Is now the ideal time for a loft conversion? [Archive]

View Full Version : Is now the ideal time for a loft conversion?

DuaneJackson

5th January 2009, 19:29

With the property market stagnating, prices for materials and labour on the decline, VAT at 15%, etc... isn't now the perfect time to get your loft converted?

estwig

5th January 2009, 19:39

sirearl

5th January 2009, 19:45

Is your loft empty?

I suspect it may be.:D

Did a loft conversion great value for money space acquisition project.

Earl

lockie

5th January 2009, 19:48

Been looking at houses and amazed at how many people are still trying to get silly money for them.Viewed one the other day and it was filthy and had the guys wifes knickers hanging up everywhere even though they knew we were viewing and they want top money for it !!
I can see past the filth etc as i visit loads of properties a week,but they arent making it easy for themselves to sell it so i may have to put in a cheeky offer in a couple of months.

I wonder if the builders are still trying to get top money for conversions etc ? ( apart from keith that is)

estwig

5th January 2009, 19:54

I wonder if the builders are still trying to get top money for conversions etc ? ( apart from keith that is)

I certainly am looking for top money and getting it!!!!! Despite all the chancres who have been kicked off the big housing estates, now think they are gonna build extensions and do loft conversions without a portfolio or a clue about marketing, Ha ha ha, bring 'em on!!!!!!

;)

DuaneJackson

5th January 2009, 20:02

Now is always the best time, but having seen a piccy of your house, I suspect it has a trussed roof with limited head room, you may struggle. Also your staircase is probably in the middle of the house, which also doesn't help.

Had to google that. I came up with this (http://www.irishattics.com/suitable.htm). Not trussed here. More like the Traditional Roof image - but with much more space in the middle (where the image has the point of the V)

Staircase is also at the side of the house.

Earl: tumbleweeds.

estwig

5th January 2009, 20:09

You have a 'cut and pitch roof', that's good as is the staircase to the side, now all you need is existing headroom of 2.4m in the loft and a decent kettle.

:)

sirearl

5th January 2009, 20:10

A friend has just had a house build using steel for the roof frame ,gives enormous space and 10 x the strength of wood.

Earl

DuaneJackson

5th January 2009, 20:12

Got 2.4m. Kettle could do with descaling though!

Floors is all boarded out. Although I don't know if the joists or whatever it is have been sorted out to be load bearing.

With all that in mind, and after all the teeth suckibng, what kind of dosh and timescale are we talking?

estwig

5th January 2009, 20:17

Will you require an en-suite??

If not we would be looking for around £25k, add another £3-4k for an en-suite.

6 weeks tops start to finish.

You could get it done cheaper, but that depends if you want it done properly or not??
;)

DuaneJackson

5th January 2009, 20:20

Thought we'd be looking at about the 20k mark.

Problem is, we've had so much done to this place already that I reckon we're right at the top end of what you can get for a house in this area. So I'm not sure we'd get that back on the value of the place.

I'd I'd only be getting it done as a short-ish term space fix (new bubba on the way) and hope to recoup when we sell (not planning on living here much longer than I have to!)

estwig

5th January 2009, 20:27

You've only been there 5 minutes!!!

I know what you mean, we have planning permission for a porch, loft conversion and a conservatory, but we are already at the upper limits of what we can get for a property in our area. We like it here, so we may do the work and commit to stay here and have a lovely house at a good rate.

Choices, choices, life it tough at times:)

DuaneJackson

5th January 2009, 20:32

Tell me about it! Missus has finally seen the light and we'll be moving dahn sarf eventually. At the moment I have to stay local as I need to be in the office most days and have too many decent saff to just move the whole thing with me or expect staff to commute (and I aint bloody commuting!)

PS, seen how many lurkers there are on this thread? Loads of them listed below in the "users currently viewing" list. It's eithera slow night or they all want loft conversions

timberworks

5th January 2009, 20:32

There are several considerations.

Structure: Floor joists will need to be fit for the structural loads imposed on them, we use tables to ascertain this and if you google "span tables" Harinigay Council have published them on the web. Timber used has to be stress graded and stamped. Next if you are cutting any roof timbers or adding roof windows, there are implications about loadings etc. If it is an old house and there are timber lintels over existing windows on the first floor, these may need changing for steel or concrete.

Insulation: For sound under the floor and to the party wall and then for heat loss to the eaves/roof. That means 100mm thick kingspan insulation plus ventilation gap, plus a plasterboard finish, most rafters are only 100mm or less so you lose a lot of ceiling height.

Fire protection: Usually the ceiling below will need overboarding and re skimming, there will need to be an escape window, situated not too high and not too low in the roof, and then the stairs need protection, that means a fire resistant door at the top or bottem of the stairs, but you must have a landing, 450 at the bottem or 1100mm at the top between stairs and fire door. Then all doors leading to the main stairwell from habital rooms have to self closing.

Electrical: your consumer unit may need upgrading as it has to meet modern standards, the contractor has to sign of the job which means checking every electrical fitting in the house.

Ventilation: Background ventilation to the living space, mechanical to any bathroom, and then due to all that insulation between the rafters, ventilation to your roof timbers.

It's a big job, lots of red tape, £25k for an average semi

Fenland

5th January 2009, 20:34

)

PS, seen how many lurkers there are on this thread? Loads of them listed below in the "users currently viewing" list. It's eithera slow night or they all want loft conversions

Cheek, fancy calling me a lurker...just trying to see how the other half live :D

DuaneJackson

5th January 2009, 20:38

Cheek, fancy calling me a lurker...just trying to see how the other half live :D

Sorry, I should have said "Lurkers and a voyeur" :)

estwig

5th January 2009, 20:38

Thanks timberworks, top post, most of it is, sorry mate, wrong. The spec you have given is inaccurate for most jobs and every job is totally different and there are dozens of ways to go about things.

