Loft conversion project

[functor]

Basically, I need to replace cross bracing, fit a hard floor and put a nice trap door ladder so I can make the loft easily accessible, more spacious and nice to walk about in.

Untitled

• functor
• 12 Feb 2012
• 1

Untitled

• functor
• 12 Feb 2012
• 1

I am comfortable doing the hard-floor and the trap door ladder (which is just a fitting right?) myself - but how much would it cost to get someone to replace the cross bracing? What kind of solutions exist? Is it worth it?

Just a note, I don't want to make it into a habitable room or anything of the sort, just make it easy to walk around in.

 

[Static]

If you dont want to make it habitable then removing the "braces" will be expensive can't you just live with a little inconvience on the odd occassion you need to find the xmas decorations..

Your photos really dont show alot as well.. try some wider shots of the whole loft space..

 

[functor]

Hi Static, I will when I get home, do you have an estimate on "how" expensive replacing them is in an average bungalow loft like this one? To describe it, there are 3 "sideways" planks of wood on each side terminating on a plank of wood on the floor, and there are 3 going across vertically.. it seems there use to be 4 but one got removed (before I bought it). I basically have to crawl up each time, and I can't store some of the larger (long) items I need easily (I am an engineer and have quite a few parts I need to store so they don't clutter my guest room)... I don't have an issue with money as long as it is reasonable.

EDIT: I was rethinking the space layout.. and I only need to remove one of the cross bracing of the 3.. for example it looks like this now:

[ |-|- | ] (one of them removed)

But if it was like this:

[ |___ | ]

It would also be fine, since I can fit all the items I want and can walk around without crawling

 

[Static]

Well your description helped muddy the waters, but at best guess you have purlined roof with struts.. cant see any hangers but doesnt mean there arent any.. you also have collars lining up with the purlin struts..

So removing struts (assuming you refering to removing only the middle one) would require the purlin to either span longer distance or be supported elsewhere.. usually done with a steel below the purlin line then either posts or a load bearing stud wall.. assuming you can span back to something solid with the steel..

The collars, well it should be possible to shift them higher and add more.. at a guess every other rafter..

I would guess a couple of thousand for the work assuming its an easy job with no complications..

 

[functor]

Hi, I didn't get a chance to go up there yet, I will see if I can today, but I wanted to ask another question. Assuming I can move one of the vertical bracers, the loft will be quite spacious. Now, assuming I want to store heavy things in there and move about a lot - are there any health / safety hazards / damp prevention things I need to be careful of before I put some flooring down?

1. I was reading somewhere that you need proper ventilation if you want to put flooring, to avoid damp and rot? Should I make holes in the flooring perhaps? (Like, lay down planks of wood with space between them)

2. I want to make sure it is sturdy enough to hold the weight. It seems to manage quite well with two - three people up there at around 250kg total. It didn't show any signs of moving / creaking. How do I check how much weight it can hold, and if it is safe to walk around in it? I will be storing some heavy / metal parts for my work (I don't have a garage or basement or anywhere else to put them). If I find it needs reinforcement I will get someone to reinforce it.

3. Every time I go in there, I come out coughing due to the old insulation fibres and dust, do I have to worry about the insulation fibres causing anything bad health wise?

4. I may put some electronics and circuit boards in there, which need to be kept in a dryish place to avoid rust, any way to help prevent that in the loft?