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Posted: Sun Apr 18, 2010 9:52 pm
by r44flyer
Can anyone recommend a design service for a loft conversion in Birmingham/West Midlands? I would need all structural engineering calculations and all required plans drawn up with materials specifications etc.
Also, does anyone have any idea what this service is likely to cost?
The house is an early 1950s 2-bed mid-terrace with a gable front. The gable gives great space towards the front of the loft so there's no real need for a dormer but we may put one on the back to give a bit more room for the en-suite.
Without the dormer, planning permission shouldn't be required unless someone can tell me it is if we plan to put a window into the front of the gable, because it's obviously not simply a velux. I'm not sure on this point.
Thanks a lot!
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:55 am
by TheVictorianCobbleCo
Contact J0hn T1ppey Adds Farm East Sussex, he used two carpenter brothers to do a barn conversion, their work was brilliant, I think they will travel, and the cost should far less than a bespoke Loft Company.
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 5:06 pm
by lutonlagerlout
most chippys can do lofts,you dont need planning for a rear or side dormer and veluxes dont need planning
but you do need building regs and structural calcs
the window at the front will almost certainly require planning permission
one of the main points to remember is that no part of the roof may be higher than the existing ridge height,and when you do a warm deck system this can encroach on your ceiling height dramatically
there are no regs on ceiling heights (our record was 1.7m :O )
but generally speaking if you stand in your loft now the ridge should be at least as high as you can reach from the ceiling joists,any lower and you will have short rooms
sorry i dont know anyone in that area and i dont travel
LLL
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 9:28 am
by r44flyer
Thanks guys. Anyone else?
1.7m might be fine for me, I'm just under 5'6"! 
Got plenty of room to wave my arms above my head up there though. Was in next doors loft yesterday, they've had a conversion done for years and it's a good sized room. I take it the dormer is the reason they have a third RSJ along the apex of the roof?
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 3:24 pm
by seanandruby
must be loads of good chippies in brum, at least there was before i left :;):
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:19 pm
by lutonlagerlout
r44flyer wrote:Thanks guys. Anyone else?
1.7m might be fine for me, I'm just under 5'6"! Got plenty of room to wave my arms above my head up there though. Was in next doors loft yesterday, they've had a conversion done for years and it's a good sized room. I take it the dormer is the reason they have a third RSJ along the apex of the roof?
thats a ridge beam very popular with structural engineers and architects but a pain to install,maybe ask your neighbours who did theirs?
LLL
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 7:30 pm
by r44flyer
I have asked, they're digging out the number for me. Apparently he was very good and BC were quite impressed with his workmanship. Neighbour also recommended SafeStyle for the windows 
Don't think I've ever heard a good word about them!
Can I get away without a ridge beam if we have no dormer? There are no struts to cut out, although there's a purlin that spans the gap where the gable is which will need cutting out with the remainder presumably being held up by a post from the RSJ.
Posted: Tue Apr 20, 2010 11:08 pm
by lutonlagerlout
every loft we do now has at least 2 290 by 152 in them for the joists to bear on
the reason the ridge beam can be a pain is that it invariably falls in the centre of the bleedin chimney stack 
AFAIK they save a lot of timberwork
LLL
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:52 am
by r44flyer
Yup, our ridge passes straight into the chimney stack as well I take it that means it can't be put in?
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 2:34 pm
by lutonlagerlout
no you then have a 100 by 100 column bearing on to a suitable load bearing wall for the ridge deadlink sit on
do you see where this is going?
:;):
LLL
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:37 pm
by r44flyer
There are no suitable load bearing walls near the chimney stack, so it would need to be another RSJ, making 4 plus the ridge one if required.
What do you mean do I see where this is going?
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 6:40 pm
by rab1
think you just answered your own question.
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 9:03 pm
by lutonlagerlout
what i mean is that you end up with more steel work than the Eiffel tower,plus cleats and on site welding it can add 2 grand on to a loft conversion
i dunno about brum but down here they normally range from20-30k with a back and side dormer depending on lots of things
LLL
Posted: Wed Apr 21, 2010 10:11 pm
by r44flyer
I know, it's becoming more expensive every time I look at it. Next door paid 1200 for their ridge beam, and that was 12 years ago! There may be enough height to put the joists in perpendicular to the present ones, which, given the shape, would require only 2 RSJs, and they'd be shorter. That would mean a hell of a span for the joists, which is maybe do-able with i-joists.
I need to get my tape measure out, and have a survey done by an engineer!
Posted: Thu Apr 22, 2010 12:40 am
by lutonlagerlout
i think last one i did 10 by 2's spanned 4.2 m
LLL