain - others who do will likely come along (DOOZER?! S62?!) - but based on how normal extensions are treated, there is no expectation that the rest of the property should also be brought up to current regs. 

Your existing loft conversion is a fait accompli, and conformed to the Building Regs of the time. I'd be very surprised if there's any expectation that you should bring the whole of the upstairs to current standards. Surely only the new bits?

Having said that, unless it's very cosy up there, you may wish to consider adding further insulation (to ashlar walls? Sloping ceilings?) if it is relatively easy to do.

Doozergirl

Bendy_House said:

kellym5 said:

I have documents which indicate that the plans were passed within building regulations at the time.

My question doesnt really relate to the building regs at the time, but whether any amendments to the loft (Dormer and stairs) require the whole loft to meet building regulations, or whether the regulations which apply to the dormer/stairs are the only relevant ones?

Thanks

So the original conversion was passed by BC?

I don't know for certain - others who do will likely come along (DOOZER?! S62?!) - but based on how normal extensions are treated, there is no expectation that the rest of the property should also be brought up to current regs. 

Your existing loft conversion is a fait accompli, and conformed to the Building Regs of the time. I'd be very surprised if there's any expectation that you should bring the whole of the upstairs to current standards. Surely only the new bits?

Having said that, unless it's very cosy up there, you may wish to consider adding further insulation (to ashlar walls? Sloping ceilings?) if it is relatively easy to do.

The OP doesn't have any evidence that it conforms. It's not on the portal.  

If it did conform, then when you strip out you'll start to see what does and doesn't conform, but the main differences will be in insulation, which would be foolish not to upgrade anyway. 

Any builder worth their salt is going to want to make sure that it does conform and is safe.  @orangecrush suggestion of hiring an Approved Inspector might be an idea if it helps with getting away with marginal changes - ie. I suspect that required floor/ceiling joist depths will have increased since the 90s but they won't have been unsafe back then and probably don't need improving BUT original ceiling joists certainly would.  An application to 'add dormer and improve existing loft conversion' might cover some sins, but not all. 

For me, it's about being safe and sensible. If there is no BC certificate then some investigation needs to be done, but if it hadn't been done properly then my only reasonable advice as a builder is that it needs to be done properly.