Is it worth getting a loft shell done when getting new roof

[deathbollywood]

We need a new roof. we have bee

Is it worth getting a loft shell done at the same time? Will cost another 22k. We don't need the space right now , may do in the future, it's more to add value. Not sure if worth it or not.

What’s a loft shell ?

As in creating an extra room? Will it have stairs or ladder?

If by loft shell , you mean getting a loft room ( with proper stairs ) without fitting it out until you need it so eg no shower room , decorated even perhaps without plastering etc etc ) Then the only answer I can see is what is the cost of a new roof - what is the difference in price between that and a loft shell ( if I have understood) and then either you will need it or it saves someone the price of the building works if you sell - they just have to fit it out. But I would make sure it has proper stairs. If as an investment what is the difference between your house and one with a loft extension & then you will have to take a bit less if it has to be fitted out.

V difficult to answer your question without knowing all those other numbers but I do know a neighbour mine had a loft extension on part of her house because the incremental difference between that and just the roof being replaced , it was worth getting an extra room. But they have used it and are living in it. It makes more living space day to day

Not sure that helps terribly but for what it is worth

It will have stairs and the basic structure, windows, roof lights but that's it. No insulation, plumbing, stud walls etc.

And building regulations approval, of course. Probably planning permission too.

You will probably need a reinforced floor and fire doors throughout.

What standard of roof insulation will it have?

Doesn't sound worth that much extra! Will it just be a slightly less ugly storage area?

Also you should get insulation either way. When we had our loft conversion done we got them to add 100mm cellotex between the rafters in the eaves storage and it saves on our heating as the insulation is so good now in the whole house.

Well typically building costs go up and up year on year even before covid and brexit. So if you're planning a loft conversion at some point and you have the money spare now then yes I'd do it as long as it's done correctly by following all regulations, correct steels etc.

You don't need to worry about regulatory fire doors and alarms etc until you sign it off when you finally finish the work.

Can you ask an estate agent for advice?

What the value of you house with or without the loft shell.

When would you expect to sell your house

What would be doing with the money otherwise.

What other work could you do to the house that would add value. £22k could be a lot of landscaping or could be a revamped kitchen for example.

If it doesn't have correct floor reinforcement, and roof insulation, included on the pre-build plans you submit, and inspected during build, you won't be able to get it "signed off" later.

I've been wondering the same but come to the conclusion that it's either a conversion or not. There isn't really a satisfactory half way point due to building regs and money. Even leaving an en suite ready (plumbing and electrics) but not finishing doesn't really make sense.

the floor will be reinforced but the walls and roof will not have insulation. Would that help in not making the rest of the house cold?
@Rollercoaster1920 what's your thinking behind not doing it?

If it has stairs, it's a conversion.

If it has a ladder, it's a loft

We are mid way through a loft conversion, it has no heating yet. It is bloody cold in the rest of the house. Its about 50% insulated.

It depends how much you like warmth would be my answer.

Maximum insulation always. You'll never regret it. Otherwise it'll always be unusable. Too cold or too hot. Better to have great insulation than an unusable space.

I'm still deciding whether to go for a loft room or not. But I'm certainly not going to try to do a shell or any other half way approach.

The idea has only come about as need to replace the roof and so we thought if we spend a bit more to put the structure in place it would give us the option in the future.

But where do you stop? A dormer? Strengthened floor joists? Electrics, plumbing. Then the risk that the regulations change, or future builders won't trust the part complete work so need to rip it out.

For context how many bedrooms etc does the house have currently. Would a loft conversion add a lot to the value of the house or make it more attractive to sell

Is it all likely you would really want a loft conversion? if not don’t bother

if yes then it as a minimum it needs to be sufficient to meet building regs for a conversion otherwise it is just an unapproved extra space in the attic. If velux windows are preferred as opposed to a dormer, and the floor would require strengthening, then doing those basics at the same time would make sense. If your budget is limited, don’t do a full fit out - no bathroom - but as a minimum full insulation and heating and basic electrics installed plus water services for a bathroom. At which point you’re not far off a full conversion.

There’s quite a large cost to scaffolding, so it makes sense to have structural work done at the same time really. If you have some loft companies out they’ll give you free quotes and ideas of what you can achieve at different cost levels. We had a re roof done at the same time as the loft conversion and it added I think about £3k to the work overall. Materials and labour are very expensive at the moment though.

It’s definitely worth considering how it’d be insulated, otherwise all your heating would be disappearing up those loft stairs! Having said that, breaking through into the house to add the stairs comes later in the build (for us studwork was up before and insulation), so you could leave it at that level, retaining whatever loft access you have now and someone else could add actual stairs when they completed the conversion in the future?

I've had this exact thought last month but have decided against it in the end. We wanted a hip to gable with a dormer to make the space worth it, got an architect to have a look and he doesn't think it'll get past planning because nobody else on the street has done it.

Shame, but at least it answered our question. So we're just going to do the roof. Have been quoted 8k for that, new gutters and fascias.

By windows I guess you mean Velux type, rather that the extra construction of dormer style?

you’re right to consider doing that conversion work at the same time but from pp it sounds like there’s planning and building regs to consider.

Depending on your plans for the room, you might want to get central heating pipes up there too, even if capped off initially.