Hi Clint. Thanks for watching. As you know from the video we prefer to use the Local Authority as they are cheaper and we have found their level of service and the quality of inspectors to be very good. 👍
You neglected to mention about Approved Document B regarding fire. Means of escape from a loft is a big consideration and often over looked. Upgrades to the existing smoke detection system to provide an LD1 system or a protected stair is required when a house is converted into a 3 storey dwelling. Ben
My building control office made My builder install wireless connected fire alarms in all the rooms and floors in my house and In the kitchen when I had my loft conversion. He also told me to let my home insurance company know that my property has loft converted to a bed room. I used Assent building control company recommended by my builder.
@@JoeBlogs yep wireless alarms not allowed as batteries run out and if they are run by mains they wont be wireless if that makes sense, my building control[south tyneside] would use the law to make you change them , i have heard and seen this being done after the job has been completed.
The Assent building inspector was correct to request interlinked smoke detection in all habitable rooms throughout the property as its a requirement to mitigate the risk to life from the loft conversion, i assume was at second floor meaning you don't have the option to get out an egress window. Smoke detection is one solution however, it is also possible to form a protected stair with FD30 doors to all habitable room leading off the stairs provided the kitchen is not open to the stairs. You can find details relating to fire regs in Approved Document B vol 1
Thank u “property gurus”. Very informative/useful video for unexperienced people like me in this field. Hopefully, will be able to start my loft conversion soon, once I get the approval of the freeholder. Quick question pls, regarding party wall notices/awards, are they any tips u could share?
Hi Celia. Thanks for watching and the great feedback. We will be posting a video on Party Wall soon so please subscribe to make sure you get a notification 👍
What about for a loft conversion in a Victorian house that already has three floors? I have read you need an enclosed staircase with fire-doors in all doorways that lead off the house's stairs, all the way to the bottom where there then needs to be a corridor to the front door. Plus wired in smoke alarms. Is this true? I have Victorian doors in quite small doorways. No way would I want to replace them with new fire-doors. Also, I have a glazed door leading from the bottom of the stairs and then an open kitchen with the front door....no corridor.
Hi. Thanks for watching. Yes unfortunately you will have to change all of the doors in habitable rooms that face onto the stairwell if you add a loft conversion. You will also need wired smoke alarms. Both of these things are in the Building Regulations and are there to provide protection in the event of a fire as they give people warning and time to escape. 👍
How about if Ive already started my loft conversion prior to planning due to family complicated issues prior to planning but done to building regs and structural engineers design. As planning approval refused twice on the basis of over proposed development of land for a garage! But due to time element and family predicament if this wasnt started as of we'd all be stuck in a small caravan during winter. Not ideal, 20 weeks now waiting for approval, twice submitted application with second application completely free of garage. I had no choice to start, if the roof aint on by next week, we as a family dont stand a chance of getting in before the winter. I have a disabled daughter, a son with autism and a stressed out wife. Me being a professional builder of 34 years had to make an executive decision based on my families situation. Although all structure is exposed to show steels, joists, rafters, connections, supports etc. What do you think building control will say to this situation??
Hi mate what about when the house is detached and we want to build the loft (no wall around) and in the plan is dormer around (big square box flat roof in the middle and the rest front and back pich roof) my question is except the floor beams (steels) is possible to make and the big square box flat roof with metal ?or just duble triple timbers 6x2 or 7x2 (corners and windows), Thank you
Hi Dale. Thanks for watching. When you convert the lift space you have to fit fire doors on both the new loft rooms and also the existing habitable rooms have to be changed to fire doors so you need to factor than into your costs. Check out our daily dairy videos as there is a video dedicated to the fire doors 👍
Is it OK if the project takes longer than 10 months because say you get only the shell done , then you hiring separately plumbers elsctricians etc so it's going to take time that way
we dont have a building control certificate, Can we still live in the house without selling? I.e. is it illegal to live in the house with a loft conversion done without building certificate
@@user-ye3lk1hc4j Building Notice: Quick & simple for small projects like minor renovations or small extensions. No detailed plans needed. You notify the local authority before starting, and work can begin in 48 hours. One downside of using a building notice is that you're relying solely on the builder's expertise to ensure the construction meets the latest building regulations. This might lead to uncertainties in compliance and quality control. Full Planning Application: More detailed - You submit complete plans to the local authority, it takes about 4 weeks for approval, and construction starts only after getting the green light. With full planning, you get the advantage of being able to submit detailed drawings for Tender. This lets you gather competitive quotes from different contractors, helping you find the best deal for your project.
