I'm considering a loft conversion (two bedroom 1940s brick built house with
'normal' loft/roof/etc)
If possible, I'll try to DIY myself but it may be beyond my scope.

Any comments/recommendations/disrecommendations? Any guesstimates on
possible/probable costs both for the DIY option and the
getting-someone-in-to-do-it option welcome.


Steve

"Steve Kimberley" wrote in message
...
I'm considering a loft conversion (two bedroom 1940s brick built house
with
'normal' loft/roof/etc)
If possible, I'll try to DIY myself but it may be beyond my scope.

Any comments/recommendations/disrecommendations? Any guesstimates on
possible/probable costs both for the DIY option and the
getting-someone-in-to-do-it option welcome.


Steve


Steve,

There are a number of considerations to take into account when undertaking a
job like this:

1. It will need building reg approval
2. If you are considering a dormer window it may well need
planning permission
3. you will need to get a professional to draw what you want complete
with
any load bearing calculations
4. You will need to have some good, multi-trade skills if you are doing
this yourself.

After seeing a number of "botched" conversions and one or two of these with
ceilings on the point of collapse, I would advise at the very least to hire
the services of a good professional to advise you on the design and load
bearing parts of the project as floor joists need to be inserted, ceiling
traps and stairways installed, possible re-siting of water tanks, electrical
wiring and, often overlooked - the safety of any chimneys or gas flues that
will project into the converted area.

And lastly they will be able to steer you through and building control
applications/problems - as a SAFE loft conversion is not the simplest of
projects for the average DIY'er to undertake

There may well be some disagreement with me on that point :-)

As regards to costs - certainly four figures and possibly five figures
dependant on the work required.

Hope this helps

Brian

Steve,

There are a number of considerations to take into account when undertaking a
job like this:

1. It will need building reg approval
2. If you are considering a dormer window it may well need
planning permission
3. you will need to get a professional to draw what you want complete
with
any load bearing calculations
4. You will need to have some good, multi-trade skills if you are doing
this yourself.

After seeing a number of "botched" conversions and one or two of these with
ceilings on the point of collapse, I would advise at the very least to hire
the services of a good professional to advise you on the design and load
bearing parts of the project as floor joists need to be inserted, ceiling
traps and stairways installed, possible re-siting of water tanks, electrical
wiring and, often overlooked - the safety of any chimneys or gas flues that
will project into the converted area.

And lastly they will be able to steer you through and building control
applications/problems - as a SAFE loft conversion is not the simplest of
projects for the average DIY'er to undertake

There may well be some disagreement with me on that point :-)

As regards to costs - certainly four figures and possibly five figures
dependant on the work required.

Hope this helps

Brian

You'll also need to consider fire regulations (perhaps this comes
under building regs). I think you need fire doors on sprung closers
if you're adding an extra habitable floor. Someone may well correct
me, that's fine. Just concerned you don't miss this.

I know I thought about this at our previous house and quickly went off
the idea due to all the factors already mentioned in this thread -
definitely not a trivial operation!

Hip roof to gable roof conversion seems to cost around £5k, as we have been
investigating this ourselves. Velux window site has good instructions on
how to fit them and all the bits you need. One of the things is to seal the
space between the roof and the new ceiling to keep it moisture free - esp if
u are putting any bathroom stuff up there. My best source of information so
far has been a brochure on loft conversions free from Velux, ordered on the
website.
In general it all looks quite difficult - putting in a fixed staircase looks
a nightmare - it needs to be accurate too. Maybe you could get tradesmen
for the difficult bits and do the rest yourself. The money on a good
architect would be the best thing. He'll tell you all the regulations etc
and will also be able to advise on what you could tackle yourself, and will
do calculations like staircases for u.

Dormer windows give a lot of extra space

Regulations that I have heard of so far:
You need a fire escape window on a 3rd floor (Velux do them)
there needs to be a 2m clearance from the top stair to the ceiling above.
Doors on the 3rd floor need to fire proof. (Special doors available with
wired glass or at least a coat of fireproof paint on a bog standard one)
If u are putting more than one habitable room (bedr or study etc, not bath)
, there needs to be a fire escape on the outside.
You'll probably need a separate ringmain and will need a qualified
electrician for that.

Cost wise you could do a lot for £10k and a lot more for £25k, which seems
to be price range for most conversions.

http://www.loftconversionwarehouse.com
http://www.loftconversions.co.uk/

Good luck


"Steve Kimberley" wrote in message
...
I'm considering a loft conversion (two bedroom 1940s brick built house
with
'normal' loft/roof/etc)
If possible, I'll try to DIY myself but it may be beyond my scope.

Any comments/recommendations/disrecommendations? Any guesstimates on
possible/probable costs both for the DIY option and the
getting-someone-in-to-do-it option welcome.


Steve

"Steve Kimberley" wrote
| I'm considering a loft conversion (two bedroom 1940s brick built house
| with 'normal' loft/roof/etc)
| If possible, I'll try to DIY myself but it may be beyond my scope.
| Any comments/recommendations/disrecommendations?

Get yourself a copy of

Home Conversions: The Complete Handbook
Paul Hymers

Paperback 176 pages (1 May, 2003)
Publisher: New Holland Publishers (UK); ISBN: 1843303523

It will answer lots of questions you haven't even thought about asking :-)

Owain

"SC" wrote
| In general it all looks quite difficult - putting in a fixed staircase
| looks a nightmare - it needs to be accurate too. Maybe you could get
| tradesmen for the difficult bits and do the rest yourself. The money
| on a good architect would be the best thing. He'll tell you all the
| regulations etc and will also be able to advise on what you could
| tackle yourself, and will do calculations like staircases for u.

The bulk of work on a loft conversion is structural, and a structural
engineer is better for that work than an architect, if one can be found who
does loft conversions.

| Dormer windows give a lot of extra space
| Regulations that I have heard of so far:
| You need a fire escape window on a 3rd floor (Velux do them)
| there needs to be a 2m clearance from the top stair to the ceiling above.
| Doors on the 3rd floor need to fire proof. (Special doors available with
| wired glass or at least a coat of fireproof paint on a bog standard one)

AIUI all doors onto the staircase need to be fire resistant.

| If u are putting more than one habitable room (bedr or study etc, not
bath)
| , there needs to be a fire escape on the outside.

External fire escapes are generally unacceptable

| You'll probably need a separate ringmain and will need a qualified
| electrician for that.

A separate ring circuit, if it is required, is one of the easiest parts of
the job and will not need a qualified electrician (in Scotland, the BCO may
require to see a certificate as part of the Building Warrant application).

Owain