Attic Conversion

daheff

Hi

I am looking into getting my Attic converted. Has anybody got any advice on what problems to look at/ any issues with planning/ title deeds (for mortgage/ insurance issues - or anything else that might be of interest?


also if somebody can give me a rough idea of a price range for conversion of a mid terrace house ?


mods if you thinks this should be somewhere else please move.

thanks

Delta Kilo

What sort of a roof have you got? Is it a "cut" or "truss" roof. To identify, are their metal plates connecting one beam to another and are there lots of beams?

If it is a truss roof, it will be very difficult and expensive to convert. A truss roof gets it strength from the shape of the structure so you can't just go cutting the timbers out to make room!

daheff

ehh....dont know what type! I dont see any metal plates in the rafters

Delta Kilo

Here is a diagram to help explain. Apologies for the poor quality of the sketch, I couldn't find a ruler.



The problem is with the 2 beams going up from the ceiling joist to the ridge in the truss.

Martron

also most modern houses are not designed to have the attic converted to a room and the joists for the ceiling of lets say your first floor may not be stronger enough to support loads on them .

i would be weary about it until you have somne check it out.

i can almost say 100% that your attic will not be worth converting if you have prefabricated truss rafter roof. as you will have a lot of construction work to support the roof when you start removing members from the roof.

slimjimmc

Trussed roofs can be converted but not as easily as a cut roof. A purline, preferably steel, would need to be inserted to take the load of the roof, and some extra bracing added.

New stronger joists for the attic floor would be laid in parallel to the existing celiling joists. The new joists should not be attached to the old joists but should be suspended from the purline. ie attic floor will be suspended from the roof above instead of resting on the walls below. In this way the ceiling below won't be cracked because it will be isolated from any movement in the new floor.

Don't even think about doing anything to your roof until you've got a structural engineer to design the new structure for you. There's tonnes of weight up there just ready to come crashing down on your head.

Martron

woops. just read my post again. you are right its not impossible . but i think you have to weigh up the cost of the construction versus the value it adds.

slimjimmc

True on the expense. OP should also check the head height as some modern roofs are too shallow for habitable space. I think you need a min 1.8m height between the new finished floor to ceiling in the middle 1/3rd of floor area. Anything less and, in theory, you can't call it a extra room if selling the house in future.

Martron

my room in the folks house was an attic room. i could only stand when i was in the dead centre of the room and even at that i had to duck to miss the light fitting.

another thing to consider is where are you going to locate the stairs to the room.

you may have to eat away some space from the landing or another bedroom

daheff

thanks for the responses folks.


Delta Kilo -looking at your (wonderful) drawings i would say I have a trussed roof.


I have found a builder (who has a very comprehensive q&a page on their website) ...they had mentioned steel supports for joists/ new floor suspended on this instead of the ceiling (pm me if you want the site to look at it)