Loft Extensions
Discussion
This is our house (which happens to be in the middle of our street) -
[pic]http://www.zyworld.com/niclaswant/Album_House.jpg[/pic]
We are thinking of getting a loft extension done round the back, to go from the chimney line to the end of the top ridge at the other side. It will have to be a dormer roof as the roof line drops down over the top of upstairs, giving loft headheight of about about 7.5 feet only at the ridge. The room will take up only about 70% of the rear roof space (I need a study!)
My questions are -
1). If it's not seen from the road (although we live inside a cirle and it could be seen from the side) and we have gardens backing onto us, will there be any issues with planning? There haven't been any extensions to the house since it was built in 1930.
2). What fire regs will have to be met? Our upstairs landing and stairs are such that a proper staircase can probably go in.
3). Any general guide on price?
My thanks in advance to anyone who can assist.
[pic]http://www.zyworld.com/niclaswant/Album_House.jpg[/pic]
We are thinking of getting a loft extension done round the back, to go from the chimney line to the end of the top ridge at the other side. It will have to be a dormer roof as the roof line drops down over the top of upstairs, giving loft headheight of about about 7.5 feet only at the ridge. The room will take up only about 70% of the rear roof space (I need a study!)
My questions are -
1). If it's not seen from the road (although we live inside a cirle and it could be seen from the side) and we have gardens backing onto us, will there be any issues with planning? There haven't been any extensions to the house since it was built in 1930.
2). What fire regs will have to be met? Our upstairs landing and stairs are such that a proper staircase can probably go in.
3). Any general guide on price?
My thanks in advance to anyone who can assist.
wanty1974 said:
2). What fire regs will have to be met? Our upstairs landing and stairs are such that a proper staircase can probably go in.
you have to have a proper fixed staircase. You will also need to have fire doors fitted throughout the house.
Re the dorma, some councils have regulations stating the maximum percentage of the roof that can be covered.
Planning may or may not be granted. It will depend if the extension will give you views into other people's property, or blocks their light. You will also have to meet building regs for structural safety (probably have to reinforce the joists in the loft). Your neighbour will have a party wall, so they will be consulted and you may need to draw up a contract with them over who owns and is responsible for what.
A third floor extension these days requires a safe fire exit, you will need to check with building regs how you can achieve that. If it's internal (ie. down the stairs) you will need to fit fire doors throughout the house. I'm not sure about external fire escapes - you may be able to get away with a large window that doubles as a fire escape (with a sort of rope ladder thingy).
Cost - shed loads. My guess would be 20 grand. There are guidelines (price per square metre) in various self-build magaizines, but I can't lay my hands on one at work.
A third floor extension these days requires a safe fire exit, you will need to check with building regs how you can achieve that. If it's internal (ie. down the stairs) you will need to fit fire doors throughout the house. I'm not sure about external fire escapes - you may be able to get away with a large window that doubles as a fire escape (with a sort of rope ladder thingy).
Cost - shed loads. My guess would be 20 grand. There are guidelines (price per square metre) in various self-build magaizines, but I can't lay my hands on one at work.
wanty1974 said:
This is our house (which happens to be in the middle of our street) -
We are thinking of getting a loft extension done round the back, to go from the chimney line to the end of the top ridge at the other side. It will have to be a dormer roof as the roof line drops down over the top of upstairs, giving loft headheight of about about 7.5 feet only at the ridge. The room will take up only about 70% of the rear roof space (I need a study!)
My questions are -
1). If it's not seen from the road (although we live inside a cirle and it could be seen from the side) and we have gardens backing onto us, will there be any issues with planning? There haven't been any extensions to the house since it was built in 1930.
2). What fire regs will have to be met? Our upstairs landing and stairs are such that a proper staircase can probably go in.
3). Any general guide on price?
My thanks in advance to anyone who can assist.
A few years ago we had a loft conversion (a fifth bedroom). We used a company called "Loftplan", who were very good - offering a tem year guarantee. You can probably google them.
We didn't need planning permission despite windows on both sides of the house. However, the design needs to be such that you get fire regulation approval. The architect will make the appropriate windows (for a ladder to reach the room).
Cost? I seem to recall it was about £40k all in, but it was for two large rooms (double bedroom, including ensuite, plus a large play room for the kids).
