Loft conversion.

[FunbleBummy]

We are looking to buy a house t the moment, and recently weren't successful for an end of terrace Victorian home with a loft bedroom and dormer en suite.

However we re going to view one in resume row, but mid terrace without the loft conversion with a view to putting one in.

Is it likely to be more difficult to get the planning permission for this? Or even possible? None of the other mid terrace ones seem to have one at present but i don't know if that is important or not.

Thanks in advance!

Yes it did momentarily occur to me to change them back after building regs passed but then I thought about the fire risk and the fact my children would be sleeping in the house and also the house insurance would be invalid if we had to make a claim. The replacement doors aren't hideous by any standards (still 4 panels) it's just I know they're not the originals and I love the original features in the house.

Our conversion was completed last year and cost in the region on £32k. We also had a lot of other work done on the house at the same time so difficult to give an exact figure. That price included changing and hanging 9 (fire) doors, and the fittings, tiling & installation of the ensuite; plus a wired in smoke alarm system throughout the property. Ours was a 3 bedroomed terrace but now is 4 large doubles.

We have a storage room in the loft as couldn't get the head height someone occaisonally sleeps up there so it has a fire door and as we have an open plan house I am replacing all the bedroom doors with fire doors because it could make a difference not to mention they improve sound insulation from the bickering

agree about sound, fire doors are very dense and heavy, so if a good fit they muffle sound well. Furry Pile smoke strips round the edge help as well.

You might consider putting one on the bathroom as well to avoid embarrassing flatulent guests.

A friend in Edinburgh had his doors sawed in half along the flat plane of the door, an intumescent layer added, the doors put together again and then rehung, costly, but he was determined to hold onto the original features.

7to25 now that very nearly made me cry. If only I'd known such things were possible

We just painted our doors with fire resistant paint - but since both DCs sleep with bedroom door open anyway we had very little incentive to go for safest possible option.

I spoke to my building regs lady in Old Trafford and we talked about firedoors, etc.
Her view was as most people don't like firedoors, take off the auto closers and even switch them back, the regs people was starting to be more practical about it.
If you have firedoors for the loft, lots of wired in smoke detectors, then that should be ok.
Since she is the one who will be who comes round to view the property and sign it off, I'll be getting the final nod from her pre the doors and then seeing what happens.

Re the costs.
It all depends on how much you want to do yourself.
Remember it is a VERY dirty job, the amount of dirt, dust, rubble that mounts up under the insulation in the loft will leave you and your house looking like a mine.
I'm hoping to do most myself and have brought the costs down dramatically, just calling in the experts for building the dormer, re roofing, fitting the stairs and helping out lower the ceilings.

But I do like DIY, have plenty of time and enjoy the learning process