Loft Conversions?

[pedrobedro]

Friend of mine is a retired architect but he still does a few plans to keep his mind active. He will not do loft conversion or new build any more because of how much trouble they bring with building regulations .

 

[Ashley Burton]

Friend of mine is a retired architect but he still does a few plans to keep his mind active. He will not do loft conversion or new build any more because of how much trouble they bring with building regulations .

What is the issue that causes this 'trouble'?

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

What is the issue that causes this 'trouble'?

These.

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200135/approved_documents

 

[Wendelspanswick]

built enough of these over the years in 4 different council areas

planning permission is needed to build a dormer also you need to follow some regs and regulations depending on your area some councils allow full roof dormers others dont

also needs to match the area as well

front is normally a no no but back dormer is a yes

Where did you get the information that you need planning permission for dormer windows because it's wrong.
In most cases dormer windows are permitted development so you don't need PP.

"Loft conversions provide a great opportunity to create additional space and may not require planning permission. Permitted Development allows for the construction of dormer windows, which would provide additional headroom within a converted attic. However, they must not sit higher than the highest part of your existing roof, or extend forward of the roof plane on the principal elevation."

So long as you put a dormer on the sides or back and its no higher or wider that the existing roof it's PD.

If you want you put a dormer on the front of the house or you live in a restricted area (AONB, National Park etc.) then you would need PP.

 

[hazzabo]

We had a loft conversion about 3 years ago. Two bedrooms and a bathroom. All done under permitted development with a dormer at the rear. About 40k. We were lucky that we had a supporting wall on the first floor that carried the new floor beams at mid span. Needed a ridge steel and a steel around the stair opening. Took 3 months, but I'm convinced they could have done it in less if they had been on site everyday!

 

[pedrobedro]

What is the issue that causes this 'trouble'?

Complying with the building regulations, different inspectors have different interpretations and can make it very awkward.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Complying with the building regulations, different inspectors have different interpretations and can make it very awkward.

Sounds like it would be best to get a structural Engineer involved & work with the building regulations inspector so that it's all good!

Luckily other houses in my street have bedrooms in the roof, So it's not like I'm the only one in the street.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

Sounds like it would be best to get a structural Engineer involved & work with the building regulations inspector so that it's all good!

Luckily other houses in my street have bedrooms in the roof, So it's not like I'm the only one in the street.

Indeed and having decent plans to work to makes it easier to get plenty of quotes. Cheapest isn't always best though

 

[Ashley Burton]

Indeed and having decent plans to work to makes it easier to get plenty of quotes. Cheapest isn't always best though

I don't want the cheapest option if I'm honest, I just want the best value for money!

Our roof is a T shape pitched roof, So only planning on having a room in the front/rear of the house & leaving the Gable end of the roof as loft storage.

 

[Barlidge]

I had been planning for years to convert mine but have decided to move instead, (nicer house, nicer area and less covenants). I Was looking at the Telebeam route and spoke to digby a few times and he was very helpful, its very diy friendly but more expensive upfront than traditional steels. In my new house I will inherit the council tax rise from the previous owners improvements, its apparently deffered as otherwise it would put people of developing.

 

[Hitch]

Sounds like it would be best to get a structural Engineer involved & work with the building regulations inspector so that it's all good!

Luckily other houses in my street have bedrooms in the roof, So it's not like I'm the only one in the street.

We submitted the spec to building control, along with a plan, nothing fancy. He came and had a look, discussed a couple of points. Changed a couple of bits on the spec.
He's been great, came out and marked out the stairs with me to make sure he was happy with the headroom. Doesn't meet regs in one corner of a winder tread, but does few inches from the corner. He's happy with it though as it works and is safe and practical..
You have 2 choices, local authority, or private.
I hear some of the private ones don't even bother to come out until the end, if at all.
We went local authority, and did partial plan, rather than full plan, allows things to be changed as you go.

He's been happy with the work all along, been out 4 times, and just the completion visit left in the next week or two.

 

[eLuSiVeMiTe]

You have 2 choices, local authority, or private.
I hear some of the private ones don't even bother to come out until the end, if at all.

Can confirm this.
When they do turn up on site they were not very helpful and couldn't give answers to questions asked.

Bc in beds are pretty good for the most. Never had a problem with them mainly because I'm always on or above there standards when they visit. Helpful getting you out of a hole and willing to bend a little to get around issues.

 

[Gritineye]

Dealing with building control is as hard as you make it, ask the inspector lots of questions and never argue with his answers, because he's expecting hassle he'll like that.

He can't advise but if you listen carefully, can sometimes drop some good hints. Like when after adding the required insulation I couldn't for the life of me work out how to get the correct head height at the top of the stairs.

He just said 'you know there's no minimum width for staircases', after a while it dawned on me if I used a narrower staircase the centre of the top tread would be moved over just enough to comply, sorted!

Narrower staircase made a big difference in the room below as a bonus.

 

[KemppiFrog]

Wow! You guys have it hard over there. Our old place (built sometime before 1800, when it was registered) had just an open loft, so effectively a single story dwelling. The loft did have headroom though. The barn was just stone walls and dirt floor, with roof trusses out of foot square oak.
The local regs say that if under a certain sq. mt. footprint, then just permission from the village Council. We were well over that, so I got an arquitect to do the drawings and handle the application. 'Bout £4K. Well spent, as language and other probs.
The barn was a bit low for headroom in an upper story, so I wanted dormer windows, which they call 'sitting dogs' around here. Nope, came back the answer, they are not in keeping with the type of building. The arquitect wanted to fight it and I pity anybody who she got in her sights...But I didn't want any delays, so told her to redraw it with a higher roof. That passed with no prob, and we were off.
Velux type roof lights don't require permission, only if you make new openings in walls for doors or windows. So the main house was no prob. We now have bedrooms upstairs, new waste system, new plumbing and electrics, along with a steel and wood stair. Now, none of this under any inspection regime and I did it all single handed. The only inspection was for the new septic tank system and drainage field. A delectable girl came out from the water outfit and borrowed my level to check the falls on the tubes, before I covered it over. She looked 14 and I was tempted to give her money for a decent meal... (slap your wrist, KF!)
The barn, I just jacked up the complete roof with acros and a hydraulic jack by 80cm, in 10cm increments, building the walls up as I went. Again, not the slightest interest from authority, other than a form a few years later to fill in about how far we had got/finished/abandoned. I was fairly honest in my reply, so our 'Council tax' has more than doubled.


I like your tag line Pedro. A chinese curse.

 

[keithski122]

Just had an extension built this year.For building regs we used a private company, the builder was pleased we went this way as he thinks council employee's are more difficult to work with ie just go by what the book says and unable to see diffeerent ways of doing things.Our builder changed the plans slightly for both his and our benefit, building control listened to him and agreed changes.Some stuff didn't need visits just photos.Building inspector told me I had made a good choice of builder.
Think I paid £550 for building regs, £1100 structural engineer and about £1100 for plans.
For our loft we had a dormer and gable wall built up with no need for planning permission.

 

[atomant48]

Kempi I kind of see your point but sometimes I appreciate being “heavily regulated” and I think building control etc is one of those. Having lived not far from where you are, as well as 3 other countries, I like that I don’t have to worry about my kids mucking about at home or school etc here in the uk.

Not for one minute saying the work you have done isn’t safe, but low levels of regulation do allow for low levels of safety and workmanship if people are less bothered.