Loft Conversions

Loft Conversions - Things to Consider
The first thing to decide when considering a loft conversion is what sort of loft conversion do you want? What will you use the extra space for? It could be simple storage, or a bathroom or shower cubicle. Alternatively you may want a studio for painting, photography etc., a dark room, an office, play room or extra bedroom(s) with or without en suite. There are many possibilities. You need to know what you will want to use the additional space for to come up with the right design.

A loft conversion which uses the space already available is called a roof light or velux conversion. If the conversion includes a roof extension, that is a dormer conversion.

Is My Loft Suitable For Conversion?
You will need to know whether your loft is suitable for conversion. You should consult an architect to establish this, but you can do some initial investigations yourself. Firstly, go into the loft and look for wet or dry rot. If there are any signs of either of these they will needto be treated first. You then need to check the overall size of your loft, and the space between the purlins (horizontal beam which supports the rafters) and other parts of the roof structure. If there is 3 metres between the main purlins on each side of the roof, the loft may be suitable for conversion. If there is less you may still be able to have a loft conversion but may only have enough space for stairs and a small room such as a bathroom or office.

If your house was built after 1964 you will need to look at the construction of the roof. If it has trussed rafters, a loft conversion may still be possible, but will be more complicated as the roof will have to be raised, or the timbers rearranged.
A trussed roof is made of factory assembled triangles as shown on the left. It has rafters attached to ceiling joists by galvanized steel tie plates, and with a higher number of struts.

Bats
The next thing to look for in your loft is bats. The usual evidence that there are bats living in your roof is the presence of their droppings. Bats and their roosts are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside act 1981 and the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulation 1994. By law you must obtain advice from English Nature, Countryside Council for Wales, Scottish Natural Heritage or Department of the Environment (Belfast) for advice on protecting the bats and their habitat before you start work. This applies not just to the bats themselves but to their habitat, so if there are no bats actually living in your roof at the present but there are signs it has been used previously you must still inform the authority for the area in which you live. Do not attempt to catch the bats yourself as some of them carry a rare form of bat rabies for which there is currently no cure.

Stairs
Once you have checked out your loft, you need to consider where the new staircase will be located. Ensuring there is enough headroom is critical. You want to avoid the new stairs looking like an add on and the stairs should be in a similar position and of a similar design to the original. In some cases it is necessary to lose a room, or part of a room from the existing building to accommodate the staircase to the new storey.
New floor joists may be required on the existing 1st floor may need upgrading to ensure they have 30 minutes of fire resistance.

Informing Others
Check whether there are any covenants imposed on your property, restricting the work you are able to do on your home. It is also wise to consult your neighbours and tell them your proposals. If your loft extension overshadows a neighbours window or gives a view into their garden which you did not have previously they may have cause to complain. They are likely to be concerned whether the work you are doing will affect them, just as you may be concerned if they did any work which might affect you. Disputes can often be avoided by discussing the issues at an early stage and putting everybody's mind at rest.

Next Steps
You are now ready to look for a suitable architect and builder and to draw up plans for your loft conversion to submit to your local authority. Contact David Wilding Lofts for more information.

Before work starts you should also inform your Mortgage Lender and Insurer that you are having a loft conversion done on the property.