We have the option of staying where we are, which we really like, or moving to a four bedroom house, which will cost us an additional £70,000 on top of what our house is worth, so £20k actually isn't too bad. I certainly wouldn't be able to afford the mortgage on a house move at the moment.
Tuna said:
Planning may or may not be granted. It will depend if the extension will give you views into other people's property, or blocks their light. You will also have to meet building regs for structural safety (probably have to reinforce the joists in the loft). Your neighbour will have a party wall, so they will be consulted and you may need to draw up a contract with them over who owns and is responsible for what.
A third floor extension these days requires a safe fire exit, you will need to check with building regs how you can achieve that. If it's internal (ie. down the stairs) you will need to fit fire doors throughout the house. I'm not sure about external fire escapes - you may be able to get away with a large window that doubles as a fire escape (with a sort of rope ladder thingy).
Cost - shed loads. My guess would be 20 grand. There are guidelines (price per square metre) in various self-build magaizines, but I can't lay my hands on one at work.
What Tuna says but also...
Building regs are very strict nowadays on "Part L" conservation of heat and power so the loft will need to be insulated properly. Also ensure that it is ventilated properly.
If you are getting windows fitted make sure they are by a FENSA approved installer as new/replacement windows are now a controlled activity under the building regs but a FENSA installer is pre-qualified (i.e. they have to fit double glazing of the Pilkington K Glass type)
Looks like you are in a semi detached. You probably will need party wall consent if you are going to be working on/near the party wall (wall between the houses) This is as much to protect you as it is the neighbours. This is quite an important one.
If the windows overlook a neighbour there may be a right to light issue. Not an area that I have had much dealigs with and it is pretty specialised/unlikely. Basically, it involves obstructions that interfere with a neighbours " right to light" If your extension does not alter the roof line then I would pretty much ignore the above.
Fire doors probably will need to be fitted to all doors (door closers, smoke seals etc).
For the cost of a phone call to your local planning officer and building inspector you can put much of this to bed. It may even be worth speaking to your local building surveyor www.rics.org and as usual get 3 or more prices and get to see examples of their recent work.
wanty1974 said:
We have the option of staying where we are, which we really like, or moving to a four bedroom house, which will cost us an additional £70,000 on top of what our house is worth, so £20k actually isn't too bad. I certainly wouldn't be able to afford the mortgage on a house move at the moment.
Don't forget that when you factor in estate agents, stamp duty, removals costs, solicitors, etc. That'll be £20k on its own.
Regarding planning, if any of your neighbours or similar houses in nearby streets have already had a dormer put on, that'll make it much more difficult for the planning dept to refuse.
Also, where planning is concerned, best course of action is to work out who's likely to be affected (e.g. neighbours to the sides and rear) and float the idea with them first to get them on-side. That way, when the application goes in there are unlikely to be any objections.
Also, where planning is concerned, best course of action is to work out who's likely to be affected (e.g. neighbours to the sides and rear) and float the idea with them first to get them on-side. That way, when the application goes in there are unlikely to be any objections.
£20k!!! This is a normal 3 bed semi, my friend recently had his done (same size) 4 large windows put in, stairs leading to the loft ect.. (no en-suite, but decent enough) for £5k. However his friend does this for a living, said he would usually charge between £7.5k-£10k.
Jes, £20k. Shop around!!!
It's like double glazing, majority of the time the product is pretty much the same, it's just the fitting and MARGIN that can make the price range so wide from company to company.
Need to add: Friends house was in the north - I know from family & friends there is a price difference between north & south though.
Jes, £20k. Shop around!!!
It's like double glazing, majority of the time the product is pretty much the same, it's just the fitting and MARGIN that can make the price range so wide from company to company.
Need to add: Friends house was in the north - I know from family & friends there is a price difference between north & south though.
soir said:
£20k!!! This is a normal 3 bed semi, my friend recently had his done (same size) 4 large windows put in, stairs leading to the loft ect.. (no en-suite, but decent enough) for £5k. However his friend does this for a living, said he would usually charge between £7.5k-£10k.
Jes, £20k. Shop around!!!
It's like double glazing, majority of the time the product is pretty much the same, it's just the fitting and MARGIN that can make the price range so wide from company to company.
Need to add: Friends house was in the north - I know from family & friends there is a price difference between north & south though.
