Loft Conversion Low Head Height

[agnesrose86]

I've just been up into our loft and the height at the centre is 2.3m. I understand that this is the absolute minimum for a conversion. Just wondering, has anyone gone ahead with a conversion with a low head height and has it made a worthwhile space or do you think it is a waste of money?

You can lower the ceiling if the room beneath to accommodate an extension if necessary.

We've done one - the finished ceiling height is 2m. Our architect tried to talk us out of it as he didn't think it would be worthwhile. It turned out really well and even he agreed that it's a lovely space but then neither of us are especially tall.

Thanks that's really helpful. My husband is 6ft2 so it wouldn't be a very useable space for him but I am thinking could work really well as two bedrooms for my young boys with a bathroom between if I can fit it all in. I would prefer not to lower the floors as I assume it's really messy/disruptive and we've just spent a fortune renovating our family bathroom. I have thought about raising the roof but I imagine that would be very costly so would only do it if I was sure this is our forever home as I doubt we would make the money back if we sold. Do you need planning permission for dormer windows and roughly how much would it add on to the overall cost?

A key consideration is where to site the stairs, they have to enter the room/landing at a certain height.It depends what type of dormers you have but it shouldn't increase the cost that dramatically, maybe 5-7k.Ideally a crown roof dormer is better as it gives more room and looks better from outside (assuming its the rear as planning doesn't allow front).

How is the ceiling height down stairs? It is messy to take down ceilings but its quick to do so don't discount it yet and keep all options on the table as it could be cost effective.

Should mention that lower ceilings can get cracking anyway as a result of floor work to the loft so some repairs are often needed.

The stairs shouldn't be a problem, I think I should be able to follow the pattern of the central staircase which would mean they would land in the centre of the loft. I am really surprised that dormers cost as little as that, definitely worth considering.

Ps very high ceilings on the middle floor.

We don't have huge headroom in our upstairs loft bit. The ceiling coombs start falling away really quickly so there is only a metre of full head height in the playroom before the slope. The guest room has a bit more head height but we still bang our heads on the Coombs.
It's still a good space and we have a linen cupboard and bathroom up there too. We were redoing the roof anyway but as ours was listed couldn't raise the roof height as we wanted.
We had three dormers put in with floor to ceiling windows which lets ok loads of light.

Has anyone on here raised the roof for their loft conversion? Did you get a quote for it Purplehonesty? I'm wondering how much it will cost. We are in the North of England.

We're having a survey done tomorrow and have asked for costings on adding a dormer window and raising the roof on an existing loft conversion (it's over the garage really). So if you're still wanting to know next week, PM me.

You don't need planning for a dormer at the front on the house, as long as it doesn't add more than a certain amount of area.

Yes I am definitely. Let me know.

Out of interest, are you using an architect and/or structural engineer or going direct to a builder?

We're buying the house so this is the Building survey, but we've asked him to comment on our 'improvement' plans, one of which is sorting out the room above the garage and making it a proper room.

Maybe he'll suggest who to approach first, but I had in my mind I'd just get some builders round when we move in. Probably ones that say they do loft conversions. I won't go to an architect unless the surveyor/ builder recommends it.

Actually you do need planning permissionfor a dormer of any size at the front, at least where we live, which is why we've ended up with perfectly nice veluxes.

You might be in a designated area, Pirate.

A loft conversion for your house is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

A volume allowance of 40 cubic metres additional roof space for terraced houses*
A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres additional roof space for detached and semi-detached houses*
No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the principal elevation that fronts the highway
No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof
Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house
No verandas, balconies or raised platforms
Side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor
Roof extensions not to be permitted development in designated areas**
Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the original eaves
The roof enlargement cannot overhang the outer face of the wall of the original house.*

Source: www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/loftconversion/

My house is slightly unusual in that we are essentially in a terrace but each house is completely different (all very old). Next doors roof is a decent amount higher than ours which is why I am thinking I may well get planning permission to raise the roof to the same level. Would you say that was logical? Our house is not listed or in a conservation area but as I say, very old. We would get incredible views if we added dormers but do they really make that much difference if the overall head height is low? If not, I actually really like veluxes.

Not in a designated area and our house is less than 20 years old. We did not need PP for our loft conversion. We would have if we'd insisted on a dormer. You're just wrong.

(I.e. dormer at the front of the house facing the road. No prob at the back.)

I had understood (from various sources) that our proposed dormer would not need planning as although it faced the highway, it would not stick out further than the front elevation or be higher than the highest roof height.

We have planning permission to raise our ridgeline. Victorian terrace. Quotes (se) have been in the region of 40-45k including vat. The raising bit doesn't add that much, you pretty much need to build a new roof anyway with a loft conversion, so it's no major odds to raise it a bit!

We are in a conservation area, btw. Got planning refused a few years ago for the same project, but accepted this time round, for no other reason than a different planning officer in charge of our case. And possibly also a change in the political wind round planning... Next door house has higher ridge, but that didn't seem to make a difference either way. Local precedent for raising ridge was more significant, apparently.

That's really helpful Zoe. How easy/costly was your planning application? Have you employed an architect/structural engineer? Can you tell me what you are getting for £40-45k i.e is that the total cost for everything? Are you getting a bathroom? Sorry for all the questions! That is roughly what I was thinking it would be. We'd love to install solar panels at the same time but it might stretch the budget too far.