DIY Loft Conversion UK

Do It Yourself Loft Conversions

Having a loft conversion can add to the value of your home as well as enabling you to make the most of the space in your house. With property prices on the increase, making the most of your home is important, and house space in certain areas is at a premium and a loft conversion can be one way of extending your home with less fuss than an extension. Loft conversions are suitable for older properties, but houses built since the 1950s use prefabricated roof trusses which make loft conversions impractical and don't give much space in the loft for storage.

You need to contact your local Council before starting work. You may need to file a planning application for approval by the Council before starting work on the loft conversion. Planning policies vary from Council to Council. Building Control approval is always required for building or construction work. This ensures the health and safety of people working in and around a building area by providing functional requirements for building design and construction. Building Control provides an independent check that the building regulations have been complied with.

It is worth looking into whether a DIY loft conversion will really save you much money. It is usually possible to get a quote for free and you may find that a builder can obtain raw materials more cheaply, and already has the correct tools and equipment and will probably be able to work more efficiently. However if you have some experience with light building then a DIY loft conversion could be the way forward.

Conversions can vary from merely converting an unused space into a storage room, or creating a self-contained flat above your existing house. Areas that need to be addressed are: flooring; insulation and walls. Other considerations may be plumbing and electrical wiring if planning to include bathroom facilities and power points. Check existing insulation - you may need to add extra material to bring the insulation up to the recommended thickness of 150mm. It may be possible to get a grant from your local authority, depending on the type of insulation you require. Electrical wiring may be required to extend the existing power supply to meet your requirements, or you may need to install a new power supply if your loft currently does not have any lighting. Plaster or plasterboard ceiling will not support a person's weight so before starting work you need to lay down planks across the joists to be able to move around safely. If planning to install a bathroom or toilet, if possible place this above an existing bathroom to make it easier to connect the facilities to the existing plumbing. Measure the area to be converted so you can plan the space and materials required and assess what is feasible for the space you have to work with.

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