Rough Estimate for Loft Conversion

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Hi All,
We are looking at a loft conversion early stage yet. We are getting the house valued soon and also no builder in yet, we have a friend but yet to ask her husband! But my question is can anyone give me a rough price guide for the conversion, I built a conservatory last year with some help from a builder so have some DIY skills for plasterboard, insulation, running cables, painting, floor laying etc but obviously will need builder to help with RSJ's and staircase. I will do roof windows myself too.

The house was built 2006 by wimpey and loft front to back is 7.9m and side measures 4.9m accross (difficult to be accuarte as its low at ends!), max height of w truss beam is 3m in middle. So easy to stand in the whole length no problem. No water tanks to remove and we plan no toilet/bathroom (we have 3 already!), no dormer if we dont need it, just a bedroom with maybe a partition wall to make a small office dressing area depending on space.

The plan at the moment is to get a house value ask how much a loft conversion would increase value then see the bank to borrow the amount we need. I think it maybe difficult to add all the little cost together and get an accurate amount.

We are building it to live in not just to increase value but obviously that looks attractive to the lenders.

Many Thanks for any advice
 
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First thing is trussed roofs are a whole lot more difficult to convert than cut roofs. Secondly, once you add in structure at floor level and insulation etc under the roof you can knock say 10-12 inches off the overall height you have now, that leaves you with say 2.7m in the middle, not so desirable probably? If you were getting a builder in to do it for the whole lot it may be say £20K hard to say, some builders would be reluctant to even quote if they know it’s a trussed roof. You’ll also need to add on structural engineer’s fees, Building Regs fees and unless you’re very brave Architectural Technician’s fees, probably allow about £2K for that lot. Obviously the more you can do the cheaper the price, as mentioned though very difficult to say depending on what you do and what you get your builder to do. A builder who views it will only be able to give you extremely rudimentary figures too without any drawings. Frankly I’d start with getting a few technicians round to give you their free hour’s consultation to see if it’s even worth pursuing.
 
Hi,
The height of our bedroom house is 2.4 so I am sure 2.7 will be ok and we may be able to undersling the floor joists.

But yes I think the first thing is get a technician to confrim it can go ahead which I would like to do with paying little as if its a no its wasted money!

thats see hoiw I get on.

Thanks
 
I have arranged for an architect to pop round next week. He said no more than half an hour so lets see what he thinks.
 
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I have had a quote from telebeam for about £4800+Vat. If the other method would be perhaps using RJS's and new floor joists surely this method would be cheaper? Though the length is 7.9m where as the telebeams would go accross the roof at about 4.9m. Cant wait for the architect to see what he thinks.
 
The architect has said loft conversion is feasible, stairs is a bit of a problem may need space saver or come from another room, or add a dormer. He talked about not using RSJ's but using telescopic beams, does he mean telebeam and are there not any alternatives? As telebeam seem quite expensive.
 
Yes he means companies like telebeam.. and yes they are more expensive than steels and timber but alot quicker and can often mean no need to get an engineer involved..
 
I got a quote from telebeam myself via website just to get and idea of rough cost they quoted £4800 + vat, and plus scaffolding and builder help. This is versus RSJ's and new floor joists and crane etc so not sure how it will work one against the other. I will probably need to speak to a local builde to see what there view is. The specialist conversion companies will charge more i am sure so will try and get involved myself in all aspects of the build.
 
Telebeam looks like a great soloution to the problems associated with steel beams, I Loft Simpson Strong Tie is another option but depending on span the timber I joists might be too deep and lose headroom.

Most builders will not like Telebeam, try and see if any of the builders that have already used it are around your area, I see some on the Telebeam website are around Devizes.
 
Hi All,

Just an update for the record. Loft conversion too expensive really with a W truss roof, also getting stairs up would either mean a dormer or losing most of the smalletst bedroom to accomadate a staircase, so our solution in the end is to move!

Thanks
 

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