Do you have a loft conversion? Is it absolutely freezing?

[marzipananimal]

We have bought a house with a bedroom in the loft but it's verging on uninhabitable because it's so cold (gets really hot in summer too). Is there anything we can do about this or is it just the way they are? One of the windows does need replacing (condensation in the double glazing) but I'm not sure that'll make much difference.
Any advice?

Mine is very warm. Your problem is likely insulation. Current building regs requires a lot when converting a loft so modern lofts are great. Fixing your window and beefing up your insulation should make the room great and lower your energy bills. Really the loft room should be the warmest in your house as heat rises.

Very warm here too. We've turned off the radiators in those rooms, so just the bathroom towel heater and rising heat from the rest of the house.

When was the loft converted? Our whole house is a lot warmer now, due to the extra insulation (loft part-boarded/part-insulated prior to conversion 3 years ago.

How would we improve the insulation? (clueless about DIY)

Agree with pp. Ours is toasty! Our builders used highest spec insulation and insulated plasterboard on top.

Not sure exactly but I would think last 10 years probably. Though the previous owners don't seem to have done anything to a particularly high standard

I think you can stick mineral wool between the rafters. The insulation itself isn't expensive and can be a DIY job. However, you'll need to redo the loft ceiling afterwards which might be costly...

If you have recently bought it, your solicitor will (should) have insisted on evidence of compliance with planning permission and building regulations. If it was a non-compliant conversion done as a wink-wink "attic storage room" it adds negative value to the house.

To insulate it you will need to pull down the plasterboard ceilings and do it again properly.

There may be access to insulate the knee walls from behind. See if ventilation and floor strengthening were correctly done.

Ours is lovely and warm!

I pretty sure we checked about compliance with building regs etc but I can check again (bought house 18 months ago so memory is a bit hazy).
What are knee walls?
It is draughty despite us insulating the doors to the eaves spaces as best we can so perhaps that's the main problem and the roof insulation could be ok

In a pitched roof conversion, the roof slopes down, then there are low walls to the eaves space. Those are knee walls. Possibly because of their shape or height.

Sorry but its almost certainly the roof insulation. Piglet is only suggesting you might be able to access the rafters via the eaves storage so you don't have to disrupt the ceiling too much. However, I can tell you our loft conversion was very warm before we even had doors on it so draughty doors shouldn't be the issue.

Ours is warm, no heating up there whatsoever no complaints
From the teenage hermit apart from rain on the roof and skylight but he's grown used to it recently as its been a constant sound!

Ah I see, thanks. What sort of tradesman would be best to look at it and sort it for us? We know a couple of joiners but would we need a builder/roofer type?

I hope the roof doesn't need doing as well. Once the ceiling has been insulated and boarded any leaks will be troublesome and expensive. I think you may need to start with a local small builder. I think the first step will be to pull down the plasterboard ceiling and find out what you are dealing with. Buy yourself a builders canister vacuum cleaner with cartridge filter and huge paper bags. You will need it. And some dust masks with a valve on the snout.

Is there a fixed and permanent staircase?

Just had our loft completed and also very warm. However as with most previous comments there is insulation in rafters above ceiling. I know nothing about DIY and would probably consult good builder to have a look. Again agree doors and windows less likely to be cause...

Yes there's a permanent staircase. Thanks for all the advice

Our old, non compliant death trap loft conversion was freezing. No insulation at all. Our new one is toasty and has tons of sheet insulation behind the plasterboard. I don't think it would be a terribly big job to pull down all the plasterboard, insulate and then reboard it out and plaster, but it would be messy! It's amazingly warm up there, even when the rest of the hues is a bit chilly