"PS, seen how many lurkers there are on this thread? Loads of them listed below in the "users currently viewing" list. It's eithera slow night or they all want loft conversions"

I did notice, it's like this with our marketing, we have to be so careful or the world and his wife will waste my time talking about it, without anything actually happening. Everyone wants or is interested in a loft conversion.

sirearl

5th January 2009, 21:27

Thought we'd be looking at about the 20k mark.

Problem is, we've had so much done to this place already that I reckon we're right at the top end of what you can get for a house in this area. So I'm not sure we'd get that back on the value of the place.

Its not always about money and investment.

This is a home ,when we converted our loft ,it made the whole place much nicer to live in.

Even if you do not get all the money back when you sell ,it will make it easier to sell than the unconverted one next door.

and by this time next year.:|:D

Earl

timberworks

5th January 2009, 21:44

DuaneJackson

5th January 2009, 21:49

Oh no not another multifoil insulation user!

Don't worry, timberworks. We all know estwig has spurs on his boots

http://wiw.org/~jess/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/texan1.gif

Amaury Architectural

5th January 2009, 21:58

£25k sounds about right Duane. make sure you get several quotes first and make sure you can see examples of work the builders have carried out before (except for Keith ;) ) and make sure you can talk to the people that the work has been carried out for.

As for the insulation issue, the Kingspan insulation is the best for under floors and ceilings however the foil insulation is good for areas when you are restricted in height (the foil being considerably thinner).

As for the fire resistance, the Kingspan board will give you the required fire resistance in the floor and the roof so no need to replace the ceiling in the rooms below.

timberworks

5th January 2009, 22:14

Depends where you live whether multi foil insulation is accepted by LA Building Control.
There is a great deal of doubt whether it is thermally efficiant enough to meet building regulations. The Green building forums have a huge discussion on this.

How does insulating between joists with slabs of kingspan protect them structurally from a fire occuring below?

Amaury Architectural

5th January 2009, 22:56

Providing insulated fire resisting board or Knauf mineral wool for example laid over the joist in the loft will provide the 30min fire resistance.

Amaury Architectural

5th January 2009, 22:57

Depends where you live whether multi foil insulation is accepted by LA Building Control.
There is a great deal of doubt whether it is thermally efficiant enough to meet building regulations.

Agreed. Only around 50% of BC's currently accept this type of insulation. It is up to the proposer to prove to BC that the insulation is fit for purpose and accredited accordingly.

estwig

6th January 2009, 07:48

Bl**dy foil stuff, Tri iso super 10, or some rubbish like that, we were using it for ages. Now I got £400.00 worth of it sat in me store, bought for a job then BC decided it's BS stamp wasn't valid and now we can't use it!!!

Knigspan doesn't have any fireproofing properties, for fireproofing above the extisitng ceilings, chicken wire and rockwoll is used between the new floor joists.

Simon-M

6th January 2009, 09:04

I know how you feel about getting your money back. Last 2 years have been massive construction projects for my house. Just finished the kitchen extension.

One thing to remember here Duane, no matter what timescale the builder tells you, double it. For one reason or another both my big projects over ran by 100% time wise and this was with reptable well respected building companies.

Looks like I'm stuck here for the next 20 years now too so that I can get my cash back :)

Christophe

6th January 2009, 10:04

We looked at Loft conversion (still may do in future, as not planning on moving in next 10 years, schools, etc...) and decided to convert garage instead. Was £10k cheaper and did the job perfect... got bedroom and shower room for teenage daughter, and when she moves out the boys can have games room downstairs.

we did look at full extention over garage, but was too much for space required. (if it aint broke, don't fix it!!!)

Jenni384

6th January 2009, 10:09

PS, seen how many lurkers there are on this thread? Loads of them listed below in the "users currently viewing" list. It's eithera slow night or they all want loft conversions

Contemplating it. :)
What's the norm with access? Permanent tasteful loft ladder? My loft's ideal to be converted but the landing is tiny....

Christophe

6th January 2009, 10:13

Contemplating it. :)
What's the norm with access? Permanent tasteful loft ladder? My loft's ideal to be converted but the landing is tiny....

we were told to go into some of the 3rd bedroom, pretty much annhilating it, making it more of a big landing with space.

As an ex estate agent, looking at a reselling point of view. Permanent stairs, not too steep are infinatly preferable (blimey, loads of big words in this post)

Jenni384

6th January 2009, 10:15

we were told to go into some of the 3rd bedroom, pretty much annhilating it, making it more of a big landing with space.

As an ex estate agent, looking at a reselling point of view. Permanent stairs, not too steep are infinatly preferable (blimey, loads of big words in this post)
Thanks. Meh, if I need to do that I'll have to get the much desired extension done as well. Haven't got any space to lose in the 3rd bedroom, unless I extend. Urgh! Maybe I just won't bother...! :D

Christophe

6th January 2009, 10:21

Urgh! Maybe I just won't bother...! :D

I find that is usually the best thing to do about most things... :D

I used to see a lot of old victorian houses with the stairs in the 2nd bedroom (which was usually the same size as the 1st). that wasnt too bad

Jenni384

6th January 2009, 10:46

I find that is usually the best thing to do about most things... :D
I'd normally agree but I do it too much and have resolved to change!!

I used to see a lot of old victorian houses with the stairs in the 2nd bedroom (which was usually the same size as the 1st). that wasnt too bad
Sounds like a nice idea. Wouldn't work in my place as the rooms are too small as it is, sadly. I really need to decide exactly what I'm doing with my house but I just don't know!! :redface::rolleyes: