'Vaulting' a ceiling?

[Ali]

My youngest is getting bigger and will need more space as he gets older, his room is quite small at the moment.

A structural engineer looked at the roof construction a few years ago with a view to a loft conversion and established that major (expensive) work would be required on the roof to be able to open it up fully. I'm wondering if it's possible to remove the ceiling to increase the height, so he can have a 'loft' bed without banging his head on the ceiling, possibly even extending into the loft space on the other side of the house, which could be a bed area, or storage.

Very quick / shoddy Sketchup of what I mean

(He would only get the space above the adjacent room, the rest of the loft would be boarded off - else where would I keep my junk?)


Along these sort of lines (plasterboard, not wood):

Another option, to keep it really simple would be this

I don't *think* it would need planning? I'd be happy to comply with building regs as far as insulation is concerned etc., but I don't really want to add a Velux or anything like that, I'd sooner be able to put it back to loft space quickly if we sell the house, as this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea.

What glaring problems am I missing, and has anyone seen / done anything similar?

 

[Bobtail4x4]

you need a ridge beam, the building regs insist on a staircase where possible, how will his mum retrieve the crap that accumilates in a boys bedroom?

 

[Ali]

you need a ridge beam, the building regs insist on a staircase where possible, how will his mum retrieve the crap that accumilates in a boys bedroom?

Sorry I’ve confused matters from the get go with that model. There are two A frames supporting the roof, I haven’t drawn them! I’d be leaving all that in place, ridge beam was one reason a loft conversion didn’t seem worth the bother.

 

[gaz1]

can you post the bedroom size and whats possible in extra sizes what your planning isnt an option

is it also possible to also draw it from what your showing its not good to do what your planning

 

[Erie Fred]

Get the kid a hard hat, and be done with it......

 

[Morrisman]

That wall climbing one, be interesting when he discovers beer and pubs, and comes home half cut of a weekend.

How about a bunk bed, with just the top half as a bed, and a desk or storage underneath? How much room does he actually need, and what for?

 

[Nomad]

I looked at buying a few houses that had unofficial bedrooms in the loft, some worked well - others didn't.

For me some kind of window for natural light would be essential, a velux should be an easy option.

Height, I only looked at one place that was too low to use - a shame as it was done out as a wonderful kids / little princess bedroom.
Any beams or supports that will be in the way? Some lofts have an "Inverted triangle" framework that makes moving around difficult.
If it's a low ceiling use a futon bed on the floor to make use of what you have.

What size are the joists? Will they cope with the movement & the extra loads?

Insulation & ventilation? Which part of the country? Hot summer / cold winter? Damp?

The easiest way to do it sort-of legally is to call the space to a storage room on the paperwork, when everything is signed off put a bed in it.

 

[caprinut]

I would leave the bed where it is as make the attic space a work/play room annex should get way without planning and additional staircase, you still need and engineer to calculate any structural work.

 

[iNf]

As above use the loft space as play/den/office. You don't really want to be sleeping in a room where essentially you're using a ladder to escape in an emergency, not to mention getting up in the night/being drunk. Look up spacesaver staircase. Your 3rd picture belongs in the jokes and funnies thread

 

[winchman]

Caravan in the garden?

 

[caprinut]

As above make it a long garden for unfriends, randoms and drunks when he's a teenager you'll meet them all.

 

[Morrisman]

How much space does a teenager really need, to wield an iPhone and a tablet anyway?

 

[gaz1]

im still waiting for size of rooms and drawings before i say any more

but i can think of a few ways for it to be done

but that depends on size of room load bearing walls and also extra stuff which many wont think of

 

[keithski122]

Our kids grew out of climbing ladders (high sleepers with desks underneath) when they turned into teenagers.

 

[DAPPH]

Make a luxury sleep pod box 4x4x his height plus an extra 18 inches or so that it bolts together so when he leaves so does his pod

Podtime Ultra​

 

[Ali]

I would leave the bed where it is as make the attic space a work/play room annex should get way without planning and additional staircase, you still need and engineer to calculate any structural work.

I think this seems like the least fuss, just make him his own hatch and box off an area of the loft as a den.

 

[gaz1]

then id consider a spiral staircase or a u shaped staircase to get to the loft area

 

[Ali]

then id consider a spiral staircase or a u shaped staircase to get to the loft area

Good shout, make it a bit of fun and I’ll still be able to get up there easily

 

[DAPPH]

Good shout, make it a bit of fun and I’ll still be able to get up there easily

We had a spiral stair case with about three foot wide treads up through a nine foot high ceiling , t'was lovely, till the day I bust my spine up . .I had to live down stairs for a year or so using a commode & with my wife giving me strip down baths in the lounge as there was no way I could get up the dam thing to the toilet & shower .

 

[gaz1]

with spiral staircases they can be built light yet strong the main issue is that center pole
play this video and its of light construction

for the above video