deanmcreynolds26
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Registered: 15th Sep 03
Location: E46 //M3
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I'm moving into a new house soon and I'm gona tackle the loft conversion myself, just wanted to know if anyone else has done this before?
I'm gona get a joiner in for the velux windows and the stairs and hopefully tackle the rest myself, looking forward to it already!
Apparantly these house don't need the joists strengthened cow they are big enough! Not sure on that either si I'll get a structural engineer out for that one!
Dean
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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you need planning permission for a start which costs a bomb on it's own.
my dad tried for 3 years before he was able to get the go-ahead for his loft conversion.
i'd personally get professional's in to do the major work and just do the decorating myself.
big money.
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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Providing the joists are able to take the weight its just a case of boarding the floor and walls. Bit of insulation behind the boards on the walls.
You having sloped walls or putting new vertical ones up?
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Gary
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Registered: 22nd Nov 06
Location: West Yorkshire
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quote:
Originally posted by Ben G
big money.
Depends if you have mates in the trade. Stood walls and boarding is a piece of piss if shown how to do it.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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You don't need a structural engineer, just take the sizes and give Building Control a call to check.
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a_j_mair
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Registered: 23rd Jan 04
Location: Scotland
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I will try and clear up a few things here.
Yes you can do it yourself and it is not to difficult.
Need to start with approvals.
Planning permission will only be required if you are putting in dormer windows or altering ridge lines etc. If it is only velux windows planning will NOT be required.
You WILL require a building warrant. This is pretty straight forward, basically drawings to show all new works will comply with the building regulations.
The council will more than likely ask for calculations to show the joists are capable of increased loadings.
All electrical work will require to be carried out by a certified electrician who can provide certification on completion.
Hardest part to meet regs is fitting stairs in. Are you justr planning one bedroom?
If you are only planning one bedroom you can get away with a smaller stair.
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deanmcreynolds26
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Registered: 15th Sep 03
Location: E46 //M3
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quote:
Originally posted by a_j_mair
I will try and clear up a few things here.
Yes you can do it yourself and it is not to difficult.
Need to start with approvals.
Planning permission will only be required if you are putting in dormer windows or altering ridge lines etc. If it is only velux windows planning will NOT be required.
You WILL require a building warrant. This is pretty straight forward, basically drawings to show all new works will comply with the building regulations.
The council will more than likely ask for calculations to show the joists are capable of increased loadings.
All electrical work will require to be carried out by a certified electrician who can provide certification on completion.
Hardest part to meet regs is fitting stairs in. Are you justr planning one bedroom?
If you are only planning one bedroom you can get away with a smaller stair.
youve just cleared a lot of searching on the net for me! 
So i do i give the council the calculations for the joists? just the measurements and thickness i guess?
what charges are their for a building warrant?
Dean
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Building warrants only apply in Scotland afaik, no idea if you're Scottish or not though.
[Edited on 10-01-2011 by AndyKent]
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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quote:
Originally posted by a_j_mair
Planning permission will only be required if you are putting in dormer windows
All electrical work will require to be carried out by a certified electrician who can provide certification on completion.
Not all dorma windows will result in planning permission required - Take a look at http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/loftconversion/miniguide it has a good guide on what you can and can't do.
As for the electrics - are sure thats the case? Pretty sure if you are extending an existing ring then its not notifiable anyway and so you don't need to provide certifications. Even if you did do stuff that needs certification because your going through buildings notice you can get it done and then certified by the building inspector (well he will obviously not do it but on behalf of them)
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Jules S
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Registered: 24th Dec 03
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I must say, in 20 years or so of designing buildings I've not once come across a ceiling tie that was man enough to become a floor joist.
In saying that I avoid loft conversions like the plague lol
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a_j_mair
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Registered: 23rd Jan 04
Location: Scotland
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quote:
Originally posted by Rob_Quads
quote:
Originally posted by a_j_mair
Planning permission will only be required if you are putting in dormer windows
All electrical work will require to be carried out by a certified electrician who can provide certification on completion.
Not all dorma windows will result in planning permission required - Take a look at http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/loftconversion/miniguide it has a good guide on what you can and can't do.
As for the electrics - are sure thats the case? Pretty sure if you are extending an existing ring then its not notifiable anyway and so you don't need to provide certifications. Even if you did do stuff that needs certification because your going through buildings notice you can get it done and then certified by the building inspector (well he will obviously not do it but on behalf of them)
If he wants dormers he will require planning permission, that is a good site but is for England and Wales
And yes electrics will require certification
as Jules said, almost certain you will require to beef up joists by bolting some 5x2 or similar onto the side depending on spans which sounds easy and isnt to big a problem as long as no trades have taken all the wiring/plumbing through the joist. Then it just becomes a pain in the arse
[Edited on 11-01-2011 by a_j_mair]
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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Ah - Sounds like the scots are a bit more harsh on planning.
