Quick? Basic Loft Question

[gav777]

hi,

At present have a small roof space - thinking 1.5m height at Apex in a 1850's Victorian semi. This roof space is 'closed' and I have a professional and trusted builder coming around to break into the roof space through the ceiling in my landing to access the roof to determine whether it's worth doing a v.basic conversion for some light storage. If viable when finished the builder will add a roof hatch.

Planning on insulating where possible and then putting down some loft boards around the hatch for some light boxes. No electrics to be added - access will be a step ladder - we are talking infrequent access.

Q's
1) Assuming no planning regs are required? - there shouldn't be any wiring up there (?) and no plumbing. Forgot to add: it's not a listed building but in a conservation area - I will be contacting the local department ASAP before proceeding.
2) Do I require boards to cover the whole area before laying insulation - assuming I don't ?
3) The area for storage around the hatch - will this require to be insulated ? If so, how does the insulation and boarding work together.
4) What basic stuff haven't I considered ?


thanks to all in advance
cheers
Gav

 

[mointainwalker]

2) if no boards the you risk putting foot through ceiling, but if you feel you won't do that nobody is going to compel you to board.
3) Silly not to insulate but no requirement.

If so, how does the insulation and boarding work together

.

Lay a vapour-barrier on the ceiling to prevent warm-air rising into the loft and condensing, lay insulation on that to level of joists and board.

4) Power-cables feeding showers/immersion heaters should be not be covered in insulation to prevent overheating. This is the standard advice and is difficult to adhere to because the cables usually have next to no slack to allow a different run.

How you solve this is an individual puzzler.

 

[gav777]

Thanks for the advice - hopefully your point for 4 will not be applicable.

As the space is sealed, I'm assuming that there is no cabling up there. There is certainly no plumbing unless it's some legacy stuff from many many years ago.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Lay a vapour-barrier on the ceiling to prevent warm-air rising into the loft and condensing, lay insulation on that to level of joists and board.

If you want to waste your money that is ........

 

[joinerjohn]

There will be cables up there. How do you think the electricity gets to the upstairs ceiling lights?.
Insulation is relatively cheap and you will save on energy bills.
Are you absolutely sure that there isn't already an access hatch somewhere?? One house I lived in had the access hatch in a cupboard in one of the bedrooms.

 

[gav777]

I did wonder re: the lighting, original wiring went around the tops of the walls so am wondering whether on the rewiring they got into the roof, wired it up and then closed the space they made (for what ever reason).

Def no access hatch.

Just off the phone to the council building standards - as I'm possibly extending the surface area of the house will require a Building standards warrant and the submitting of drawings and relevant fee etc (£100).

 

[joinerjohn]

Ask the next door neighbour if they have access to their loft space. I'm just wondering now if there's no firebreak between the lofts.

 

[gav777]

If there wasn't one, assuming a firebreak would need to be added for safety reasons or this is 'optional' ?