Low roof attic bedroom

[Justanotherusername27]

We’ve found a gorgeous house. 3 bed with an attic conversion. We have 2 kids at present. My 11 year old son really wants the room in the attic. It’s got proper stairs and a door. Floor plan space is big but the highest point of the roof is about 6 feet and that’s only in the centre of the room. There’s a large area that is elevated which is about 3 1/2 foot high (we thought we could put his bed there on a low bed) and another area that’s 6 foot as his ‘living area’ - draws/hamster etc. He has a bedroom now that is quite big and normal and tidying it is easy. I’m scared it’ll feel like a squaller to him after this as it’s a strange shape. I want him to be happy.

OH and son happy for him to have this room but it’s stressing me because of the logistics. Is it safe? Will he be okay as a teenager?

we want one more baby and if that baby is a boy my eldest son will have to stay in the attic room. It’s keeping me awake. We were going to put an offer in tomorrow and the house is perfect in every way aside from this but I feel almost neglectful having him up there even if that’s what he wants. I don’t want him to hate it after the novelty has worn off but I might just be overthinking it. Can someone tell me if they or their kids have a room like this and if they like it? It’ll be our forever home and I want it to be right.

How old is the attic conversion because current building regs say you need 2.2 m ( 7’2”) minimum headroom . I don’t think a 6’ max headroom is workable for a child or an adult and if he ends up being a 6’ + teen it will be a nightmare .

I don't see any big problem with the attic bedroom conversion. It's a functioning bedroom. Plus your 11 yo son really likes it. (I have a similar attic guest room and a friend who loves it, says it like a tree house).

What I don't understand is that you then say you want another baby. But you're looking to buy a three bedroom house which isn't big enough for you plus three children as a forever home? You need a four bedroom house for you and three children.

I’m trying to work out if it is big enough. It’s listed as 3 but the attic room is a functional room with a staircase but low. I’m trying to work out if it’s feasible . Also the rooms are pretty big if we have another girl and my son wanted to sleep in a bedroom downstairs I could put girls in together. I shared a room with my sister for years

It doesn't sound like it was converted to be habitable space. A casual bedroom is fine, but I hope they are not advertising that loft space as an actual bedroom (and priced as if it is) if it didn't meet regulations when it was converted. Doesn't matter that the stairs are 'proper'- the regulations exist for a reason, and your 11 is only going to grow taller. Are the floor joists improved to deal with the weight? Is there insulation to the roof? Your solicitor will want to see paperwork for this conversion.

It’s currently being used as an office space. There’s a single bed up there too so they have had people sleep up there. It’s not listed as a bedroom. We saw it on a whim and really liked the house but this was a topic of conversation since we have been whether it’s okay to do.

You said you're looking for a forever home, so you need four bedrooms if you're planning on another baby. Sharing rooms isn't a forever option.

Why? My boyfriend shared a room with two of his brothers until he was 18. I shared with my sister until I was 14

If it's a big house with a big garden, maybe potential to build an extension to add another bedroom down the line, but be sure the potential is there.

Would council approve it and what about fire safety?

What would the council have to approve? Sorry I know that seems blunt but it’s a genuine question x

I would've hated not to have a private bedroom of my own growing up, but of course everyone is different.

I think they might mean council rules about overcrowding; there are rules which say how many people should occupy a room, depending on its size and the number /sex of the people. It only applies to rental properties, not home owners.

It sounds like it doesn’t have building regs then , that’s why they aren’t advertising it as a room . It’s worth looking into as with no building regs you have no idea whether it is actually safe .

How tall do you think he’ll be? It doesn’t sound ideal. It’s not really a bedroom, it’s a boarded out loft. Could you add a dormer? Could you extend to the back?

Uhmn, I shared an attic bedroom, with sloping ceilings, with a sister until I left home at 18. Neither were a problem.

Op, I'd check it from a safety point of view. Is it properly insulated? How would he get out if there was a fire? Is the wiring up to spec?

It sounds like it doesn’t have building regs approval (I assume that’s what PP means by ‘would the council approve it’) because there’s a minimum ceiling height requirement that it clearly doesn’t meet and it would explain why the estate agent’s listing doesn’t describe it as a bedroom. That means the work hasn’t been inspected and you don’t know if it’s up to standard. There could be more going on that you can’t see than just the low ceiling height. Fire safety could be a concern because this is something the building regs inspector looks for. You may struggle to sell it on because a lot of people would run a mile. It might seem fun now when your DS is only 11 but as a teen it could end up being completely unworkable as a bedroom if your DS grows to 6ft, or even 5ft10 could be a squeeze if the 6ft is the max ceiling height right in the middle of the room.

Honestly, I wouldn’t buy this house as a ‘forever home’ if you want another baby unless you could extend elsewhere or redo the loft conversion properly. Yes sharing a bedroom is fine but only when close in age and same sex. Sounds like DC2 is a girl so what if you had another boy, they couldn’t share indefinitely with their sister and your boys would have a ~12 year age gap which isn’t ideal either.

We viewed a house with a bedroom in the attic including an ensuite bathroom but none of us could stand anywhere apart from the apex - even DS2 who was 10. It just wouldn't be sustainable seeing as 3 years later I am the shortest in my house!