17 Things You Need to Know About Loft Conversions
For those looking to increase accommodation within their home, a loft conversion can be the answer for gaining extra space, whether for a bedroom, office, playroom or TV den. We explain what you need to know about this popular project
The ups and downs of this popular project explained to help you get the most out of your conversion
you don’t need planning permission
Loft conversions do not normally require planning consent, with
the work falling under Permitted Development, unless the roof space is extended. “Even here, additions up to 50m3 (40m3 for terraces) to the side or rear of the roof, including dormers, are still classed as Permitted Development (PD),” says Michael Holmes, chair of NaCSBA.
There are several criteria to meet to complete your loft conversion under PD. For instance, any new side-facing windows must be obscure-glazed. No extension can be higher than the highest part of the roof, and dormer windows must be set in from the verges by 200mm, except on gableto-gable conversions. Any materials must also be similar to the existing house. “If PD is restricted (i.e. in conservation areas) then an approval will be necessary, and listed buildings will require listed building consent,” adds Michael. For all works falling under PD, we recommend applying for a lawful development certificate — particularly if you hope to sell the house on.
check your foundations
To avoid any nasty surprises during or after work has finished
on site, it’s best to err on the side of caution and enlist a structural engineer to check whether the existing foundations are capable of carrying the additional load presented by converting the loft into habitable space, or whether you’ll need to underpin them.
there’s no restriction on head height
“The Building Regulations impose no minimum ceiling height for habitable rooms,” says building
control officer Paul Hymers. However, restrictions do apply to head height above the staircase. “The headroom standard for stairs of 2m applies, but can be relaxed to 1.9m or 1.8m on the edge of a stair if necessary. Ideally the new stair will need to rise above the existing one – and not from within an existing bedroom – and so it follows that the existing staircase headroom must be preserved.”
follow rules on fire safety
“Fortunately, those undertaking loft conversions to single-storey homes have little to do under fire safety, beyond making sure that the new windows are large enough and low enough to escape from. Egress window openings are needed to serve all first floor habitable rooms, but not bathrooms,” says building control officer Paul Hymers. (The Regs set out minimum standards for egress windows.)
Things become more complex when dealing with two-storey homes. “Escape windows which are over 4.5m from ground level are not viable. Instead, the Building Regs require a protected stair enclosure which leads right down to the final exterior door.” Open plan ground floors add further complexity.
a dormer can add space
Introducing a dormer, while adding to the
cost of a project, can also add volume and head height to a loft conversion — not to mention
allowing natural light to enter the top level of the home.
This clever conversion (above) by Design Squared sees a rooflight to the top of the dormer — bringing in considerable light from above.
you will need insurance
Your ‘ordinary’ household insurance is unlikely to cover loss or
damage while the property is undergoing alteration or building works. So, it’s always best to check with your insurer before work starts on site — or arrange for renovation insurance, as Simon Middleton, MD of Protek Group, explains: “Household insurance doesn’t cover collapse, and so site or renovation insurance covers you on an all risks basis. It will cover the existing structure, any new works, temporary works, materials, plant tools and equipment. Public liability and employers’ liability is also automatically included to ensure you are protected. Insurance needs to be in place from the moment you start works and should continue to the point the project is completed and taken into full use.”
conversion prices will vary
“Adding a room to your house should increase its value by up to
an average of £60,000. As loft conversions can cost up to £40,000, this is a considerable return on investment,” says renovation expert Michael Holmes. “Budget £1,150£1,350/m2 for a basic rooflight conversion, £1,350-£1,550/m2 for a dormer conversion, and £1,550-£1,750/m2 for a more complex project, excluding VAT.” Expensive cladding, glazing and internal fixtures can also affect the budget. Trades will also vary in costs depending on postcode — a builder in London or the south east will be more expensive than one from other areas of the country.
cramped head heights can be solved
If your roof space suffers from cramped head height, one solution would be to raise the roof. While this will not fall under Permitted Development, increasing the roof height can give you the additional space you require.
In other cases – perhaps where increasing the roof height is not feasible, such as in designated areas – lowering the ceiling of the floor below is another option. In older properties where the ceiling heights are typically more generous, it is possible to lower the ceiling height and still provide a comfortable head height below.
consider the plumbing
If you’re looking to install a bathroom or en suite in your loft conversion, the plumbing can usually be branched off from an existing bathroom on the floor below.
