Games room in loft

[con1_uk]

Hi,

I have a fairly modern loft with trusses / struts etc (not quite sure what they are called sorry), I want to create a games room where my son can play video games and 3D print etc, it’s not going to be a bedroom. The area is boarded and nothing heavier than the existing stuff up there will be going in the room.

Is it just a case of insulating between the trusses and plaster boarding on the face of the wood? Anything else I need to consider please. Picture for ref, not my loft as we have a plumber fitting a boiler in there today and it would be weird to go up and take pictures.

Ta

 

[Deleted member 310928]

Probably should be okay but just for assurance, you may need to see what are the joist spans and the sizes of them.

 

[RandomGrinch]

to create a games room where my son can play video games and 3D print etc, it’s not going to be a bedroom.

I'm afraid in the world of building control, this isn't a grey area.
As soon as a space is used for occupation, it is classed as a habitable space - it doesn't matter that it is not a bedroom.
Habitable spaces bring many extra stipulations - principally involving work to prevent the spread of fire and safe escape routes.

Creating a 'loft storage room', however, would be a non-habitable space.
You could insulate and board - but a ventilation gap should be left between the insulation and roofing membrane; this should allow cross ventilation from eaves vents, up to a ventilated ridge and across to the other side, with a vapour barrier placed between plasterboards and insulation.

If extra activities should occasionally occur in your 'loft storage room', it really would still be worth considering fire egress routes, etc.
(And mitigating the risk from high risk activities, such as 3D printing).

Attached is a document I've found useful; it provides information for full loft conversions, but also shows the way to do things properly, if you are only attempting some of the work.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

It's really where you fit a permanent stair you run into legalities, otherwise common sense must be applied, think about if a fire should occur (they always happen to everyone else remember), will the loft hatch be left open and ladder down, will the person in the loft hear the smoke alarms, maybe late at night with headphones on etc. This assumes that the existing structure is left intact, if you want to touch that then you'll be in quite tricky territory unless you have the structural alterations signed off by Building Control when you come to sell, not to mention your obligations to your insurance company and mortgage provider.

 

[jenkinserik7]

Probably should be okay but just for assurance, you may need to see what are the joist spans and the sizes of them.






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thanks for the information!

 

[Alec_t]

Bear in mind that, even with insulation and boarding, the loft might be uncomfortably hot in summer and uncomfortably cold in winter.

 

[mattylad]

I tried to do similar in the loft of my previous house - it looked similar.
I added additional support then floorboarded it all over but before I did much more I realised it was a PITA climbing through those angled wood struts (or whatever they are called) all the time. I didn't want to remove them as I'm no structural engineer.
Then I moved house.

If you board it up there and add some discrete sockets, without plasterboarding the walls you can then always claim it is for storage.
Mind you, who are the loft police? I have never had any visit.
When it came to selling my last house I removed all the floorboards etc. To return it to normal loft condition.

It was also very hot in summer, cold in winter.