Which methods can i use to reinforce the "floor" of my attic room to make it
useable as an additional bedroom?(and conform to building regs) Any other
relevant info/snags regarding an Attic conversion (to meet regs) would be
most gratefully recieved.

Thanks.

In article , "Picker"
says...
Which methods can i use to reinforce the "floor" of my attic room to make it
useable as an additional bedroom?(and conform to building regs) Any other
relevant info/snags regarding an Attic conversion (to meet regs) would be
most gratefully recieved.

Some description of the existing structure would make this an easier
question to answer.

Picker wrote:
Which methods can i use to reinforce the "floor" of my attic room
to make it useable as an additional bedroom?(and conform to
building regs)

Very large joists, or steel girders. It's a big job.

No chance of putting metal joists in parallel to the existing "standard"
joists then?


"Picker" wrote in message
. ..
Which methods can i use to reinforce the "floor" of my attic room to make
it useable as an additional bedroom?(and conform to building regs) Any
other relevant info/snags regarding an Attic conversion (to meet regs)
would be most gratefully recieved.

Thanks.

Picker wrote:
Which methods can i use to reinforce the "floor" of my attic room to make it
useable as an additional bedroom?(and conform to building regs) Any other
relevant info/snags regarding an Attic conversion (to meet regs) would be
most gratefully recieved.

Something I've wondered.
If the existing joists are almost adequate.
What would be wrong with simply stressing them upwards a little, then
fixing securely along the top a steel bar.
Wouldn't this dramatically increase stiffness?

Picker wrote:

No chance of putting metal joists in parallel to the existing "standard"
joists then?

This is the way it is usually done - you leave the existing floor
untouched as much as possible, and install a new one betweeen the
existing joists. That way you don't disrupt the ceilings below, and at
the same time do no lose too much head room in the new loft room.

--
Cheers,

John.

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| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
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Steve Walker wrote:

Very large joists, or steel girders. It's a big job.

To give some frame of reference to the "it's a big job" bit, I found it
worked out about at about a six day job for two of us. You also need
scaffolding to get access at roof level and will need to make a hole
through the existing roof somewhere to allow you to get the new joists
and stuff into the loft.

So in comparison to a whole loft conversion, while it may appear to be a
big job - it is actually one of the quicker bits!

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Ian Stirling wrote:
Picker wrote:
Which methods can i use to reinforce the "floor" of my attic room to
make it useable as an additional bedroom?(and conform to building
regs) Any other relevant info/snags regarding an Attic conversion
(to meet regs) would be most gratefully recieved.

Something I've wondered.
If the existing joists are almost adequate.
What would be wrong with simply stressing them upwards a little, then
fixing securely along the top a steel bar.
Wouldn't this dramatically increase stiffness?

Even reinforced as you suggest, the existing ceiling joists would be nowhere
near 'almost adequate' at around 4" x 2" (or in 'new money' 100mm x 50mm) to
support the dead and live loads that the floor must carry when the attic is
converted to a bedroom - or any other type of room for that matter.

To conform to the building regs, new floor joists must be inserted and
adequate access via a permanent stairway is required with a fire-check door
fitted, along with roof insulation requirements to make the room habitable
even on the hottest/coldest of days - and this is just with old fashioned
'cut roof'.

If the roof is constructed with TRADA roof trusses, then the work becomes
even more involved as these cannot be cut without seriously weakening the
truss.


Brian G