conversion guide 12 things to consider when thinking about converting a space in your home backed with insider knowledge and

professional advice.

welcome to this special guide...

Hello,

If you and your family require more space in your home, there are several

options you can consider including moving house, constructing an external

extension or, converting your loft or attic space into a useable room.

Moving house may not be the right option for you on many levels. You may

be happy with your current location, have mortgage restrictions or simply

not have the extra money for a larger home.

Similarly, building a new extension can be very costly and in many cases

you may not have the right type of room layout or external space to benefit

from an add-on building.

For those reasons, you may instead benefit greatly from a loft conversion.

This type of project can at first glance appear very daunting and be riddled

with potential pitfalls that could prove very costly.

But, with the right help and guidance, you could have a dream loft conver-

sion room designed and built to meet your specific needs and

requirements, quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.

Which is exactly why we created this free guide!

At MoreBuild, we want to make sure you get the right information to enable

you to identify if a loft conversion is right for you and, if it is, make sure you

get the job done right first time.

Which is why our guide has been created using many years of experience

and valuable industry knowledge and contains only factual information to

help you make an informed decision.

So, whatever type of house you have and whatever size of project you are

considering, we hope you find this guide useful.

And of course, should you have any further questions, or require specific

guidance in any area discussed, please call our friendly team on 0113 201

5030 or e-mail us at info@morebuild.co.uk and we’ll be happy to help.

conversion guide 12 things to consider when thinking about converting a space in

your home backed with insider knowledge and professional advice.

1. is my loft suitable for conversion?

You may already have grand plans for your new loft room, but before you

get excited about what type of room it’s going to be and how it’s going to

look, you’ll need to consider if a conversion is possible in the first place.

These are just a few of the questions you’ll need to consider:

Are you likely to have enough height to stand up easily in the new room?

There are height limits that apply to loft rooms, so ideally you will have at

least 2.4m head height in the loft as it stands currently.

Do you have room for a new staircase on the floor below?

Although there are many different designs of stairs that are acceptable, they

all need space to be fitted and used to get up to your new room.

Are there any chimneys or services that run through the loft?

Both of these could limit the final space you have in the room and may affect

where doors and windows are positioned.

Do you have a water tank in your loft?

Again, this could limit the space you have available to you, or possibly mean

extra work to move it elsewhere.

Do you live in a conservation area or have a listed property?

There are restrictions on listed homes and property within designated

conservation areas that mean you may not be able to build exactly as you

would like.

If you currently store belongings in your loft, where will they go?

If you plan to create storage room for these, the actual floor space available

will be reduced. Otherwise, you’ll need to consider where these items will go

once the new room is built.

How old is your house?

If you house was constructed prior to the 1960’s your roof construction will

be ideal for a loft conversion. However, houses built after that can be a lot

more complicated.

Do you have bats living in your loft or attic?

Bats and their habitat are protected under various laws, so their presence,

either currently or historically, will affect your plans to convert your loft into a

habitable room.

2. do I need planning permission?

This is probably one of the most common questions when people are considering a loft conversion, and can

also be one of the most confusing.

However, new laws introduced in October 2008 mean that in most cases, Full Planning Permission will not be

required unless you intend to alter or extend the existing roof space to such a degree that it exceeds specific

limits and conditions.

Instead, your proposed project may simply require Building Regulation approval in order to be converted from a

simple loft or attic space into liveable room.

But, there are still cases where Full Planning Permission may be required and if your proposed loft conversion

does not meet the limits and conditions set out, you will need to make a formal application to your local council

before commencing work.

In all cases, the use of a Project Manager and/or Architect is highly recommended as they will have many years

of relevant experience with which to help and guide you in this area.

Some will even take on the whole process for you, assessing what type of permission you require, submitting

your plans and finally, obtaining you the relevant paperwork to allow your project to go ahead safely and

compliantly.

When deciding on the use of a particular Architect, ask them if this is part of the normal service they provide.

