Attic Conversion - Legal requirements

Mr.B

Hi All,

I'm planning on having my attic opened up soon. It's a standard 3 bed semi All I plan is to have just one big open space in my attic i.e. no joists or timber frame all over the attic in the way. I'll then get the roof insulated and put down a floor. My question is at what point do I need to apply for planning permission. With my current plan all I'm doing is opening it up so I don't need any permission to do that. But what about if I want to put in socket points or how about if I decide to go one step further and put in a velux window at the back of the house? Any advise welcome please?
Any ideas on the cost of just opening it up to make it an open space?

Thanks

mad m

As far as planning you dont need any if just doing as you say,but if putting Velux to front of house I think you need planning also if you intend to do a domer style attic conversion then you need planning permission. You might want to consider getting an architect or a structural engineer to advise you as its not the going thing to just put a floor on ceiling joists. Proper way would be steel girders. Also you might have to consider fire regulations if attic becomes a habitable space.

Mellor

If you are removing the webs (if any) of the truss then you will need to put in purlins to support the roof. But the floor joists generally dont need extra support. You wont need planning if the roof isnt changing. And a rear velux should be ok.

muffler

Sorry Mellor, you'd think I was stalking you.

OP, up 3 velux to rear of roof is fine. I would however check out the floor joists as I assume they were originally meant as ceiling joists only and with the extra loading you will put a fair bit of stress on them.

Make sure you have adequate ventilation and fire escape if its going to be habitable

Mellor

no worries muffler. Obviously he should check the joists first, my original thought was they were only ceiling joists. BUT they should be designed for attic storage. But I take you point that this may not be the case in many speculative houses.

Mr.B

Thanks All,

I hadn't thought of the floor joists/ceiling joist as a weight problem. It won't be used as a habitable place and to be honest there will be very little storage up there. I'll use it as a mini office on an irregular basis and also storage for thing such as xmas decorations ets, nothing major. So I would presume I shouldn't have to do anything with the floor. I already have a portion of it floored myself and the edges used for storage and no problems.

air

Sorry to butt in but I'm considering doing almost exactly the same thing.

My house is one of about five or so in the estate that didnt have the attic converted from day one so its designed to be converted.
The main area of the attic will be the required 2.4m in height and I'm hoping to convert it to a single large bedroom.
Is there any solution to the requirement for a door at the top of the stairs (for fire etc) that could avoid me having to erect a stud wall / partition on the landing?
I'm hoping to add an extra habitable room to the house but I'd like it to be totally open plan.
I'll be going for PP as I want to put in more / larger veluxes than the standard conversion.

GreeBo

I saw a house with a converted attic where they had the stairs for the new room hidden in the hotpress.
Lord knows where the hotpress went and the access was pretty steep..

air

Lol, I'll just be continuing the existing stairs up an extra flight, as I said the house is designed to be converted. I'm concerned with how I could close off the opening at the top of the stairs in some way that would not require walls / a door, perhaps a roller shutter or something.