A New Loft Conversion

Stay In Front Of The Red Tape

Staying on the right side of the law and the mass of regulations will help the project to proceed smoothly, on time and within the budget.

And, whilst no-one likes paperwork or form filling, it is fairly easy to keep on the right side of the regulations.

Prohibited Development

Changes in the planning laws means that building a new loft room will not usually need full planning consent as long as it remains within the volume cap and doesn’t have a front facing dormer.

Converting the loft no matter what type of project, must adhere to the building regulations. The building regs specify the standard of work necessary with the local authority building department taking responsibility for issuing compliance certificates.

Although planning permission will probably not be needed the building regulations must be complied with.

Planning Permission

A new loft conversion is unlikely to need planning consent unless the work is taking place in a listed building or if the work will involve raising the ridge line of the original property.

Similarly, if you are building a new loft room that involves structural engineering on the scale of the Clifton Suspension Bridge then it is highly likely that planning permission will be needed.

Party Wall Act

If the property is in a terrace or is a semi-detached house than the Party Wall Act will come into play. A never ending source of disputes between neighbours any homeowner planning a new loft conversion is urged to make sure they are familiar with their responsibilities under the act.

Most projects will involve altering the party wall by installing new beams so your neighbours do need to be considered before the work is done.

Covenants

You will have to be very unlucky to be effected by any restrictive covenants on your property but it is always best to make sure.

Sometimes the original builder of the property will insert some long forgotten clause in the deeds of the property or there may be local building restrictions that the homeowner may not be aware of.

In the case of ex-council houses there is often a restrictive covenant placed in the conditions of sale by the local authorities.

On the whole these covenants shouldn’t present much of a hurdle to a new loft conversion but it is always wise to check before laying out any money or beginning work.

A Couple More Things To Think About

If your property is mortgaged than you should inform your lender of your intentions before beginning work. The mortgage is secured on your home so any major alterations to the property may affect that security so lenders do usually like to be informed of any major building work.

Another thing to consider, which many homeowners fail to think about, is the validity of their home insurance during the building work.

It is highly unlikely that your current policy will cover a new loft conversion so extra cover may need to be taken out by the homeowner.

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