To find out more about Planning Permission please visit:

www.planningportal.gov.uk.

3. what are building regulations?

As detailed above, most people are likely to need Building Regulation Approval in order to build their loft

conversion room, instead of Full Planning Permission.

Building Regulation Approval is granted based on the acceptance and compliance of rules set out and enforced

by the Building Control Department of your local council.

These rules relate to many different areas of your loft conversion project including, but not limited to:

Drainage

Electrics

External Walls

Kitchens and Bathrooms

Internal Walls

Roof

Windows and doors

They also ensure that certain standards are met in other, more specific areas of your build, and concerns things

such as:

The structural strength of the new floor is sufficient.

The stability of the structure (including the existing roof) is not endangered.

Safe escape from the room in the event of fire.

Safely designed stairs leading to the new floor.

Reasonable sound insulation between the conversion and the rooms below.

If you decide to work with an experienced Project Manager and/or Architect, they will have a good knowledge of

the Building Regulations and will be able to guide you on how they affect your proposed build.

To find out more about Building Regulations please visit:

www.planningportal.gov.uk.

4. what is a party wall agreement and does it affect me?

If you are thinking of have a loft conversion, the chances are, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 will affect you and

you may be required to obtain a Party Wall Agreement.

This is a separate piece of legislation with different requirements to the Building Regulations and it relates to

party walls, excavation and construction within proximity to certain other buildings or structures.

Specifically this includes work which involves:

Work on an existing wall shared with another property

Building on the boundary with a neighbouring property

Work involving excavating near a boundary

By obtaining a Party Wall Agreement you are notifying and obtaining acceptance from adjoining owners in order

to proceed with your loft conversion project.

However, in certain circumstances, a simple letter from your neighbours may be sufficient proof that you have

notified them of the work you intend to carry out.

Once again, the services of an Architect can be used to identify whether or not you will need a Party Wall

Agreement and if so, they can then help you obtain one.

In most cases, this Agreement can be sorted out with minimum fuss and without any concerns for all parties

involved.

However, if the worst does happen and you neighbour is unhappy, it doesn’t mean you can’t continue with your

build, but they have the right to employ a surveyor to consider their case, at your expense.

Likewise, you will need to do the same and to help with cost involved, it makes sense for you to instruct the

same surveyor as your neighbour. Should this situation arise, advice and guidance should be readily available

from your chosen Architect.

5. what options do I have for

windows?

Getting both light and air into you new loft room is very important and this

can be achieved with the installation of suitable windows.

The most popular ways of achieving this are with:

dormer windows

Often seen on bungalows, this involves the addition of a roof extension that

protrudes out from the roof- line to allow for a normal, horizontal window to

be added at the end.

The benefits of this are that, not only can you have a traditional window in

terms of looks and operation, but also you gain additional headroom within

the Dormer area of your loft room.

However, this requires more planning and construction work than with other

more ‘standard’ types of window, which all adds to the overall cost of your

build.

skylight or roof light windows

Probably the most popular style of loft windows, these are fitted flat into the

slope of the roof and can be used in a variety of situations, including as a

provision for a fire escape.

There are many manufacturers of this type of window with a huge choice of

size, colour and style so you’re almost guaranteed to find the right window to

meet your own personal requirements.

And, without the need for additional construction, as well as standard

window sizes that can be bought ‘off the shelf’; this type of window can

prove the most cost effective solution.

There are other types of window solutions available, but these are less

frequently used and in all cases, it is advisable to consult an Architect and

your builder on the most suitable windows for your own particular project.

sun tubes

These are a modern solution for delivering natural sunlight to a room where

it wouldn’t otherwise be possible, therefore reducing the need for artificial

lighting.

A round dome is fixed to the roof of your house and is connected to the

ceiling in the room, a diffuser, by a highly reflective tube.

Sun tubes are a very effective way of adding natural light to a room and are

often more cost effective than other options.

6. will the existing ceiling hold the

new loft room above?

