Loft conversion-steels fire alrams etc...!

Hello
I have had a few companies round to quote us for a loft conversion and to be honest they have left me confused- Some have said we would need steel beams in and others have said we wont need this, also some have said we need fire doors and the fire alarms, others have just said just the fire doors, or just the fire alarms alone! Some have said we don't need either! The companies that we have had quotes from are loft conversion people thats why its left me wondering what is correct and what is not! The loft itself already has a velux window and is set out with two V shaped wooden beams holding the roof into the centre of the loft, the stairs from the loft will come down straight onto our other flight of stairs so there is a good escape route, we want to use the loft as a bedroom.
can anyone out there shed light on this for me?
Thanks

Are you talking about converting your loft in a two-storey house, so the loft floor will become the third floor?

It sounds like you have an existing trussed roof so once you remove those supports, you will need to put something back in its place and this is "normally" done with steels.

Fire doors will need to be provided to all doors that lead onto the staircase, apart from those which serve non-habitable rooms (e.g. toilets). These doors do not "need to" have self closers as this was removed from the building regulations.

The new escape route will have to extend to a final exit via protected corridors (i.e. min. 30min). The existing first floor ceiling will need to be upgraded to provide min. 30min fire resistance and sound insulation will also need to be provided.

Smoke alarms will also be required and interlinked.

There's a lot of information on the planning portal website...

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/en...s/workcommonloftconversion/workmorebrloftcon/

Make sure these companies provide a full quotation/package in providing details/drawings and seeing the works through building regulation approval because the local authority will want to see a lot of information regarding the conversion, especially structural implications (i.e. insertion of steels followin removal of truss roof and upgrade of existing first floor ceiling joists to take additional loads).

Also make sure planning permission isn't required and if not, have that confirmed in writing as it will cost you more time and money in the future to have it sorted after the works as opposed to before.

Thanks for the info- i looked on the site you suggested but it doesn't say anything about steel supports and this is what is confusing me-can the roof be supported by other means ( i think the other companies were talking about timber supports ) and still meet BR?

On the PP link, it is noted...

• the stability of the structure (including the existing roof) is not endangered

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...which is what I am referring to, in terms of the steels/adequate roof support.

Yes, it can be done with timber. You may just find more timber will be required as opposed to steel. However, there are pro's and con's to both. If working space is limited, it may be easier and more cost effective to use timbers but if the loads are quite excessive and a large amount of timber would be required as opposed to one steel beam, then you may look at going down the steel beam route. If a structural engineer can provide details/calculations with adequate support (timber or steel), then the BCO will or "should" be satisfied.

Thats made it more clear now, thank you very much for the advice

DOHdesigns said:

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You're a bit sad really!

Where in kent are you? are you under STG planning?
I'm putting/done one room in the loft and require mains smoke alarms on floors ( not interlinked) and 30min firedoors to exits ( in my house basically every door).
using wood SE spec'd slightly diff to council basically STG assume rear dormer require 6x2" on front of roof, then dormer sides are 9mm and 2*4, nothing spec'd to the front, roof std sizes and 6*4 over 4*4 corner post.
worst was the 75mm timber connector spec'd try to get hold of them

This is part of the trouble with getting a one stop loft company to do the work. Each will have slightly different experience and will want to do things in a particular way and because they have differing ideas you may not be sure which is the best for you.

The trouble you have is that you cannot accurately compare the quotes that you are getting because they are each telling you you need different things. THis means it will be very difficult for you to know if you are making the right decision.

No doubt the loft companies are saying they design for free. This is really a red herring, they just absorb the design costs into the build cost... so you will pay one way or another.

As such, I would strongly suggest that you consider having plans drawn up by a third party. These plans can be separately approved by the planning department and the building control departments so that you will know exactly what it is you will get when you come to building. Then you can send these drawings out to a number of traditional builders who will be able to give you quotes on the same set of drawings.

Without bias, I would suggest someone like myself - an architectural designer / technician, who would be able to offer the services that you need more cost effectively than an Architect.

Oh FMT. Why have you dragged this one back up from the graveyard?

I was going to say the exact same thing. Must have been the start of a lonely Friday evening.