Staircase to loft -non habitable room -- for the moment

[brummieaxgt]

hi,

We moved to our home in June and now looking to start works. It's a 3 bed detached house, two chimneys(on outer walls)
One item is in the distant future we may look at a loft conversion.
Currently two thirds of the loft are floorboarded and the other two thirds are just joists.
But for the moment we want to add a permanent staircase to the loft for safe access.
Would we need to inform anyone? The loft is still storage use and won't change for a long while? Maybe years until we're in a better position financially?

Our aim tho would be to fit a current building regs compliant staircase so in future that can be a job we can tick of the list later?

Any informed folk know if there would be a problem with that?
Any help appreciated.

Thank you

 

[^woody^]

As soon as you put a fixed flight in, the work becomes notifiable to building control. They will in turn assume that the loft is being converted so will tend to expect an application for that. It is posssbile to apply for just the staircase (for structural work and safe access/use), a suitable door and measures to partition off the heated space and the cold loft areas (thermal insualtion and fire safety).

You would also need to notify your insurers, as unless it is authorised and passed off as safe and compliant, then your insurance will be invalidated for any claim that may be impacted by this alteration.

 

[Ian H]

You could fit the stairs now and apply for the permission retrospectively.

You can design them online to meet current building regs, I designed a set online at TK Stairs but decided to get a local place in to measure them and make sure they fitted with the existing stairs below.

The local place were about £100 more than the online but I felt it worth it because I would have probably ordered them wrong.

 

[brummieaxgt]

Thanks guys. I believe what we may do in the future ,if converted will fall under permitted development but we're long from that. Due to renovations we want to get the stairs in first so not further major renovations in that area in the future.
I read somewhere that if I contact regarding building regs they require the loft to be converted within 12 months. We're talking years down the line.
Woody I think that maybe the plan ,to contact the local authority to install the stairs and doorway to see how to proceed.
I did see tk stairs but Like yourself would not want to get anything wrong measurement wise so may contact a local firm.


Thanks for the advice both

 

[^woody^]

if I contact regarding building regs they require the loft to be converted within 12 months

No they can't do that. If you don't contact them for an excessive period of time after the first inspection (say two years or so), they will request an inspection, else archive the file and charge you to retrieve the file next time you get in touch.

 

[Ian H]

I first joined this forum after doing a 'dodgy' loft conversion. My brother in laws ex wife contacted the council about it.

They came round, inspected it and advised that I should remove the stairs. The guy that inspected it said that they could have made me remove it if it had been less than 2 years old, but also that they probably wouldn't bother due to cost.