Tricky loft conversion - any advice?

[MotherOfPuffling]

Have moved into a house that is too small as was vaguely affordable, and had always planned when buying it to convert the loft to make it big enough. Was assured by the estate agents that the loft was definitely big enough for a conversion, but having bought it and moved in it turns out the headroom isn’t sufficient. It will mean dropping the ceilings on the first floor from 2m 38cm to 2m 8cm (building regs require 2m minimum). I’m worried this will make the bedrooms and bathroom look/feel poky. Has anyone done this? Does anyone have such low ceilings? How does it feel? It’s a small 2 up 2 down so none of the rooms are very big anyway. Not doing the conversion isn’t really possible as house just isn’t big enough without it, but I’m scared of ruining what we’ve got. Especially as will have to lose space from main bedroom for the stairs to loft, though have been assured will just lose one corner.

It’s going to cost a fortune (about £60k plus built in storage in eaves), so I need to get this right. If anyone has any tips or hints or warnings, that would be amazing! Firm doing it were recommended by several friends who used them, and are well priced for the area (SE London).

I live in a conservation area in Lewisham borough and our neighbours raised the roof slightly of their Victorian terraced house. I was very surprised they got planning permission (or maybe they didn’t!?).

To clarify though we still needed to check with planning as conservation area can impact what Is a permitted development

That’s good that the restrictions were minimal, @Namechanger355

Ooh @BillyNighysWife! That’s shocking if they didn’t!

@MotherOfPuffling Check the Lewisham planning portal and see if anyone local to you has had raising the roof permitted / approved. X

I am absolutely dreading the chaos, especially having the ceilings lowered (I too am cross with the EAs - serves me right for listening to them) but am so hoping once it’s done will actually have a home with room to put things away. At the moment it’s a constant state of barely-controlled chaos, which is depressing and exhausting and frankly I need my home to no longer be such a terrible effort to maintain. All the people on threads who talk about it being easier to keep a clean and tidy house when it’s not cluttered are right, but that’s easier said than done!

What is the apex height of the roof? Would you get permission to put a massive dormer across the back to get the height? Its not in a conservation area(which could make it a no go), but that seems to be what people are doing near my parents.

I didn’t think of that - thank you! If they haven’t they I guess @BillyNighysWife ‘s neighbours may not have had permission!!

Sorry, our 2m5cm is 6ft8

I think lowering the ceiling will be fine! It might look a little pokey at first but keep the colours light and have good lighting installed!

Alternatively try and create a downstairs bathroom and make the upstairs bathroom into a box room (maybe steal some space from another room)

Persimmon design houses that are 3.66m wide. They usually squeeze in a toilet downstairs underneath the stairs so if you can pinch some additional space for a shower and a sink - maybe it could work?

Judging by your floorplan - the garden could forsake a few sqm for a tiny rear extension which would actually be really beneficial and wouldn't take too much garden away from you x

Is the garden big enough for one of those drop in cabins/home office? Fully electric and insulated and with lots of toilet/ shower options if own space could appeal to your mum or if your daughter is of teenage age to want own space. I have one I work from and it’s so lovely someone could live in it.

Otherwise sounds like you’ll have to drop the ceiling, will be messy but I’m sure it’ll be worth it in the end. You’ll want a bathroom up there too. 60k might end up feeling a bit light

I’ve had a quick look at the planning portal, and anything that involved roof changes (like a mansard conversion) has been rejected. The idea of a small extension is one I’d dismissed as thought it wouldn’t be doable, but this was based on absolutely no actual knowledge and just on assumptions, so I will look into it further. Thank you, and for the tip to look at Persimmon’s designs! It is really appreciated as this is a field about which I am woefully ignorant

Aaah I wish @Sillyheadoooooo! wish I was allowed to extend the garden into my parking space (I don’t drive) and do this as would be ideal. I regularly drool over examples of these

If I still go ahead with the loft conversion I will definitely have a bathroom up there. Well, a shower room and loo. It’s hard enough having just one bathroom with two women whose pelvic floors are shot, once there’s a teenage girl in the mix in a few years it would be unsupportable… Would love a downstairs loo too, especially as my mobility isn’t great, so am going to look into how that may be doable.

Just a little teeny tiny question - but have you thought of moving? I know the market is crazy at the moment but don't forget you can sometimes port an existing mortgage and cover fees / expenses with any profit you make.

But it is a shame if you love the area and have nice neighbours etc.

But just another idea (we're doing exactly this. Moving for a slightly bigger house and just porting our current mortgage. Our small profit covers fees and expenses!)

Estate Agents aren't planning experts and know nothing of current building regs. You were BU to expect anything different

Ah I wish @Cornishsausageroll Unfortunately this house is as far as finances would stretch. It’s a lovely area, close to friends, to Dd’s school plus good secondaries etc. It probably would have worked but I’ve recently developed neurological issues that affect my mobility and ability to care for DD and mum has basically had to move in to help. Plus she’s been struggling a lot with loneliness so wants to be here more anyway. Sorry - TMI! It’s all just been a total cluster*ck and I am trying desperately to claw something from the wreckage

I know @BlazingFlames but stupidly I didn’t expect them to outright fib and say it definitely met requirements when it didn’t. Especially as it was a local agency not a big chain. Lesson learned!

Same issue here but my DH is 6’6” and the ceilings are only standard height. We’ve been told planning permission to raise the roof would be refused, there’s no way we can stretch to get a bigger house and one of the DC is about to outgrow their tiny box room (literally - it doesn’t even fit a standard single bed). Lowering ceilings wasn’t mentioned - but then they had seen my DH!

I think you'll be lowering the value of the house by having such low ceilings on the first floor. IIRC 2.3m is considered the normal height for ceilings. I have 2.5m in a 50s house and Victorian places are often 2.8.
2.08 is really very low. I couldn't stand in a shower with a ceiling that low.

I'd leave the 1st floor ceiling where it is, maybe insulate the loft so it can be used as an unofficial bedroom / hobby room with a low ceiling.

Sorry to say this, but your house is too small to achieve what you want.

could you drop the floor in just the kitchen and have bedroom over the top and then the remaining area that doesn’t meet building reg height as built in storage? That way you could keep the living room ceiling height? It may be a smaller upstairs

We were really tight for height and I didn't think we would be able to do it. I decided I wouldn't go ahead if ceilings needed lowering as its lathe and plaster. We don't have a good headroom in loft but it's fine. Have you had a loft specialist look at it already?

Also get a few firms to look as they might have different idea for stairs etc. How they design them makes a huge difference

I used South London lofts. Never again. They lost one of their accreditations, I can't remember which. They started in the Feb and were supposed to be done in six weeks max. They still hadn't finished in sept. They ignored building regs and had to tear down some work. They removed negative reviews in trust pilot and others.

Popping in to say I had a very bad experience with South London lofts. I think they are fine if all goes well but absolutely terrible if it doesn't. The owner/chief salesman got very angry with me for saying this elsewhere so that's all I'm prepared to say publicly!!