Anyone done anything with their attic which isn't a full conversion?

[CroakInTheHole]

Shamelessly posting for traffic...!

Following on from the bedroom thread, I really want to make our attic into a better space but not a full conversion.

It wouldn't be a bedroom or anything like that but somewhere we could put things and maybe even use in some way every now and then.

Has anyone turned their attic into a useable or even semi-useable space without doing a proper conversion?

And if so, can I ask for pictures?

Oh, and Pfizer has already answered my question, sorry

@PfizerMinnelli

Lots of people are talking about putting floor boards down with no mention of new joists. The bits of wood the ceiling below is fixed to are only strong enough for the ceiling, not to carry the weight of a floor with heavy things on it. The joists supporting floors and all the things that go on floors need to be much stronger.

We had a loft conversion done that could not be a legal room because the only access was a spiral staircase. It had new joists and floor with velux windows and we could use it properly. Never for sleeping though, because of access.

Is strengthening the joists a big job?

Watching with interest.

We have a small loft space over our garage. It has Fink trusses, so only a small usable space in the centre. In theory, it would be possible to put a door in DS’s bedroom that leads through to this space for him to use as a gaming den. He has the smallest room in the house and I’d be happy to spend around £3k to make it usable.

I know it would be expensive to fit the door as it would need to go through a gable end wall (so 2 x heavy duty lintels/RSJs) and the door and the floor of the loft space would need to offer suitable fire protection since the space underneath it is a garage.

It wouldn’t need windows, just insulation and ventilation. It already has power. I would be able to do any insulation and boarding myself but would need a builder for the rest.

I sense it’s probably completely unfeasible, but I like to daydream about it.

Photo is of a similarly sized un-converted loft space.

I want to do this but am concerned about the weight in there. How much would reinforcing the floor joists cost?

I've got a full-length portrait of myself in mine.

I spent just under 5k, but having the fixed staircase was a lot of extra work, I asked for a new wall at the foot of the stair otherwise I was looking at a very long drop ! I didnt feel safe with just a balustrade at the bottom

I think strenghening the floor/ceiling added about 700

Half heartedly following for ideas!

We have a big staircase void which could easily accommodate stairs up to our loft. It's too low for a proper room (5'9" max), but I reckon it would make a great study/library.

Plus the continuous three storey "spiral" of the staircase would look awesome!