Waste also needs to be dealt with. It can be easier to connect the new bathroom to an existing soil pipe, for instance, than to install a new one. If it’s proving difficult to connect to the nearest soil pipe, a flexible small bore waste pipe and a macerator can be used to pump waste water to the existing soil pipe.
party walls should be insulated
“If you live in a terraced or semi-detached home, it is often necessary to insulate the party walls — both against heat loss and noise. Introducing timber studwork with mineral fibre insulation will allow you to achieve both and it can be covered with sound-rated plasterboard,” says building control officer Paul Hymers.
your existing roof will dictate the complexity of the project
Some projects will be more straightforward than others, depending on the existing roof construction you’re working with. For instance, the existing attic joists may not have been built to take the weight of a new floor. You will need a structural engineer on board for your loft conversion project, and they will be able to assess whether the joists will need replacing or strengthening.
The roof structure is a further consideration. There are two main ways to construct a roof: off-site or on site. Traditional framed or cut roofs – common in pre-1960s houses and on houses with complex roof shapes – see the timbers cut to size and assembled on site by the carpenter or builder. Prefabricated trusses, on the other hand, are factory-made and then delivered to site.
Not all roof structures are as straightforward to convert as others. For instance, prefabricated ‘W-shaped’ fink trusses, common on modern homes, can be more difficult to convert, with timbers needing to be cut to create habitable space. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the project is unviable. Products such as TeleBeam can provide support to the roof structure in this instance; the high-strength telescopic beams can carry the existing roof load if trusses are cut and will also support the weight of the new floor.
an en suite doesn’t need to take up too much room
“An en suite shower room can
fit into a space measuring only 1m x 2.6m, with a WC, basin and a 900mm square shower tray — full headroom is required here, but the ceiling can start to slope down over the WC cistern,” explains Michael Holmes, chair of NaCSBA. “For an en suite bathroom, you will need a floor area of at least 1.7m x 2.3m to incorporate a WC, basin and standard bath. The ceiling height can be reduced over one end of the bath or the side of the bath, and behind the cistern, so it is sometimes easier to fit a bath into a loft room than a shower.”
your design options are many
If you’re undertaking work elsewhere in the house, chances are you’ll already have an architect on board who will be able to offer advice and manage the design of the new space. For others, going to a loft conversion company may be an easier solution; they may have an ‘one-stop-shop’ team of designers and builders on board to help deliver your project.
For loft extensions, there are also specialist companies such as Moduloft who can prefabricate the loft room off-site, and deliver the new loft to site and crane it onto the house (left). Each route has its benefits, and will vary in cost, so it’s worth exploring your options.
partition walls can zone spaces
One of the most popular uses for a loft conversion will be to create a master bedroom — a sanctuary away from the floors below. Where you’re left with a large room, consider employing a dividing wall to help zone the bedroom. Positioning wardrobes and storage behind can create a dedicated dressing area which will not only look effective, but will help declutter your sleeping space from bulky furniture, too.
avoiding a ‘top-heavy’ home
One risk associated with converting your loft is that you
can end up with a ‘top-heavy’ home. A living space and kitchen on the ground floor, but five bedrooms upstairs, might create extra space for the family to sleep, but not enough space to live in. To address this, many homeowners also choose to extend the ground floor: “The combination of a loft conversion with a ground floor extension to give a larger kitchen/living area (often undertaken a year or two apart for affordability) can work wonderfully well,” says architect Hugo Tugman.
eaves make for perfect storage
Unless your loft is part of a large house, it’s unlikely you’ll have a generous amount of space to play with. Given that the eaves will have a low head height, unsuitable for placing large pieces of furniture, this can be an ideal spot to have built-in storage space — freeing up the rest of the room. In this project (above), bespoke units have been built into the eaves to provide handy storage space.
plan the staircase early on
“Understanding whether a new loft stair (stacked above the ex
isting stair flight) can be accommodated is crucial, as introducing a new stair location creates more wasted floor space,” says architect Gareth Gazey. “First floor landings might be tight on space too. Narrow, winding flights might be acceptable for Building Regulations and single rooms can have stair widths as narrow as 600mm.”
Adds Paul Hymers: “Bespoke staircases can be the best solution, but they will cost more than off-the-shelf models. It’s also worth having the design approved by building control to ensure the staircase will comply. Ask your joiner or builder to email a copy for approval before the staircase is fabricated.”