Utilising the loft

Lets say I wanted to use the loft of my house for anything. Initially just for storage perhaps.

Currently it is just the loft. It has several inches of loft insulation nasty fibre material in it. Obviously I'd need to put some sort of floor down.

Lets say I wanted to do this myself as cheaply as possible, but I didn't want to make it a fire risk, or risk busting the house. How would I proceed?

At this point I'm just in the early stages of pondering it.

 

You'd probably need to put new floor joists in, I would imagine there are only 4 inch ones there already. You'd need 6 inch ones coming off joist hangers from the gable walls.

 

by the new law , if you want to convert in a room that will need metal beam

so before you start make clear of what you want to do.
otherwise , you can still convert into a room/storage with window but the stair can not be fix .
remove the insulation , reiforce the joist to 6/8 inches , do the electic ,cover with board ,then insulete the roof with polystyrene panel expencive but good and add a window or 2 , then use plaster bord to cover all up , fill , paint , cover the flooor and job done ..... 5/6 thousands in materials

 

Thanks people

It looks easy to do, if I don't have to put bigger joists in. If I do though, how would I do that? Would I need to get someone in or is it DIY'able?

 

You may also need to upsize all the electric cables that will end up both under a new floor and also be surrounded with insulation as that can cause them to overheat.

If you're converting it for use a 'habitable' accommodation then you may need to get into all sorts of Building Regs requirements such as changing lower doors to fire rated ones, having a roof light as a means of escape, underpinning, etc.

 

You can do it the easy way, if you just want storage space or you can go the whole hog and follow regulations.
For years I've just had four inches insulation under the 25mm flooring in my loft.
Around the edges where there is no head room, (Hipped roof on semi), the insulation is 8 inches.

It seems nearly every year they move the goal posts regarding insulation.
I just ignore them.

 

if you are going to do it as a bed room it is better to do it safely,
RSJ across the width of the house you take out a few bricks for these to sit on and cement into position, joist then run between the RSJ's, you need to have a fire door and an escape window and mains fire alarms...... ok this is not what you wanted to hear lol but it is what i did

 

At this stage, I was just thinking of making it a storage area/hideout, but if I was to go ahead, then at some point I'd want to make it a proper room, though not necessarily for use as a bedroom. So I guess it would make sense to make sure the joists were strengthened up to whatever the regulations say (currently 6 inches we seem to be saying, at present). Then at least I wouldn't have to rip it all out and start again (at great expense and effort) if I later upgrade.

At this point I'm still thinking it through. Part of me wants to move (I've never been able to settle), but a bigger part of me says its alright here so I might as well get comfy, but then there's loads of projects I want to do and only so much at a time. More thinking to do me thinks

 

Clueless, if you want to later turn it into a room you need to apply the regs right from the start, no half measures.
Its gonna cost.

 

this statement actually answers your other thread quite nicely you could get the planning and regs sorted and get some one to do the RSJ they is damn heavy get an electricain for the wiring and alarms ... you will need the papers and certs for the planning people, the window need to be quite low down and full opening as it need to met with the fire regs so you will probably need a second window higher up for more light and ease of opening, also re insulation we used http://www.superfoil.co.uk/sf19/ it is more expensive but it is more effecient and is ultra thin, the boarding ect i am sure you could do yourself
hope i havent put you off