Loft room query

[Stills]

Hello

 

Who do I contact in regard to changing our loft room to a bedroom? Who to call out? I’m clueless. Is it the council? An independent person? 

 

We bought the house as having a loft room although to us, looks very legit as a bedroom, but want to sell in the near future and having another bedroom obviously good selling point 

 

many thanks!

 

 

[Bitpipe]

What kind of stairs does it have at present?

 

If it's a habitable room, it will need to meet building regulations so a building control inspector may be the best place to start.

 

 

Edited August 9, 2020 by Bitpipe

[Stills]

3 minutes ago, Bitpipe said:

What kind of stairs does it have at present?

 

If it's a habitable room, it will need to meet building regulations so a building control inspector may be the best place to start.

 

 

It has a separate staircase in between two rooms, with a separate door. It was built in 1995 by professionals but they couldn't class it as a bedroom at the time and I have no idea why 

 

thank you for replying 

[Bitpipe]

1 minute ago, Stills said:

It has a separate staircase in between two rooms, with a separate door. It was built in 1995 by professionals but they couldn't class it as a bedroom at the time and I have no idea why 

 

May be ceiling height - from https://www.labcwarranty.co.uk/blog/how-to-ensure-your-loft-conversion-complies-with-building-regulations/

 

• Height: Is there enough room in your loft to stand comfortably?  For your loft to be classified as a bedroom once converted you will ideally need a minimum of 2m headroom – but remember this will be after new floors, beams and panelling have been fitted, which may take up another 300mm of headroom.

[Stills]

23 minutes ago, Bitpipe said:

 

May be ceiling height - from https://www.labcwarranty.co.uk/blog/how-to-ensure-your-loft-conversion-complies-with-building-regulations/

 

• Height: Is there enough room in your loft to stand comfortably?  For your loft to be classified as a bedroom once converted you will ideally need a minimum of 2m headroom – but remember this will be after new floors, beams and panelling have been fitted, which may take up another 300mm of headroom.

We can definitely stand up straight - husband is 6 foot tall

so will definitely need a building inspector out like you suggested

[the_r_sole]

If it's been converted as recently as that but wasn't able to be signed off then there's most definitely a reason it couldn't be signed off!

I would try and figure out what it is that doesnt meet regs before I got building control involved... you may be about to open a can of worms...

[Stills]

7 minutes ago, the_r_sole said:

If it's been converted as recently as that but wasn't able to be signed off then there's most definitely a reason it couldn't be signed off!

I would try and figure out what it is that doesnt meet regs before I got building control involved... you may be about to open a can of worms...

We have absolutely no idea hence why I’m asking on here. I’m a driving instructor by day and know zero about buildings ? was hoping someone may have known where to start. Be interesting just to know why it’s not classed as a bedroom as sure looks like any other conversion I’ve ever seen 

Edited August 9, 2020 by Stills

[Ferdinand]

Welcome to the forum. I'm going to imagine that your name means you want the loft room for making moonshine.

 

The problems that make a loft room difficult tend to be clearances (eg can you get a high enough ceiling over a big enough area to be useful once you have put enough insulation in to make it comfortable, can you fit a decent stairway in - not too steep etc without risk of bumping heads) and structural (can the floor be made strong enough without compromising some other element), and is it worth it on the price of the house.

 

If it was done by people who knew their onions, and they chose not to 'regularise' it with the authorities, which would let them sell as an extra habitable room, then there is probably a damn good reason hiding in the woodwork somewhere. Otherwise why wouldn't they?

 

One option is to get a loft conversion specialist out -  they are everywhere just Google it - and say 'it was done in 1995 and we want to know what we need to do to make it a real room, please would you give us a quote".

 

That way you may find that it cannot be done economically, or that it can be done and you need to do XYZ.

 

You could find that some of the works are difficult enough to need a specialist.

And you will have a better handle on the concepts.

 

Ferdinand

 

 

Edited August 10, 2020 by Ferdinand

[DevilDamo]

There could be a number of reasons of which could relate to the structural, fire safety or thermal efficiency.

 

If you have proof the conversion works were done in 1995, you should be able to get away in complying with the Building Regulations at the time as opposed to the current BR’s.

 

You would require a visit from some kind of professional... an architect/designer or Building Control but bearing in mind the latter (as mentioned above) could open up a can of worms.

 

Another possible reason could be if the conversion works required Planning approval. While the majority can be carried out under PD, there are certain rules and restrictions with PD. If it didn’t meet those requirements and the works required formal Planning, then Local Planning polices would kick in, in terms of off-street parking, overlooking, etc... Similarly to the BR situation, if you can prove the works were carried out in 1995, then you’d need to check the PD rules at the time. Although saying that, you could just pursue a Certificate of Lawfulness as it’s been there for 15 years.

[Stills]

9 hours ago, DevilDamo said:

There could be a number of reasons of which could relate to the structural, fire safety or thermal efficiency.

 

If you have proof the conversion works were done in 1995, you should be able to get away in complying with the Building Regulations at the time as opposed to the current BR’s.

 

You would require a visit from some kind of professional... an architect/designer or Building Control but bearing in mind the latter (as mentioned above) could open up a can of worms.

 

Another possible reason could be if the conversion works required Planning approval. While the majority can be carried out under PD, there are certain rules and restrictions with PD. If it didn’t meet those requirements and the works required formal Planning, then Local Planning polices would kick in, in terms of off-street parking, overlooking, etc... Similarly to the BR situation, if you can prove the works were carried out in 1995, then you’d need to check the PD rules at the time. Although saying that, you could just pursue a Certificate of Lawfulness as it’s been there for 15 years.

Thank you

[Stills]

9 hours ago, DevilDamo said:

There could be a number of reasons of which could relate to the structural, fire safety or thermal efficiency.

 

If you have proof the conversion works were done in 1995, you should be able to get away in complying with the Building Regulations at the time as opposed to the current BR’s.

 

You would require a visit from some kind of professional... an architect/designer or Building Control but bearing in mind the latter (as mentioned above) could open up a can of worms.

 

Another possible reason could be if the conversion works required Planning approval. While the majority can be carried out under PD, there are certain rules and restrictions with PD. If it didn’t meet those requirements and the works required formal Planning, then Local Planning polices would kick in, in terms of off-street parking, overlooking, etc... Similarly to the BR situation, if you can prove the works were carried out in 1995, then you’d need to check the PD rules at the time. Although saying that, you could just pursue a Certificate of Lawfulness as it’s been there for 15 years.

Thank you ?