attic conversion

[jamiesull]

well im thinking of converting my attic into an extra room.
if i was to DIM(do-it-myself) how much would it cost me
it big enough.
new house so electricty up there and a big boiler in the middle :S
boiler and window is the main cost is it ?

would love your views
Thanks Jamie

[52classic]

A modern house will have a trussed roof so it will make the job more expensive than in say a 50's house with a built up roof. Cost is down to reinforcing the roof structure.

You'll also need a lot of insulation and thicker floor joists than existing. If you are going to comply with current legislation you could probably still do a habitable room entirely DIY for about 10K.

However, if you start adding timbers and boarding to the existing set up and eventually bung in a Velux window you could get a usable space up there for about half that.

[Mattt]

Pikey did one, and a blog - somewhere.

[jamiesull]

yeah if i moved the boiler then there is a huge space so i think i would get away wit just the window and moving the boiler.

and then timber off the walls ...
but is this safe to do ? :s

[dickbastardly]

In a word no!!
As said a modern house has trussed roofs, this is not strong enough! you would normaly need steel reinforcements, also the floor joists in the loft would not be man enough, they were designed to suport the below celing and not people walking around it!
there is also a lot of legislation around staircases, then there is the fact you need a fire corridor running all the way to the ground floor with fire doors.
If you go for velux windows you could get away with doing it on permited development, but if your going for dormers you will need planning permission. eather way you will need to comply with building regulations.
sorry to put a downer on it but i did just what your on about doing. but mine was an older 50s style house so the roof was alot stronger. all was fine untill i tried to sell!!!
Regards
Andy

[eps]

To the OP

You need to go up in your loft and determine the following :

1) Is the roof a truss roof, if it is then you will need to replace the joists (probably) and rafters. Support - there is a maximum
span for joists and rafters, as has been mentioned you will need to ensure that these are properly supported. Ideally about 3500mm is
the maximum span. If you are in a modern house you will need to determine where the supporting walls are, if any.. The first floor may
be supported by steels...

2) You need to determine the amount of headroom in the loft. You will then need to take off about 250mm from this and that will
give you about the maximum headroom you can obtain. This takes into account adding additional thickness to the joists, to support
the additional weight and the thicker rafters to take the insulation needed to meet current building regs.

3) Access, if you are going to call this a room, then you will need to consider stairs, where they will go and if there is enough
headroom. You will also need a clear space both top and bottom which is as deep as the stairs are wide.

4) Fire regs, as soon as you go up another floor level you will need to have an enclosed stairway and also put firedoors on bedrooms
and habitable rooms on the ground floor.. In addition one of the windows in the new space will need to meet the regs for fire exits.

In essence you probably have a truss roof, which effectively means rebuilding the roof structure with something more substantial. At the moment all it's built to support is itself, insulation and tiles...

If you need to know more PM me.

[jamiesull]

thanks lads gonna get up there and have a look when done work ..

[Busamav]

eps said:

To the OP

In addition one of the windows in the new space will need to meet the regs for fire exits.

that requirement is no more

[eps]

Busamav said:

eps said:

To the OP

In addition one of the windows in the new space will need to meet the regs for fire exits.

that requirement is no more

Which version of Approved Doc B are you looking at?

[anonymous-user]

eps said:

Busamav said:

eps said:

To the OP

In addition one of the windows in the new space will need to meet the regs for fire exits.

that requirement is no more

Which version of Approved Doc B are you looking at?

Didn't that change about two years ago.

I thought now you need a clear route from the loft to your front door with fire doors on rooms which are sources of fire facing this route.

[Busamav]

eps said:

Busamav said:

eps said:

To the OP

In addition one of the windows in the new space will need to meet the regs for fire exits.

that requirement is no more

Which version of Approved Doc B are you looking at?

The very latest ,it changed about a year or so ago , at the same time they introduced the need for updating existing doors to 1/2 hr fr. and omitted the need for closers

[mk1fan]

Busamav said:

eps said:

Busamav said:

eps said:

To the OP

In addition one of the windows in the new space will need to meet the regs for fire exits.

that requirement is no more

Which version of Approved Doc B are you looking at?

The very latest ,it changed about a year or so ago , at the same time they introduced the need for updating existing doors to 1/2 hr fr. and omitted the need for closers

So to summerise. You'll need either 'fire escape' windows OR a 30-minute protected route from the loft to the front door (or rear door if you can exit the rear out into the street) with a suitable fire alarm system. To put a third option in the mix you could also instal a domestic sprinkler system.

ETA: I should add that if you are going to do this 'DIY' then don't ignore the Building Regs as they are there to protect you. Plus if you decide to sell then not getting Building Regs approval will have a detrimental affect on the property value.

Finally, you say that the proporty is 'new'. Any alterations you do will affect the New Home Warranty that should be in place (assuming it's less than 10-years old).

Edited by mk1fan on Monday 27th July 20:07

[Busamav]

mk1fan said:

So to summerise. You'll need either 'fire escape' windows OR a 30-minute protected route from the loft to the front door

there is no OR ,

its a fire protected escape route.

Edited by Busamav on Monday 27th July 20:20

[eps]

Busamav is correct, but I'd still like to see some sort of alternative route.. From a personal point of view it makes good sense, but isn't required.

[dirty boy]

Sorry, but can someone clarify here.

Do you need building regs to do a loft conversion, or can you just go ahead anyway?

[Busamav]

dirty boy said:

Sorry, but can someone clarify here.

Do you need building regs to do a loft conversion, or can you just go ahead anyway?

a definite yes , they are required

[eps]

dirty boy said:

Sorry, but can someone clarify here.

Do you need building regs to do a loft conversion, or can you just go ahead anyway?

Ideally you need Building Regs to carry out _any_ building work, but obviously if you're changing structural items it makes it even more important.

You aren't asking about Planning Applications are you? Apologies, but quite often the two are mixed up together..

[marctwo]

On a related matter, is it possible to fire-proof old doors or do you have to change all the doors to modern ones?

[pikey]

Mattt said:

Pikey did one, and a blog - somewhere.

Did I?

http://www.myloftextension.co.uk

[dirty boy]

eps said:

dirty boy said:

Sorry, but can someone clarify here.

Do you need building regs to do a loft conversion, or can you just go ahead anyway?

Ideally you need Building Regs to carry out _any_ building work, but obviously if you're changing structural items it makes it even more important.

You aren't asking about Planning Applications are you? Apologies, but quite often the two are mixed up together..

Sorry, I got this impression that you only need building regs to get it signed off in order that you can sell the property.