I want to convert my loft into a usable space. So far I'm fairly confident I won't need planning permission, but I'm unsure if I'll need Building Regs approval. If I list a few bits of info would anyone be able to offer any guidance on who I need to get involved, or if I can just crack on?
Last point - this is an end terrace house. Next door, and the next two houses suffered from subsidence (mining area) about 12 years ago. It's since been stabilised (8 years ago) with no sign of further movement. The worst house 'dropped' by about a foot (easy to see looking along the line of the gutter). Next door didn't drop much at all, but did have to have their roof cut at the ridge apparently, I guess because the other house was pulling them down the hole with them. My house wasn't effected any more than a few superficial cracks in the render, apparently. Anyway, long story short, I'm concerned about the roof structure being abnormaly loaded and causing surprises when someone cuts into it. Who should I consult to get a survey of it and to advise if it's safe or not to do? If I found a local structural engineer to do a survey would this be the right choice?
Many thanks.
- 1900 end terrace single storey cottage.
- Loft is currently half boarded over, fully insulated, full of cobwebs, and has an original small cast iron skylight on the rear aspect.
- Access would be by a 'temporary' wooden staircase in one of the existing bedrooms. In reality this staircase would remain in-situ all the time, secured with a few screws for safety. It could be removed with a few minutes notice. We would box in underneath it for storage. I've been told the width of this staircase would be about 600mm.
- The room will end up plastered, insulated, painted white, carpeted, downlights in the ceiling, in-built storage areas, a radiator, power sockets, and one or two velux-style windows fitted on the rear aspect.
- The room will run the full length of the loft space, with access stairs entering about 1/3 of the way along the room with a decorative dwarf wall around it, and likely a trapdoor-style hatch or something to close the room off for privacy/warmth if visitors stay up there for a few days.
- The room will be used for storage (boxes, clothes in a wardrobe), will have some assembled flat pack furniture in it, hi-fi etc, and may occasionally be used for visitors to sleep in on an air bed.
- The existing loft hatch would remain in-situ as it's decorative and would involve a bit of work to remove. The folding ladder would be removed though.
- Next door have an unoffical DIY loft conversion (still in progress years later...).
- Next door-but-one have a proper conversion with two velux-style windows. Not seen inside yet, but it's white and has downlights etc.
- I plan to sell the property in around 4-5 years.
- All of the construction work will be done by whichever loft conversion builder I select. I'll do the initial tidy-up and then painting/carpeting etc.
Last point - this is an end terrace house. Next door, and the next two houses suffered from subsidence (mining area) about 12 years ago. It's since been stabilised (8 years ago) with no sign of further movement. The worst house 'dropped' by about a foot (easy to see looking along the line of the gutter). Next door didn't drop much at all, but did have to have their roof cut at the ridge apparently, I guess because the other house was pulling them down the hole with them. My house wasn't effected any more than a few superficial cracks in the render, apparently. Anyway, long story short, I'm concerned about the roof structure being abnormaly loaded and causing surprises when someone cuts into it. Who should I consult to get a survey of it and to advise if it's safe or not to do? If I found a local structural engineer to do a survey would this be the right choice?
Many thanks.