maddog Posted 2 January, 2013 Share Posted 2 January, 2013 Can you get a loft conversion done in any type of pitched roof or are the limitations? Looking to get a builder in to take a look but before i did wanted to ask as i dont know a lot about the subject. Wondered if anyone had any experience of this type of work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted 2 January, 2013 Share Posted 2 January, 2013 I've done a couple on properties I've owned. They can be great investments. Roof spaces without trusses are a doddle as there's normally enough support in place for the roof. If you have trusses they must be removed and the roof strengthened. That ain't cheap. Also bear in mind stair position and head height. Conversions are much easier when you can get a stair run into the highest part of the roof space (and preferably a following the path of the existing) rather than a sloping pitch. E.g. If you're converting a semi detatched house , and the stairs are on the inside wall then life's easier than if the stair run was on the outside wall. Word of advice. If possible get different trades in yourself rather than paying a builder to site manage. My last conversion cost me about £7k (hand built stairs and spindles, large bedroom, three walk in cupboards, large velux/fire escape, electrics, boiler moved to a new boiler cupboard, plastered and plastering the rest of the hall and landing areas). The best "all in" price was about £20k plus vat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maddog Posted 2 January, 2013 Author Share Posted 2 January, 2013 Cheers, to be honest i have no idea what a truss is! Im a builders dream ha ha! Will do some research then, just need to weigh up if it will add enough value to the house to make it worth while. I have a 12k budget so sounds like if i do it all independently i may be able to get it done, depending on my roof layout etc. I have an end of terrace and the stair are on the inside wall so that sounds promising. Out of interest who did you use to do the major build work then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Bad Bob Posted 2 January, 2013 Share Posted 2 January, 2013 Can you get a loft conversion done in any type of pitched roof or are the limitations? Looking to get a builder in to take a look but before i did wanted to ask as i dont know a lot about the subject. Wondered if anyone had any experience of this type of work? Here's one for you then egg, we were thinking of having an extension done so wanted to get rough ideas of cost etc BUT any builders we talked to said they couldn't quote without an architect!! Is that right?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landford.saint Posted 2 January, 2013 Share Posted 2 January, 2013 Had one built in a modern house with one of those matchstick thin roof truss jobbiies. Inserted a couple of steel joist to support everything off and bingo, large room and ensuite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buctootim Posted 2 January, 2013 Share Posted 2 January, 2013 (edited) Depends a lot on the pitch of the roof. My headroom is less than 2metres at the highest point - half a metre of so either side of that and you are banging your head - so a conversion isnt economically viable. Why not get up there with a tape measure and work out the size of the area you can currently stand upright in? If its less than 12sqm its probably not worth doing, its over 20sqm it might well be. Edited 2 January, 2013 by buctootim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctoroncall Posted 2 January, 2013 Share Posted 2 January, 2013 Here's one for you then egg, we were thinking of having an extension done so wanted to get rough ideas of cost etc BUT any builders we talked to said they couldn't quote without an architect!! Is that right?? Almost. You need building regs approval for the plans. The plans can be done by you or an architect and most be a decent standard... Not back of a fag packet stuff! You'll also need the plans submitted to the council in case anyone objects so best to go round to the neighbours first if any are adversely impacted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted 2 January, 2013 Share Posted 2 January, 2013 Maddog, on both I used a chippy to do the stairs, joists, boards, studwork, Velux and door hanging etc. I got a labourer in to throw up the insulation and plaster board. Sparky to do first fix, then plasterer, then Sparky to second fix. It really isn't much when you break it down. Bigbadbob, I didn't bother with an architect. The first just kind of evolved from an idea to create a storage area and done with input from the chippy. The second was almost a carbon copy and done with a pointing where we wanted walls and doors. I didn't bother with planning or building regs in advance, instead I got retrospective consent on one and on the other just gave an insurance policy against breaches when I sold up. That's not the most sensible way to do it though so it's best that do what you should. Drawings for building regs, and planning if you'll need it, shouldn't cost much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted 4 January, 2013 Share Posted 4 January, 2013 Almost. You need building regs approval for the plans. The plans can be done by you or an architect and most be a decent standard... Not back of a fag packet stuff! not You'll also need the plans submitted to the council in case anyone objects so best to go round to the neighbours first if any are adversely impacted. http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/extensions/ Worth checking out for anyone planning an extension - some designs will not need planning permission, although party wall agreements may still need to be considered depending upon the project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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