Did your mate get fire doors put in to meet building regs (that can cost a grand by itself), or have a survey to ensure the loft joists can take the weight without bowing?
It's true you can get something knocked together for a lot less, if you don't bother with planning and building regs and a mate does it on the nod. The trouble comes when you try and sell up. A relative had a loft conversion - when the council found out it didn't meet their regulations, they made him tear the whole thing down. Sadly over the years the regs. have got tighter and tighter - so the more recent the conversion the more you have to spend.
Our house faces west/south west so to the neighbours behind us, whose gardens are also in the middle of the circle in which we live, the sun goes down over our house roof. I would imagine that a dorma would effectively up the aspect of our roof by about four feet and would affect the gardens of about 6 houses. I shall speak with a neighbour and see what he thinks.
No one in our area has had this done (I've had a bloody good look) but the chap opposite works in the local planning department so he will be useful.
The real only thing that puts me off is fire doors - there's no way in hell I want fire doors to replace the exceptional original internal doors we already have. If a large window & ladder arrangement is an option, I'd go for that.
No one in our area has had this done (I've had a bloody good look) but the chap opposite works in the local planning department so he will be useful.
The real only thing that puts me off is fire doors - there's no way in hell I want fire doors to replace the exceptional original internal doors we already have. If a large window & ladder arrangement is an option, I'd go for that.
You also have an issue of minimum habitable height over a certain area of the proposed extension. Check building regs to find out what this is but it is in excess of 6ft.
I converted my loft into a study but it had a temporary staircase to get around the "it's a room" and therefore needs to meet fire regs. I couldn't make it a proper room as the height was an issue.
I converted my loft into a study but it had a temporary staircase to get around the "it's a room" and therefore needs to meet fire regs. I couldn't make it a proper room as the height was an issue.
vetteheadracer said:
I converted my loft into a study but it had a temporary staircase to get around the "it's a room" and therefore needs to meet fire regs. I couldn't make it a proper room as the height was an issue.
This is the kind of thing that is very useful to do if it increases your working space for your own personal benefit. Its of little or no use if you have your "developer" head on and the intention is to up the value of the property.
make sure you get on well with your neighbours and inform them of your plans all the way through. A bottle of wine when you first tell them will help too.
My parents fell out with their neightbours when they were doing a double loft extension for when I was born. The result was the neighbours not allowing any workmen to stand on their side of the roof. This meant that the rooms were a very funny shape with alcoves where straight walls should have been. That translated into very small rooms in which I had to live in for the next 18 years!
A little effort now will pay dividends later.
My parents fell out with their neightbours when they were doing a double loft extension for when I was born. The result was the neighbours not allowing any workmen to stand on their side of the roof. This meant that the rooms were a very funny shape with alcoves where straight walls should have been. That translated into very small rooms in which I had to live in for the next 18 years!
A little effort now will pay dividends later.
groomi said:
make sure you get on well with your neighbours and inform them of your plans all the way through. A bottle of wine when you first tell them will help too.
My parents fell out with their neightbours when they were doing a double loft extension for when I was born. The result was the neighbours not allowing any workmen to stand on their side of the roof. This meant that the rooms were a very funny shape with alcoves where straight walls should have been. That translated into very small rooms in which I had to live in for the next 18 years!
A little effort now will pay dividends later.
Very Good advice. A little bit of smoothing before works start can save sooo much grief later on. You don't want to start having to resort to teh "access to Neighbouring Land Act" just for a bit of scaffold. A bottle of wine and a bit of consideration should work wonders.
I have done a few loft conversions and 20k will be about the right figure as Tuna said. You need fixed stairs and you'll have to add 9 x 2 floor joists, which will lessen your headroom. You have enough headroom because your house is a traditional semi and we have done loft conversions on those types of houses.
There is a few fire regs such as the fixing fireboard instead of normal paster board.
You will also have to put a window in the dormer that you are able to escape from.
If I were you, I'd put a velux window in the other side of the roof also, to let the light go straight through.
>> Edited by groucho on Monday 4th July 17:53
There is a few fire regs such as the fixing fireboard instead of normal paster board.
You will also have to put a window in the dormer that you are able to escape from.
If I were you, I'd put a velux window in the other side of the roof also, to let the light go straight through.
>> Edited by groucho on Monday 4th July 17:53
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff