Loft conversion advice please - what are the best and worst bits

[greenbeanie]

We are currently planning a loft conversion to make a master bedroom, ensuite and office. Would really appreciate any tips from your own experience about what makes a good or bad conversion. Also having a real dilemma about the stairs and whether to have them going up straight into the bedroom or making a landing and then a door into the bedroom. We don't want a small dark landing and also want to be able to hear dc down stairs but would you want stairs coming up straight to the bedroom with no door??

Also velux windows, how many to have and will they really make the space light enough?

Any advice gratefully received.

Hi we had our loft converted last year. There are building regs regarding staircases so its a good idea to contact your local council to find out about these. We have a landing at the top of the staircase to the attic, we decided to do this purely for aesthetic reasons as in our house it looked better than having the door at the bottom of the stairs. The worst bit for us (other than 100 years of dust and dirt!)was having to have our doors upgraded to meet fire regs.
Having said that I love what we've achieved - good luck with your plans!

Ugh -- we had our loft converted last year and it was really traumatic. Sorry, but it was.

Much has to do with fire regs; there are doors at the bedroom, rather than at the bottom of the stairs.

We have black out velux blinds and is great for keeping light out.

Think about closet space in advance. It's amazing how much room you start out with and then suddenly it's gone!

But it had totally been worth it.

We are about to do this too.dreading it tbh but dp needs it for drums.Have you seen those velux windows that push out to make a balcony?Am currently trying to convince dp we 'need'one!Have done many big conversions but not a loft while living in the house.But love knocking down walls and thoroughly recommend a very good hoover

Are you thinking dormer window?

My sister had her loft done last year and they didn't come in to the house once. On the first day they cut a hole in the roof and gained access to it that way, did all the conversion through that until the last moment when the staircase had to go in, then they cut a hole for it and put it in in one day. Minimal disruption for them. They have a small landing at the top (tiny, room for one person to stand in really) with a door to the bedroom.

we are waiting to do ours but were hoping not to have to put in for planning permission ?!! is it a must, there is already a window which we will be replacing for slightly bigger one, not putting any dormors in , flooring it and boarding walls. we will have to put stairway in too. what are the thoughts on no planning??

Can you have a dormer put in at the backto increase standing-height space? And/or a balcony?

A bedroom needs a door but does an office space? We have a small corridor, door each side, but the bathroom door at the end has stained glass in so lets in light, and there's a velux above the landing. We went for non-ensuite but have arranged the rooms so the door could be moved to make it ensuite instead.

More large veluxes the better - look online to save money.

Do ensure the council planning dept and the buidling regs people are aware before you start - they don't talk to each other. We had a big scare (6 months after work started, 4 months after builder vanished, 3 months after baby born...) when we thought all was well as the building regs guy was happy, but a chap arrived who said "Hello, I'm the planning inspector, and what the hell are you doing?" Turned out the builder had lied about planning having all been sorted...

But it's still less stressful than moving house. Talk to them about the planned timetable - they should use scaffolding and put a metal temp roof over, and not make a hole into your house until the last minute.

You won't need planning permission, sandra79, just a 'certificate of lawfulness' that agrees you didn't need planning permission.
The rules changed last year - used to be able to have max 15% extra volume from the size of the house as was in 1948. Now any size loft conv is OK, but there are rules about privacy and balconies may not be allowed in crowded areas.
(we already had a back extension, so had to check all the maths to show the extras are only 14.98% of original volume, so meeting regs of when we started, as otherwise would have had to take down the balcony as per new regs)

Building regs people will tell you what the staircase needs to do - need fire doors and retardant plasterboard, mainly.

Just a quickie re planning. You probably don't need planning as the law did indeed change last year...however that's only if you haven't already exceeded your 'permitted development rights'. So just check those first. Also, it only applies to a loft extension that can be seen only from the back - should it be visible from the front or back then definately check.

Your builder should ensure that building regs are kept informed and any work is inspected & signed off when it needs to be ...ie: before it's covered up, as I'm assuming you'll be wanting a certificate.

DP is a builder and we had a long chat with the planning department the other day and the problem they're finding is people are assuming that because they don't need planning - they don't need building regs! Good luck - enjoy!

thanks notcitrus, you know how it is with trying to save money & all that!! Just waiting on our bloody lovely bank to give us some money!

Sorry - I meant visible from the side - not back!

I have checked planning and we don't need it provided we use velux type windows, not dormer. The head height in the loft is great - about 15 feet so we are putting a ceiling in as otherwise I think the heating costs will be enormous.

I have been looking into windows and wondered if anyone has used Okpol windows. they are Polish made and have the opener at the bottom so they can be fitted higher up rather than the Velux that have the opener at the top. Can't really run to the electric opening ones!!

Very random thoughts but here's what I can remember:

Try and visit as many loft conversions as you can to get ideas.

It will be very dusty, especially with the break through and the plastering.

If you can afford it, go for optimal space, ie. dorma, to increase head room.

Put a skylight over the new loft stairs otherwise it will look gloomy and dark.

Don't scrimp on windows, go for as many as you aesthetically can!

Have a good idea of what plumbing fixtures you want. At an early stage, the plumbers will need to install some essential pipes, pumps, etc. so be prepared.

Have a landing and a door to your new level.

Put loads of power sockets in. tv and telephone points.

Try and match the style of staircase to the existing one. It looks very odd if it's different.

Be prepared for mains smoke alarm to be fitted on each floor. This may involve pulling up carpets in landing, etc.

Having said all that, it's well worth the disruption.

Our architect advised us to go for a small wc and basin as usually loft bathrooms are not big to maximise the feel of the room. We got a huge shower and took her advice on the rest of it and she was right.

The other thing she said was low furniture in the main room - again its about perception.

Don't forget to budget for carpets, curtains, blinds, furniture etc