It is natural to think that when it comes to starting your loft conversion

project, laying the new floor is one of the most straightforward jobs as the

beams are already there to support it.

However, in the majority of cases this is far from true and the task of pre-

paring and constructing the new floor involves a great deal of planning,

calculating and actual building work.

This is because your current ceiling beams were never designed to take the

weight of an additional room above and furthermore there are fire safety

reasons why simply laying a new floor on the existing ceiling beams is far

from a good idea.

Instead, most loft conversions today use a construction method that

involves setting concrete ‘pad stones’ into your walls, which then take the

weight of specially made steel beams that span the width of your property.

These steel beams in turn, take the weight of the new floor joists that hang

off them, using fixings called ‘joist hangers’ at each end to secure them to

the steel.

Once the new joists are in place, sound proofing can be added and then

finally, the new floorboards can be laid and fixed down onto the new

suspended joists.

By using this method, you new floor ‘floats’ above the ceiling beams below

and ensures there is no actual weight resting on them at all.

Furthermore, the gap between the two floors is a crucial part of the fire

safety regulations and in the event that the worst ever happens, the fact

that the two floors are separate could provide you or a loved one a few

precious extra minutes to escape.

7. what options are there for new

stairs?

You’ve decided that you want to convert your loft and found out that it’s

actually possible, but how do you get up there in the first place?

The obvious answer is using a staircase, but the type and design you end

up with will depend on many factors including the space available on both

the existing floor and the new one, the look you require and of course the

budget you have.

Wherever possible, the best stairs will be a simple straight flight, either

enclosed by a new wall, or open with a stair rail and/or balustrade.

However, there are many circumstances where this is not possible and

then, other designs need to be considered to provide the best solution for

your specific project.

This could be a traditional wooden staircase that doglegs around one way

or even bends round back on itself; it could be a split stairs with a small

landing halfway up; it may be a spiral staircase where access is really tight,

or it might be an ‘alternating tread’ staircase that uses smaller steps that

overlap to save space.

The good news is, whatever type of stairs your loft conversion project will

require, there are many specialist companies who can supply you with

exactly what you need.

This can be anything from an ‘off the shelf’ staircase that is supplied in parts

or even sometimes as one unit ready to install, right through to a completely

bespoke staircase built to your own measurements and design.

Whatever stairs you have, you’ll need to obtain the help and guidance of a

specialist (which can sometimes be your chosen builder or loft conversion

specialist if they have the knowledge) as there are strict regulations

governing the dimensions of new stairs.

Specifically, these relate to things like the overall angle of the ascent, the

depth (going) and height (rise) of the steps as well as the gaps allowable

between balustrade rails.

8. what electrical works will be required?

Whatever you intend to use your new loft room for, you’re going to need a certain amount of new electrical work

done in order to have light, power and possibly heat in there.

This must be carried out by a competent and fully qualified electrician, not just for safety reasons but also as a

condition of your Planning Permission or Building Regulation Approval.

As part of the final ‘sign-off’ process, you will be expected to provide a test certificate that proves your electrical

circuits have been installed and checked by a registered and approved company.

The tests carried out will be on your whole property, not just your new loft room and the final certificate will be

only be given if all your sockets, lights, cooker, shower, fuse box or circuit box comply with the current

specifications.

Ideally they will directly employ, rather than contract work out to, a registered electrician who will be able to carry

out all the required works, conduct the tests and finally provide you with the required certificate.

9. how can I control the heat in my

loft?

Dependent on your current heating solution and the size of your new loft

room, there a several ways you can approach this.

If the rest of your house currently uses traditional boiler fired radiators and

your room is large enough to require that amount of heat, it may well be that

a new radiator can simply be plumbed in to your existing system (subject to

the existing boiler being of the correct size).

However, this can involve additional work in other parts of your house to get

the required pipe work up into your loft and of course this all costs extra

money.

Other ways to heat your new room include simple electric solutions such as

oil filled radiators, convector heaters or storage heaters as well as more

innovative solutions such as under floor heating or solar powered radiators.

