Can I make an office in my loft with no regulations?

[OM2]

My loft is boarded up.
In summer it's OK.
In winter note OK - wind blowing everywhere.

We had an extension done 5 years ago.
I asked the builder what it would cost to convert the loft and have an extra room.
He said we needed to lower the ceilings in all rooms upstairs - this added greatly to the cost.

Just wondering: all I want is an office space - can I just make the room in the loft?
+ I don't want to lower the ceiling in the rooms!

But wondering what is needed to seal and insulate properly?

Would like to know.

Thanks.

 

[Notch7]

My guess is your loft headroom is too small, hence the builders comments.

generally to insulate to building regs, you need to insulate in between the rafters - leaving a 50mm air gap, then insulate over the rafter - I’m not sure by how much, could be 100mm

Of course you can just go ahead and do it, but it won’t be building regs compliant and you won’t be able to get compliance - a major issue if you decided to move

 

[^woody^]

Wear a hard hat to stop bumping your head, a puffer jacket for the cold, and have half a brick for a paperweight for the wind.

 

[mattylad]

To answer your question - yes you can do whatever you want.

It's your loft, your house, it will be your office space.

How well it's done, whether it conforms to building regs and its affect on anything else is a different matter.
in a previous house I added more joists, insulated then boarded it, added a light, sockets and desk etc.
Removed it all when I left that house and returned it to how it was before

Didn't affect the sale, didn't get me in trouble with the council (as no one knew).

It will get mighty hot in the summer, possibly unbreathable without ventilation.

 

[Dodgyrog]

Depending on the construction of your existing ceilings below the loft another issue you might have is the ceilings cracking. Most boarded up lofts are suitable for intermittent use, and just one person's weight etc but once you are up there more often and you get more specific loads up there (a desk, chair, you sat in it, all in the same area etc) then you might find out the existing joists aren't strong enough to avoid flexing and the ceilings beneath you crack. If your missus / partner is like mine and brings you a cuppa every now and then I would get them to leave it by the door

 

[tony1851]

It might affect your house insurance?
Aside from the risk to life of an unauthorized loft conversion, if the battery in your laptop started burning overnight, I doubt the insurance company would be interested.

 

[Nakajo]

In the event of fire, just make sure there's nothing left of the loft conversion

 

[JOHNBOY42]

I have done this for a playstation room for my son..... really good joists 4x2...... supported down the centre for the old water tank...plenty of head room...ran set of boards one way then another set the other way...

 

[bobyarg]

In the event of fire, just make sure there's nothing left of the loft conversion

Sensible advice, make sure you wait long enough before calling the fire brigade and you'll be right.