Loft conversion without building regs

[CareBear17]

I’m in Scotland if this is worth knowing.

We are needing a loft conversion done asap because we really don’t have enough space with baby #3 due in feb.

We have found a very reputable company who will do without building regs but meet the standards/we will have the same guarantee as work they do to meet building regs, have all the paperwork etc.

However, is going down this route likely to cause issues for our mortgage or home insurance? I’m so lost googling

Also to add, we have no plans to sell. This is our forever home

A quick Google showed this:

Homeowners north of the border are not permitted to begin work on their loft conversion or other major project until they have obtained a building warrant and at the end of a project a 'habitation certificate' is issued. A property without a habitation certificate cannot be occupied by its owners.

If they are reputable, they will be able to ensure they (help you) apply for building reg certification. There is no excuse not to do this whatsoever.

Why would you not be able to get building regs?
I would question the company being reputable if they are willing to go ahead without.
And yes to the issues with insurance and potentially requirement to return the space to former state.

Building regs shouldn't take longer. It's just the builder calling the inspector to organise a visit. It's really no bother. I'm afraid I wouldn't classify a builder who's happy to do it without regs as reputable or reliable.

Big company, excellent reviews. I was surprised by their offer to do it without tbh

This looks slightly odd. I would apply for official approval

Sounds like a bad idea to me. The regs are there to protect you and ensure you get a good build.

This is really common where I live, south west England. Most older conversions aren’t done to regs.

if you’re not selling it’s fine. You just can’t count it as a bedroom if not done to regs, you have to call it a loft space or something.

I work in construction, and they're not in any way reputable if they're offering to do the work without getting necessary building warrant approval.

While it may be liveable for you, you won't be able to sell without getting retrospective approval, which isn't guaranteed.

Construction in Scotland, I should have said.

Why would they offer that and why would you agree

building regs are there to protect the house and your family - how would you know the works would comply if they haven’t got a certificate

and why would you risk that

this isn’t just about saleable value - it’s about health and safety (in particular fire safety)

@Tomorrowisanewday out of curiosity whereabouts are you?

What I’m confused with by them is they have architects etc and can do the plans and building warrants so I’m confused

@Namechangedforthis25 we haven’t agreed to a single thing and have in fact contacted multiple companies

North east. I'd give the same response regardless of which part of the country though.

Why do you want to avoid building regs? They’re there to protect you and make sure you’re safe. Very odd

We have found a very reputable company who will do without building regs
They're not reputable, don't be fooled. Why would you want to waste your money on building work that may not comply with building regs? It's mystifying.

There's no such thing as a forever home, even if you intend to stay. Partners die unexpectedly; people get divorced; jobs are lost; ill health can hit the family income.

If you don't have building regs you won't be able to sell because solicitors and survey reports will advise buyers strongly against it. It's a very foolish thing to do.

I would only proceed if they did the process properly and legally and got building warrants. You have no clue if they would actually do it safely or properly.

They may have said they can do it without getting planning permission as it might be within permitted development size.

@Tomorrowisanewday can I ask you, what is actually required for a loft conversion to be classed as a bedroom? Is it having the building warrant or something else? Out of curiosity.

@Windercar I don’t want to avoid them. I was just curious on the implications of not having them. We’ve contacted multiple other companies and are waiting from responses from them.

@HarrietJet haven’t said we are. I was curious about the implications if we did. I never said we would do it. In fact it’s unlikely we will.

@Hiddendoor nope we were already certain we didn’t need planning permission. They definitely explicitly talked about building warrants. Big company, very good reviews and quite frankly I was surprised by it to hence my question.

If you get it done and it’s not up to regs then eventually you will sell your house in future as having a floored loft. Not an extra bedroom.

I think you can get a note of comfort from the council under some circs.

Are their other houses the area as yours that have had their loft converted? View the plans online yourself and see if what they got approved is the same as what you want.

If so it’s likely you’d get permission too. In Theory. If you do to your loft what they did.

The main thing I recall houses here being failed planning for was the width of stairwell when you go up inside an upstairs hall cupboard as it’s not wide enough. But that’s old. Maybe changed. Do your research first.

So from further research we are wondering if there’s been some crossed wires between my husband and the company, we’ll be calling back to clarify and i’ll update then

It's not the fact it's a bedroom, you would need building warrant for any accommodation in the roof space

@Tomorrowisanewday sorry probably didn’t word that well. head is fried today. I get that and tbh I’m wondering if my husband has picked something up wrong.

Im just curious on what allows a loft conversion to be classed as a bedroom rather than an attic room? Rightmove seems to class some as bedrooms and some as attic rooms and I can’t figure out the difference

I think the inspections need to be done during construction as well as at the end so retrospective certification would be difficult.

Many many buyers would be wary of a loft conversion without building regulations. Not worth it, in my opinion!