Conversely, you should also be able to ensure that your room does not get

too hot in the summer and if you’ve ever been in your loft or attic on a very

sunny day, you’ll know how warm it can get in there.

The good news is, there are a number of materials used for roof and wall

insulation that have been specifically designed to be very effective at

keeping heat in during the cold months and keeping it out when it’s hot.

These can be very effective and, used correctly; can help ensure that the

temperature in your loft room remains comfortable all year round.

Both your Architect and builder or loft conversion specialist will be able to

advise you on the products available and which are most suited to your

specific design requirements.

10. will my existing roof need to be repaired or replaced?

When planning your new loft conversion, consideration must be given to your roof covering, specifically the

condition it is in and how that may affect the work you are about to have done.

If you own a very modern house, the chances are your roof will be in good condition and nothing will be required

other than to fit the windows or construct the dormer sections within it.

However, if your roof covering is old, it may be a good opportunity, or even a necessity, to have your roof

repaired or even replaced completely at the same time as your loft is being created.

There are many reasons for this such as:

The need to install windows

Whether you are having skylight or dormer style windows, your builders will need to work directly on your roof

and remove whole sections of woodwork and slates/tiles in order to construct or install these where required.

Weather proofing

Whereas the odd small water leak was not a major problem when your attic or loft was used simply for storage,

once it becomes a habitable room, the last thing you need is damage caused by leaks when it rains.

Temperature control

As discussed in an earlier section, to help control the heat in your room, your roof may need to be lined with

special material to help maintain the heat in winter and keep it cool in the summer. If however, your roof has

broken or missing tiles or slates, this material will be not be as effective as it should be.

Safety reasons

Both for the safety of the general public and the builders working on your roof, it is imperative that you ensure

your roof is safe and that no-one could be injured due to falling tiles or slates, or because of slipping on loose

ones whilst working.

In addition, if your roof needs some attention, you may also find that there are other remedial works that need

looking at such as your chimney re-pointing or your lead flashing (the joins between areas of roof and/or

brickwork) repairing or replacing.

Both of these are important to ensure your new room is weather proof and watertight.

In all cases, the only way to be sure what works will be required, if any, is to ask for some advice and an

inspection from your chosen builder or loft conversion specialist.

11. do I have to make provisions for fire safety?

Within the Planning Permission or Building Regulations rules, there will be certain conditions and requirements

relating directly to fire safety.

For obvious reasons these are of paramount importance and a great deal of planning will be needed to ensure

these requirements are fully met when your design is first drafted.

The areas that are covered by the fire safety regulations include things such as:

fire / smoke alarms

A full mains operated system will be required, usually with a minimum of one alarm/detector on each floor of the

house, rather than just in the new loft room. Along with all the other electrical work, these should be installed by

a registered electrician.

fire doors

The doors into and within the new loft room will be required to conform to a certain standard with regards to the

time they are expected to hold back a fire. Usually ’30 minute’ fire doors are specified with your Planning

Permission or Building Regulation rules.

insulation

The insulation used throughout your loft room, be it for the floor, the ceilings or even the walls, will need to con-

form to certain fire proofing standards.

fire escape

A means of escape from in the event of fire will need to be provided within your new loft conversion room.

Dependent on the usage, size and type of room you have, you may have to have a certain sized and positioned

window for this, as well as providing an external roll-up ladder that can be used to climb down.

As with so much we have discussed so far, your Architect and chosen builder can assist you with guidance on

your specific needs and requirements.

In addition, there are many companies that can provide you with a wide range of products and services relating

to fire safety. However, if you employ a reputable building company, they will most likely be able to take care of

all of this for you.

12. how do I choose the right builder

for my loft conversion?

Getting the right company to create your dream loft conversion is the single

biggest decision you will have to make throughout the whole project.

Picking the right one can make the whole process run smoothly, efficiently

and with the least amount of disruption for you and your family.

