loft conversion, low roof, detached house
 

I've searched the archive of this group for information to my questions. I
came close, but unfortunately the two threads I found asking the same
questions concerned terraced houses rather than detached houses.

I have a smaller sized 4 bedroom detached house built around 1982. I want
to make use of my loft to give me more floor space. The loft covers the
whole square of the house, but the pitch of the roof is low. I'm 6 foot and
I can't stand up straight at the heighest point. Also, sorry I don't know
what these are called, but there are pieces of wood that diagonally slant
inward and down from the roof to the floor (are they eaves?) like this:

/ \
/ \
/ \
/\ /\
/ \ / \

So, I'm guessing before I even think about a loft conversion the whole roof
will need replacing to make it a higher pitched roof and the type of roof
that doesn't require the inward slanting pieces of wood for support.

My questions a

1. Is this a common practice with most modern houses having a lower pitched
roof?

2. How much can be expected to pay for such a roof replacement?

3. And whilst we're at it, any pointers on how much the whole package (roof
replacement and loft conversion) might cost?

Access to the loft space shouldn't be an issue. There's one of the smaller
bedrooms that can be converted to accomodate the stairs up to the loft.

Many thanks.

--

So, I'm guessing before I even think about a loft conversion the whole
roof
will need replacing to make it a higher pitched roof and the type of roof
that doesn't require the inward slanting pieces of wood for support.

Yes, as you have a detached house, it may be sensible to design a completely
new roof for it. The roof covering itself will cost not a million miles from
3000 quid. The cost of the rafters and roof structure that the covering sits
on I'm not so sure of, but a ****ing in the wind guess would be slightly
more than the same again, not including insulation etc. which come under the
general loft conversion costs anyway. However, I might be wrong on the cost
of the structure.

When rebuilding the roof, take advantage of the fact to use greater than the
required amount of insulation up there. You could even incorporate a air gap
and foil reflector before the insulation, which can help reduce heat gain in
summer, although using the space for real insulation instead might suffice,
if be a little more expensive.

Christian.

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
dundonald wrote:

I've searched the archive of this group for information to my
questions. I came close, but unfortunately the two threads I found
asking the same questions concerned terraced houses rather than
detached houses.

I have a smaller sized 4 bedroom detached house built around 1982. I
want to make use of my loft to give me more floor space. The loft
covers the whole square of the house, but the pitch of the roof is
low. I'm 6 foot and I can't stand up straight at the heighest point.
Also, sorry I don't know what these are called, but there are pieces
of wood that diagonally slant inward and down from the roof to the
floor (are they eaves?) like this:

/ \
/ \
/ \
/\ /\
/ \ / \

So, I'm guessing before I even think about a loft conversion the
whole roof will need replacing to make it a higher pitched roof and
the type of roof that doesn't require the inward slanting pieces of
wood for support.

My questions a

1. Is this a common practice with most modern houses having a lower
pitched roof?

2. How much can be expected to pay for such a roof replacement?

3. And whilst we're at it, any pointers on how much the whole
package (roof replacement and loft conversion) might cost?

Access to the loft space shouldn't be an issue. There's one of the
smaller bedrooms that can be converted to accomodate the stairs up to
the loft.

Many thanks.

I assume from your description that your roof structure uses trusses - where
a truss is a triangulated structure consisting of a ceiling joist, two
rafters and two or more bracing members, all held together with spiked metal
plates, pressed in from the sides. Does that sound about right?

If so, you are right that you would have to re-build the whole roof -
probably using purlins rather than trusses, and with a steeper pitch if you
want to convert the loft space. I don't know the cost, but it sounds pretty
expensive!

However, your first port of call needs to be your local Planning Department.
You would certainly need planning permission to raise the roof line - and
this may well be refused if this would make your house incompatible with the
surrounding properties.
--
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

dundonald wrote in message . ..
I've searched the archive of this group for information to my questions. I
came close, but unfortunately the two threads I found asking the same
questions concerned terraced houses rather than detached houses.

I have a smaller sized 4 bedroom detached house built around 1982. I want
to make use of my loft to give me more floor space. ....

....

Access to the loft space shouldn't be an issue. There's one of the smaller
bedrooms that can be converted to accomodate the stairs up to the loft.

If the loft is to be a proper room then there are strict rules about
staircase design, fire doors and so on. I suggest you take a look at
the building regulations - many councils have a leaflet about this
kind of thing,

Robert

"dundonald" wrote in message
...
I've searched the archive of this group for information to my questions.
I
came close, but unfortunately the two threads I found asking the same
questions concerned terraced houses rather than detached houses.

I have a smaller sized 4 bedroom detached house built around 1982. I want
to make use of my loft to give me more floor space. The loft covers the
whole square of the house, but the pitch of the roof is low. I'm 6 foot
and
I can't stand up straight at the heighest point. Also, sorry I don't know
what these are called, but there are pieces of wood that diagonally slant
inward and down from the roof to the floor (are they eaves?) like this:

/ \
/ \
/ \
/\ /\
/ \ / \

So, I'm guessing before I even think about a loft conversion the whole
roof
will need replacing to make it a higher pitched roof and the type of roof
that doesn't require the inward slanting pieces of wood for support.

My questions a

1. Is this a common practice with most modern houses having a lower
pitched
roof?

2. How much can be expected to pay for such a roof replacement?

3. And whilst we're at it, any pointers on how much the whole package
(roof
replacement and loft conversion) might cost?

Access to the loft space shouldn't be an issue. There's one of the
smaller
bedrooms that can be converted to accomodate the stairs up to the loft.

Many thanks.

--


Hi.
A mate of mine used these guys last year.
http://www.trussloft.co.uk/
Very good job.
Worth a look.
Baz