DIYbanter - Loft conversion builder recommendations?

"Christian McArdle" wrote in message
t...
I'm looking to spend maybe £10k for a properly regd conversion.
In east london.

I'm afraid you may need to go back to the bank manager and beg some more.

Mine was £10k for the structure (ie no insulation/floor/p'board or
electrics) about 5 years ago but did include a dormer out the back to give
an area where you could walk about stood up. Not knowing your precise
arrangement, I don't know whether this is what you would need. Mine was half
the area of yours and in Oxfordshire. If you do want a dormer and are in
London and are twice the size and 5 years later on, Mr McArdle has a bit of
a point! If you are intending to make the room "habitable" which, for many
authorities means having a fixed staircase, they may insist on a dormer -
again, not sure what your design is. For a "properly registered" conversion,
as you put it, by which I assume you mean with planning permission and
conforming to building regs., there will be knock on costs (fitting of door
closers to all doors on escape route, removal of glazed doors opening onto
escape route, half-hour fire doors and half-hour fire protection to floor
and walls and new joists, which will be an unavoidable part of the cost.

If, on the other hand, you have a non-fixed stair (ie loft ladder) and
claim the room is not habitable, you could get a local builder to fit a
Velux (or do it yourself) and insulate and wire yourself and assume the
ceiling joists will take the weight. Not a good selling point when you want
to move however!

Before you ask for detail, do a Google search through the NG archive - the
subject has been done to death (several times) already!

--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)