However, making the wrong choice could mean you waste thousands of

pounds in materials and labour costs caused by bad workmanship, delays in

supply or misinterpretations of your needs.

Worse still, you could find your project doesn’t even get off the ground if the

relevant Planning Permission or Building Regulations are not dealt with cor-

rectly.

So, how do you decide on which company to appoint as your builder?

Well, a good start is a referral. If you know of anyone that has a loft conver-

sion and was happy with the job, that company would be worth approaching.

If not, here are some very important things you should find out about any

prospective builders you are considering:

Are they members of the relevant associations?

The very best building companies producing exceptional quality work may be

members of both The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and the National

Register of Warranted Builders (NRWB)

Can they provide testimonials and examples of their past work?

If other people have used them and found their work to be good and you can

see some of their work for yourself, you’re off to a good start.

Can they help with all aspects of your build project?

There are many specific areas to your loft conversion right from the Planning

Permission or Building Regulations, to main building work, roofing, electrics,

plumbing, windows and gas installation work.

To eliminate having to find individual suppliers for each, an exceptional

building company will be able to take care of all these needs, with fully

trained and registered staff.

12. how do I choose the right builder

for my loft conversion cont.?

Can they provide you with your own dedicated Project Manager?

With so much to be done and so many things to potentially go wrong with a

loft conversion, you really need the help of a professional Project Manager

who can oversee the whole build and help you stay in touch with what’s

happening. Many companies do employ their own Project Manager.

Do they employ all their staff and how qualified are they?

This is very important because although you’ll probably deal with a Project

manager at first, it’s the actual builders themselves that determine how good

your finished project will be.

You’ll want to make sure the company you are considering employs their

own specialist staff rather than contracting out for certain jobs and in addition

that those companies are members of the relevant trade organisations. Be-

low are a few of the trades that have their own governing associations:

Window installers - FENSA

Plumbing & heating - APH

Gas installers - CORGI, GAS SAFE

Electricians - NIC EIC, ECA

Do they require full payment upfront?

There are too many stories about honest people losing money to

unscrupulous builders by paying out large sums of money upfront.

Most good builders will have a stage payment scheme in place so you pay as

they work, or they may even take a deposit upfront, but then invoice you for

the remaining amount after the job has been finished to your satisfaction.

If they’re not confident enough in their work to operate a scheme similar to

this, steer clear!

Do they fully guarantee all aspects of their work?

The single most important question you need to ask. After all, this is your

dream project and one that requires a significant investment, so you’ll want it

to be perfect.

A good building company will genuinely care about you and the finished re-

sult and will go out of their way to make sure you are delighted with their

work. And, if they’re confident of being able to do that, there’s no reason why

they shouldn’t offer a complete satisfaction guarantee.

Will I have a contract?

Most builders will give you a contract of some sort, however there are no

regulations for this. Most reputable builders will use a simple ‘plain English’

contract, protecting both you and the building company.

final advice.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including

photocopying, recording or by an information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the author and publisher. Not

exhaustive. Copyright © 2011 MoreBuild. .

We truly hope this guide has given you some valuable information and has armed you with insider knowledge that will ena-

ble you to take on your loft conversion project with confidence.

The whole process centres around getting good advice and guidance, doing a great deal of solid planning and working with

dependable, reliable and trustworthy trades people that can deliver high quality results.

After that, it’s down to you to enjoy the fun bits, like choosing the decoration, carpets, curtains and furnishings as well as

dreaming of how much you’ll benefit from having the extra room in your home.

So, good luck with your loft conversion project and remember, if you have questions that have not been covered here, or if

you would like to discuss the building of your project in greater detail, please contact us.

To speak to one of our experienced team…

call our friendly team on: 0113 201 5030

email us at: info@morebuild.co.uk

visit our website: www.morebuild.co.uk.

visit our showroom: MoreBuild, Partnership House, 6 Hales Road, Wortley, Leeds, LS12 4PL