DIY Loft Conversion

[chrsjcb]

I am planning on converting my loft myself, I have friends in all trades who can lend a hand if I get stuck and have general DIY experience.

Am up for a challenge and want to give this a go, the main obstacle being building regulations, I understand that I would need to submit plans to the council and would need to meet certain regulations.

I have a few questions to help with my research.

Do the plans need to come from an architect or is it something that I would create using a software package?

What kind of information do I need to include, basically what will they be looking for?

Fire exits & Staircases - Will I need a staircase ( my house is 2 floors) up to my loft or can I just have a ladder with a fire escape window.

Any other points that are important would be great!

Thanks,

Chris

 

[Static]

Plans can be done by anyone.. but whoever does them should be pretty clued in on the building regulations..

Would need to include all information that shows that the conversion complys with the regs.. from structural changes to insulation and existing finishes.. fully dimensioned and drawn to scale..

Urm will need a staircase with minimum head clearances etc..


You would be far better off getting an Architect/Technician on board.. first of all to find out if a conversion is even possible.. before you waste alot of time.. as headroom for both the stairs and the room normally kill most roof conversion ideas

 

[chrsjcb]

Thanks for your help, I don't think I would be able to get a staircase in... My landing is very small which means I would only be able to get a straircase in a bedroom..

I understand this can't happen because of fire regs.

 

[Static]

Often the master bedroom from the first floor gets split so stairs can be put in up to the new master bedroom in loft.. but best to get an architect type involved to advice further.. theres more than just fire regs to a loft conv..

Another thing to do is walk down your road and see if any of your neighbours with similar properties have done conversions.. if none have then start considering buying a car or taking up another hobby..

 

[chrsjcb]

Fair enough, someone opposite me has a conversion but as you say, a room may have been split.

Thinking about it, it's going to take a large change to the upstairs to accommodate a staircase.

Have got the car as a hobby but insurance becomes a nightmare when making it faster etc... Thanks for your help

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

That's right you're new staircase will need to be accessed off the main landing of the house, sometimes existing partitions need to be knocked about a bit to shoe-horn the new stairs in. You can also use a 'spacesaver' staircase although they're not ideal but can get you out of a fix sometimes. Google spacesaver staircase and you'll find info on them. You'll also need a door at the top or bottom of the new stairs for fire regs. You also need a good existing floor to underside of ridge height in the loft or any conversion is a no-no.

 

[chrsjcb]

Ah okay, the space saving staircases look ideal, do the stairs need to be permanent?

The reason being that the landing is big enough to get a ladder up to the loft, like a steep staircase but would block the exit to the stairs. Do they both need to be able to be used at the same time?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

For a loft conversion to be considered a legal conversion and be classed as a habitable room when you come to sell the staircase must be permanent.

 

[chrsjcb]

Damn, that's very annoying!

 

[chrsjcb]

Can I not just convert it without a proper staircase and then when I come to sell the house just sell it as a room with storage that could be easily converted?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well you have openly admitted that you think it is not easily convertable so how could you sell it as such?

It can be surprising how a small conventional staircase can be introduced with minimal impact on other rooms you know. No offence but it may be worth getting some people (professionals) round and getting an hour of their time. Most technicians or architects who do small scale stuff will spare you a little time FOC if they think there may be a job in it.

 

[DevilDamo]

Temporary stair/access, i.e. ladder... the room in the loft would be classed as storage. If you start to put velux windows in it, people may start to ask questions as to why a storage room requires natural light/ventilation.

Permanent stairacse... the room becomes habitable and full building regulations come into force.

Also check the requirements of maybe requiring planning permission, which nowadays is subject to the size of the loft conversion (volume) and whether Permitted Development rights exist for your property, etc...

Have a read here...

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/england/public/buildingwork/projects/workcommonloftconversion/

And also, look at it this way... if you did use it as a bedroom (for your children... if you have any) and there was a fire and they had to use a ladder to escape and no other fire protection was provided (i.e. fire resisting floor, smoke detection, fire doors, etc...), then how can one argue over what could be... loosing a human life?

Another thing... if you bypassed Building Reg's now and then when you come to sell it, have it advertised as an additional bedroom or study, then the agent or solicitor will then ask to see the paperwork relating to the conversion, which you wont have, which will then open up a can of worms, resulting in you trying to successfully obtain retrospective planning and building regulation approvals.