The conversions you see on TV are usually just for storage.
If you are looking to have it as an ?overspill room?, technically you will need to provide minimum requirements to satisfy Building Control in order to avoid problems of use of the space, i.e. ventilation, thermal and new power requirements to satisfy fire safety regulations and safe means of escape.
If you are considering converting your loft, please do investigate your requirements carefully and it shouldn?t cost you the earth.
Jeremy Wedge MIstrutE CEng
Dec 10, 2009
Spend your money wisely by: Rena Trepka Dip Arch
£500 will not get you a loft conversion I am afraid, it will buy you a posh loft ladder & some chipboard to put down on your ceiling joists, so that your boxes, suitcases & Xmas decorations sit on a surface you can occasionally walk across to.
Your children being a bit more precious, heavier & very mobile need a floor not a ceiling to walk on, they need safe access to and from the loft.
Building Regulations need to be followed to ensure you are not wasting your money & enthusiasm & that your council do not serve you an injunction to turn your loft back to spider space or to do a proper more expensive loft conversion. The Planning Dept may need to be consulted.
Expect to spend from £15K to £50K unless you have free materials, labour & expertise, but before then check you have sufficient height,at least 2.3m between the top of your ceiling joists & the ridge or underside of the top timbers in the centre, for all this to be possible.
Consult a few specialists & check their track record before believing everything you might be promised. Many people get confused when thinking in triangular spaces & you need someone who can show you simply and reasonably accurately what your possibilities might be.
The size & shape of your loft & where the stairs can be positioned are going to be crucial. Do not assume that you can have a loft conversion just because the neighbour has one. Your neighbour may have been gullible or have something which would not comply with today's rules.
The popularity of loft conversions speak for themselves. It is your chance to discover the hidden treasure in your loft, the space & potential living space, bespoke converted your way. So do it properly & not for £500.