Do they also have extra electrical requirements too then?
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deanmcreynolds26
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Registered: 15th Sep 03
Location: E46 //M3
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Shouldn't bee much of a problem beefing up the joints then, don't think there is any plumbing left in the loft, all been converted to mains and maybe only cabling for the lights in the bedrooms,
I'll be doing all the plumbing and heating anyway 1st fix wiring then got a relative that will come in and certify finish off the wiring for me,
Looking at about £3000 all in, I know it sounds optimistic but I'm sure I'll manage it 
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Carl
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Registered: 9th May 04
Location: Jimmy Bennett's la la land.
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I'm thinking about doing mine, been told that i'd need to replace all house doors with firedoors and also have to have a mains fed smoke alarms fitted as it would turn the building 3 storey so that would need to be done to fit the building regs?
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a_j_mair
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Registered: 23rd Jan 04
Location: Scotland
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Another good point by Carl. If you want an open staircase you will require self closing fire doors throughout the hall.
It can be done by making the stair to the loft fire protected (not open with rest of the house)
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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That's assuming the staircase comes down to a hall, if it comes down into a lounge you sometimes need to lobby off the staircase which can be a pain, and as you say all doors off this will need to be fire doors.
Regards to Planning permission you just need to check what your local councils stance is on 'Permitted Development' which is what you can do without needing planning, this often covers most forms of loft extensions as long as the floor area gained isn't over a certain amount and work remains under existing ridge heights.
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deanmcreynolds26
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Registered: 15th Sep 03
Location: E46 //M3
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What sort of prices am I talking to get plans drawn up??
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Jules S
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Registered: 24th Dec 03
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quote:
Originally posted by deanmcreynolds26
What sort of prices am I talking to get plans drawn up??
It's a bit like how long is a piece of string tbh.
And i doubt you will like the answer i'm going to give you.
I find most people are happy to pay a plasterer/brickie £200-£300 a day but they think the person who designs it all is worth fuck all.
To put that into context, consider what I/a person who does the plans for you will have to do for you...and I'm basing this on what I would do given I'm looking after you (and I really dont do loft conversions because they are a PITA)
A chat/visit to your gaff...petrol/time..probably most would do this free....i wouldn't, but expect say £100 as a loss leader.
Next.
Full measured survey. Depends on the size/complexity of the house. Anything from 1 day upwards...so £300+
From then on in it will largely depend on what you want and the existing house design. i would want a structural engineer on board (circa £70/h) to prove the design...building control fees at £160ish
So at a guess £1k - £1.5k before you start work
I told you you wouldn't like it 
If planning is required add another shedload
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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If you need planning search your local council for plans similar to yours.
You don't need to submit top quality cad drawings to get through planning. Its something that someone with a bit of time can do even with just a photocopyier and pencil!
Often searching the councils database will show up which plans are sucessful and which are not so you know what to avoid.
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Simon
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Registered: 24th Apr 03
Location: Oxfordshire
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That's true to an extent, but you are better to have someone with some knowledge at least cast an eye over what you propose to make sure it is possible. Even with small works like loft conversions it can throw up unexpected complications
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
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Depends if you want to splash the cash. A clear and concise drawing is much easier for a planner to read. You don't want to piss someone off with scruffy sketches before they even consider whether to permit your drawings.
For building regs I'd say decent drawings are even more important. You've got to hit the regs, and missing out loads of details because they can't be read isn't great.
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baza31
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Registered: 19th Apr 03
Location: yorkshire
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i helped my mate do his, was a fucking nightmare, his ceiling joists was 3" and would no way support the weight, we had to put two rsj just abouve the ceiling joists , one in the pitch, and hanger the floor off the steel . Then remove the trusses. It cost him 2k in materials and we spent a few weeks doing it. The building inspector slows everything down as you cant crack on for waiting on him to come and check the work thats been done
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Russ
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Registered: 14th Mar 04
Location: Armchair
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quote:
Originally posted by baza31
check for any money before you start
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deanmcreynolds26
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Registered: 15th Sep 03
Location: E46 //M3
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1k ish was what I was expecting, know of a few people that have just went ahead and got the work done,
Just gona lead to probe when selling up so I'm gona get it done properly! With me doing most of the work myself it means I can afford to cash out on the planning etc!
I'll try get online later and get my head round all these planning regs to make sure I'm pretty clear what I want and how I want it.
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Rob_Quads
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Registered: 29th Mar 01
Location: southampton
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I found the building inspector really helpful when i did my extension (all done myself). Granted it was a fairly simple extension for them but they were more than happy with my plans (although did use a computer and to scale)
I went and had a chat with them before I submitted my plans. When i was unsure of exactly what insulation was required he let me know what he would expect. Calcs for my supporting beam was fun to work out with snow loads etc.
That all said for a loft conversion I would speak to a structural engineer, I only had a single beam to worry about let alone a whole floor.
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