Loft conversion

[amsingleagain]

Can anyone talk me through their experiences of having a loft conversion?
Building regs or not? Planning permission or not?
Have read something about Party Wall. Does that mean that adjoining neighbours have to agree to it?
Basic room. staircase and spindles, laminate flooring, velux window, heat and light.
3 bed semi. Room would end up about 14 x 14.
Any idea on costs?
TIA

[amsingleagain]

Am in the North West. St Helens to be precise

[graveyardkate]

I had quotes (outer London) for around £50k including bathroom with basic fittings but not flooring / decorating). We decided the money would be better spent on extending the downstairs in the end.
Yes to building regs (any major building work will need the be checked to make sure it is being completed to required standards) but normally no to planning permission as it will come under permitted development unless you are in a conservation area / listed building / national park etc. If it's an attached house and the work involves doing anything to the party wall (the wall between two houses) - likely in this case, assuming you are going for a dormer and will therefore need steels - you will need a party wall agreement with your neighbour. Look at the direct.gov.uk site (google it). You may end up having to pay for a surveyor to monitor / protect their interests, but you may not as some people are more relaxed than others.

[amsingleagain]

Thanks for your reply. No dormer. Just a velux, or 2

[namechangedtoday15]

also NW but perhaps a slightly more expensive area. We were quoted about 20-25k for a basic conversion with stairs between 2 main bedrooms, 35-45k for conversion with dormer - more of a necessity for us as head height isn't great - and squishing an ensuite up there. that's a couple of years ago now and we also opted for extension instead.

[HiDBandSIL]

I'm paying about £50k here in the South East for ours. That's for an L shaped dormer with lowered ceilings though, a Velux conversion like yours would be much cheaper.

We're using a loft conversion specialist called Econoloft. They were much cheaper than the other companies that quoted.

Some companies do "shell only" conversions if you want to sort your own electric, plumbing etc.

Party wall - your neighbour doesn't have to agree as such. They have to be notified and can appoint a surveyor at your cost to prepare a condition schedule of the party wall so as to help allocate responsibility to you of any damage your conversion causes to it. I don't know if you'll need one for a Velux conversion.

Most loft conversions are "permitted development" and don't require planning permission. Google "permitted development loft conversion" and you'll get the list of things your conversion would have to satisfy to be permitted development.

I'm pretty sure you'd need building regulations approval. The easiest way to get that is the "full plans" route where you submit plans for their approval before you start work. If you use a loft conversion company they will arrange this for you.

[mynewproject]

@HiDBandSIL

I'm paying about £50k here in the South East for ours. That's for an L shaped dormer with lowered ceilings though, a Velux conversion like yours would be much cheaper.

We're using a loft conversion specialist called Econoloft. They were much cheaper than the other companies that quoted.

Some companies do "shell only" conversions if you want to sort your own electric, plumbing etc.

Party wall - your neighbour doesn't have to agree as such. They have to be notified and can appoint a surveyor at your cost to prepare a condition schedule of the party wall so as to help allocate responsibility to you of any damage your conversion causes to it. I don't know if you'll need one for a Velux conversion.

Most loft conversions are "permitted development" and don't require planning permission. Google "permitted development loft conversion" and you'll get the list of things your conversion would have to satisfy to be permitted development.

I'm pretty sure you'd need building regulations approval. The easiest way to get that is the "full plans" route where you submit plans for their approval before you start work. If you use a loft conversion company they will arrange this for you.

Hi. Just looking at the old post here and was wondering how you got on with Econolofts?
We got 5 quotes ant they are by far the cheapest at £37k, followed by 2 at £53k, £55k and £58k!
The fact they are so munch cheaper makes me think they are cutting on the quality and materials.
Help!