study in attic?? Loft Conversion.

[r896neo]

I want to put a study up in my attic as cheaply as possible. I will be using it occassionly and will just be using a ladder for access. I am competent on boarding it out, joinery and stud work etc but would be getting a builder/engineer in for regs reasons etc.

It is a small 50's mid-terrace and essentially i'm looking for rough estimates about required joist sizes, ridge heights etc so I can see if what is there will be any use or a full floor strengthening routine is needed.
Any advice on other limiting factors would be much appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

First question, when you come to sell your house, will you want to sell it with a loft conversion or storage space? This is important as
a) it will affect whether you can get away with a stair or a ladder as you would like and b) what an estate agent will lawfully be able to sell the space as which would likely affect the value.

 

[r896neo]

I would just be selling and declaring it as a floored storage area.

 

[Deluks]

Second question: What's the sizes of current timbers and type of roof. Also what are distances between supporting walls. If you only have a 'small' loft then you might easily be able to fit a 'full regs' structural floor using just timber. This will make any future 'proper' conversion much easier.

 

[r896neo]

unfortunately the current ceiling joists are just 4 1/2 by 1 1/2 and the distance between walls is about 6m.

cheers

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

the distance between walls is about 6m.

Is that the width between party walls or the length (front to back)?

 

[r896neo]

the 6m is actually upon measuring 5m and is the distance between the party walls (actually i'm an end terrace so gable and party) cheers

 

[r896neo]

oh and front to back is 6m

 

[Deluks]

Any solid internal walls?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Hmm, thats a fair old span for timber joists. Using the old building regs tables they'd end up being something like 75x250@400 centres. Would you even be able to get a 5m long joist into the loft?

 

[JohnD]

I bet there's a central wall.

10p says it was built on the Universal Plan.