What is the most expensive part of a loft conversion? And can I do it a bit at a time?

[CaptainKirksNipples]

Have recently had to pay for a new central heating system, only £2500, but that is a lot of money to us.

The guy that did it put in a boiler that could hold another 3 radiators and said he had done some loft conversions in flats similar to ours for around 10k and we should do it too.

We definitely don't have that sort of money but will be stuck here for the next few years and was thinking about getting the loft floored and lined with a ladder, then later on add electricity, then radiator, then stairs and window.

I am aware that at window/stairs stage we will need planning permission but I am really clueless about the whole thing.

(we own the loft space but share the roof between 6 in the block, not sure if we'd get planning permission at all, plumber did other conversions in a different town.)

Any information will be very much appreciated

Ring your planning department and ask them about it.

Dh thinks you could use it for storage and floor it (with weyrock sheet flooring) but he doesn't think you'll be able to get planning permission. H2h!

He's a builder-type bloke BTW, :)

Personally I wouldn't say that you would not get planning permission....tbh. you should talk to your local planning office who will give you free advice.

I wouldn't board it out if I were you at this stage as it will certainly make it more difficult running cables and pipes in the future.

Thanks very much, I completely trusted the guy putting the central heating in but wasn't sure if he was exaggerating about the conversion!

If it was used for storage could I have electricity (plug points and a light fittng) in it without planning permission?

yes you could and assuming the circuits were an extension of existing circuits, the work would be non notifiable and thus you can carry out the work yourself

We got a bit excited as it is a fairly large 2 bed flat but DD and DS are sharing and will be for the foreseeable future. They love sharing just now (4 and 6) but won't be so keen in a few years.

MM that is what I was thinking about the flooring, we had to replace kitchen and hall after new central heating system went in. Got destroyed by the circular saw thingy and they had to remove the leaking pipes not just the leaky bit as they were all corroded.

Obviously makes more sense to do it on the normal order then! I had thought about flooring and lining and using it as a playroom.

x posts.

ooh! Ideal plan would be to get 2 bedrooms but I wouldn't mind just having an extra room for the kids to play in, then I wouldn't be bothered about a window or radiator. Will see about it on my next day off. Many thanks!

Flooring grade chipboard (be it weyroc, egger, kronospan etc.) does not take kindly to being moved and tends to break fairly easily. If it were me I would install a light and a socket which could be added to later and also run some 10mm pipe up there for CH .... then line it with 22mm FGC (comes in 8x2 sheets)

also you can install velux windows without planning permission (the planning is for the change of use itself)

Roof lights do not need planning permission provided:

They do not project more than 150mm from the surface of the roof
If they are in a side elevations, are open-able and below 1.7 metres from the floor they should be obscure glazed.
If you live in a flat, a listed building or have had permitted development rights removed you can contact us for further advice.

Thanks so much for that, I have learned loads tonight! My friends all have useless (in the nicest possible way) jobs like accountants and chefs, no one I can ask questions like this

Could you install velux windows without the permission of the other 6 flat owners who share the roof?

I would get a solicitor to check the title ,you may have obligations to the other owners which will prevehnt you doing anything to the roof

That is my main concern rangirl. I don't think I would have a problem getting consent from the neighbours, they are all lovely andlike us as we bought the flat from a landlord after a series of noisy students!

If the roof leaks then everyone pays so I am assuming I can't touch it without them knowing.

Do velux windows require access from the outside to put them in or can they be done from the inside only? No one would know if I didn't need scaffolding, you can't see the top of the roof from the ground!

I think they are put in from the inside but I don't think it would be a good idea to do it on the quiet!

Dexter I am more worried about having to pay for official documents (if any?) giving consent than asking.

Don't really want to do it on the cheap but have no option really! I think I might get central heating guy to run some pipes and electric cables up and then floor and line it myself or get my dad in!

You will have to get official documents if you ever want to sell your house.

I am afraid I agree with dexter73,the title position needs to be regulated or you will not be able to sell This is unlikely to be straightforward as not only the other owners but their lenders will need to be a party to the deed.You will have to pay all the legal costs

above 2 posts are spot on. I personally feel that if you were to convert the loft (officially) you would probably end up taking responsibility for the whole roof.

In answer to your other question, you can fit the velux windows from the inside ..... velux do a rooflight called a conservation rooflight which comes as an all in one kit and sits flush with the rest of the roof.it is conceivable that you could do a complete loft conversion without anybody finding out and without obtaining planning permission. Once the work is done and 4 years passes, the planning office can't make you reverse the works!

The two big issues are that it would definitely make selling the property complicated and if you altered the roof without the other stakeholders knowledge, they could be in their rights to refuse to pay for subsequent maintenance and to sue you if anything went wrong with the roof in the future

Re Planning permission,mm is correct re the 4 years ,however you may not need planning permission ,remember that if you need building warant which you almost certainly will the 4 year provision does not apply.However that is not the biggest issue ,I once had a client who had converted the attic,she actually had planning permission and building control consent but could not sell as she did not own the roof

Your local planning website should give you good info on this.

We have looked into it a couple of times but decided that the cost would exceed any benefit to us as the pitch of the roof is so sharp the actual usable area of the room would be fairly small. Plus we would have to find room in an existing bedroom for a staircase.

Our planning department only allows velux windows to the rear of the property.

We also found out we would need to take out the existing ceilings in the bedrooms to make the area above comply with building regs in relation to fire resistance if we wanted the area to be a bedroom.

1. you will need freeholders permission to make structural changes (at a minimum and depends on teh terms of your lease maybe otehr permissions) most freeholders will charge for htis.
2. multiple occupancy dwellings have no permitted development so will defintely need planning permission one you have extended past the roof line.
3. building regs will apply in any event.

Thanks everyone, guess I need to start saving and do it properly then!

We live in an old red sandstone flat so there would be no need to change the structure of the loft space it has no support beams in the middle or anything and it is very high so usable space would be almost the size of our flat, we also have 3 large cupboards that could hold a set of stairs/ladder easily, the woman downstairs has the largest as a bathroom!

The flat is in a nice area with a good school and we have a small garden out the back that 2 of the neighbours look after as they are retired. But we don't have enough space and not enough money to move. This would have been the perfect solution if it was cheap enough.