Bad loft conversion insulation advice please

[pjo123]

Hi, son bought a mid terraced house a couple of years ago.

The attic has been converted into a room, see attached pic (estate agents pic before he bought house), but it wasn’t listed as with a loft conversion as it isn’t up to standards.

Surveyor also said it breaks various rules (especially the steep stairs) hence cannot be considered an actual 3rd bedroom.

Son wasn’t bothered, liked the house…..

In the summer it’s like a sauna in there, in the winter it’s like an igloo.

He’s also finding it hard to keep the house warm.

I suspect there’s no or little insulation under/behind the boards (both on floor and on roof)

Any suggestions as to how best proceed? For example, would simply laying a load of loft insulation over the attic floor help?

many thanks

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Insulation in the floor won't help, only insulation under the roof will, looks like space is tight though presumably generally inhabited by his kids, what is in the ceiling, behind the plasterboard insulation wise? An exploratory hole somewhere to find out may be the only way to find out. Is there a roof membrane under the tiles? You might be able to lift a tile and see what's what, though that's not without it's complications, ignoring the old illegal loft conversion that shouldn't be being used but is so insurance may be invalid if anything untoward should happen.

That said the radiator looks a bit small for the space or is there another one out of sight? Is it heating up OK?

 

[cdbe]

If it's not being used, loft insulation on the floor will be fine, try and insulate the entrance in some way as well if possible.

 

[Wayners]

You need to remove all that ceiling board and insulate

 

[Koolpc]

You need to remove all that ceiling board and insulate

Totally agree

 

[robinbanks]

Well.. unless it's insulated in which case we need to find out why it's no good

Can you get into the part of the loft that is behind the short walls at the edges of the pic? Might be able to crawl round and see what efforts have been made to insulate the space without damaging anything

 

[m0t]

Also if it's mid terrace and nothing was put on the party walls you'll probably have a single skin of leaky brickwork into the neighbouring lofts, in the summer those lofts will get very hot and in the winter be almost as cold as outside.

Might be solvable by ripping off the plasterboard on those walls and replacing with insulated plasterboard.

 

[robinbanks]

If you can't get access, try and borrow, hire or buy an infrared camera

 

[old duffer]

I had the same problem when I moved into current property. It was a self build and on the face of it (survey) was all up to regulations. I later discovered that there was 1 inch polystyrene insulation between the roof felt and ceiling which accounted for the warm and cold. Having paid for the survey I sought redress and was informed that I should have read the small print which basically said we can't be held responsible. I spoke with BC who said that because it should have been insulated to regulation, they have to assume that it is and once 12 months has passed then there is no redress against anyone anyway and that would have been us, not the builder. BC means nothing in the domestic market, you can do whatever you want and no one cares.
I resolved the problem with the thermal blanket superfoil which meant I could attach to existing ceiling, fix battons over the blanket and then apply the plasterboard onto the battons. It meant I did not have the mess of stripping it all back and only lost a few inches in height

 

[Koolpc]

I had the same problem when I moved into current property. It was a self build and on the face of it (survey) was all up to regulations. I later discovered that there was 1 inch polystyrene insulation between the roof felt and ceiling which accounted for the warm and cold. Having paid for the survey I sought redress and was informed that I should have read the small print which basically said we can't be held responsible. I spoke with BC who said that because it should have been insulated to regulation, they have to assume that it is and once 12 months has passed then there is no redress against anyone anyway and that would have been us, not the builder. BC means nothing in the domestic market, you can do whatever you want and no one cares.
I resolved the problem with the thermal blanket superfoil which meant I could attach to existing ceiling, fix battons over the blanket and then apply the plasterboard onto the battons. It meant I did not have the mess of stripping it all back and only lost a few inches in height

Did u see the doctor?

Losing a few inches in height must have been quite shocking!

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Did u see the doctor?

Losing a few inches in height must have been quite shocking!

He would have been prescribed some elevator shoes..

 

[robinbanks]

thermal blanket superfoil

Not sure I'd deem "thermal blanket snakefoil" a resolution to a problem of a poorly insulated roof

 

[old duffer]

Did u see the doctor?

Losing a few inches in height must have been quite shocking!

Not sure I'd deem "thermal blanket snakefoil" a resolution to a problem of a poorly insulated roof

so you struggle with the laws of physics then LOL

 

[old duffer]

Not sure I'd deem "thermal blanket snakefoil" a resolution to a problem of a poorly insulated roof

more the 20th or 19th century guy then

 

[catlad]

I can tell by the reveals around your velux skylight you will have virtually no insulation.