@@tstube818 Thank you for your reply, my friend has carpentry experience and would do the loft conversion DIY. Would you advise Building notice or Full Plan application? Thanks
@@user-ye3lk1hc4j I'm currently working on my loft project too, and I'm self-managing it. I decided to go with the full planning application route. While it involves hiring an architect to produce the drawings and waiting for the consent before starting, there's less risk involved. Once approved, you can be confident that if the builder follows the drawings, everything should go smoothly.
Building Control. Always Use council building control. Builders like to use private companies because they know that the inspectors will not bite the hand that feeds them. I am a builder and have been called on numerous occasions to sort out jobs signed off by private companies that wouldn't pass local authority building inspections. Obviously, the council was not interested, and the only recourse the client has is to go to court.
Thanks for that. Can I ask why would a job be signed off with a Completion Certificate by a private company be revealed as not up to the local council standards? Is is not the case that the existence of the CC is the end of the matter? Cheers
@@thesmallnotesduo building control rarely has any input on the quality of work only on the fact that the work confirms to the building regulations. This is the get our that the building inspector uses if you try to query something out is the clients responsibility to ensure that the work is done to the required standard
Many thanks Andy. My son and daughter are both trainee residential surveyors and they tell me Planning Permission and Buildings Regs are 'a nightmare'. I had a look into it and have to agree - they are just too complex for anyone to get a really good understanding of and on top of that they keep changing. They are being trained to instruct their clients to ask their legal advisors if there is a final completion certificate for any building work that needs it and your comment alerted them to the possibility that even when one exists, a final CC may still leave the client with problems if BRs have not actually been followed. Thanks again @@andykostynowicz
Hi Clint I live near Bristol and was wondering how much your loft cost? I have my structural drawings , and would like to do part of the work myself. I would like the steel beams , flooring and first fix electrics done in the first instance. Thankyou in advance
Simon Cowell knows his shit
Thanks for watching 🤣🤣👍
Can't unsee it now🤦♂️
Really helpful, thanks. Just about to start converting my loft.
Hi Andy. Thanks for watching and the great feedback. Hopefully our other loft videos will also prove useful 👍
Use , local authority only
Hi Clint. Thanks for watching. As you know from the video we prefer to use the Local Authority as they are cheaper and we have found their level of service and the quality of inspectors to be very good. 👍
You neglected to mention about Approved Document B regarding fire. Means of escape from a loft is a big consideration and often over looked. Upgrades to the existing smoke detection system to provide an LD1 system or a protected stair is required when a house is converted into a 3 storey dwelling.
Ben
Hi Ben. Thanks for watching and the feedback 👍
Awesome overview, thank you JB
My building control office made My builder install wireless connected fire alarms in all the rooms and floors in my house and In the kitchen when I had my loft conversion. He also told me to let my home insurance company know that my property has loft converted to a bed room. I used Assent building control company recommended by my builder.
Thanks for the feedback Max. It is a requirement to have linked smoke alarms on all of you floors when the loft is converted. 👍
@@JoeBlogs yep wireless alarms not allowed as batteries run out and if they are run by mains they wont be wireless if that makes sense, my building control[south tyneside] would use the law to make you change them , i have heard and seen this being done after the job has been completed.
The Assent building inspector was correct to request interlinked smoke detection in all habitable rooms throughout the property as its a requirement to mitigate the risk to life from the loft conversion, i assume was at second floor meaning you don't have the option to get out an egress window. Smoke detection is one solution however, it is also possible to form a protected stair with FD30 doors to all habitable room leading off the stairs provided the kitchen is not open to the stairs. You can find details relating to fire regs in Approved Document B vol 1
Brilliant information Thanks
Hi Irfan
Thanks for watching and the great feedback 👍
fantastic .. nicely done !!
Hi. Thanks for watching and the great feedback 👍🏻
Good stuff, maybe a vid on mitigating mess and dust you might have implemented?
Hi Jay. Thanks for watching 👍
very informative, thank you
Hi Racquel. Thanks for watching and the great feedback 👍
Thank u “property gurus”. Very informative/useful video for unexperienced people like me in this field. Hopefully, will be able to start my loft conversion soon, once I get the approval of the freeholder.
Quick question pls, regarding party wall notices/awards, are they any tips u could share?
Hi Celia. Thanks for watching and the great feedback. We will be posting a video on Party Wall soon so please subscribe to make sure you get a notification 👍
What about for a loft conversion in a Victorian house that already has three floors? I have read you need an enclosed staircase with fire-doors in all doorways that lead off the house's stairs, all the way to the bottom where there then needs to be a corridor to the front door. Plus wired in smoke alarms. Is this true? I have Victorian doors in quite small doorways. No way would I want to replace them with new fire-doors. Also, I have a glazed door leading from the bottom of the stairs and then an open kitchen with the front door....no corridor.
Hi. Thanks for watching. Yes unfortunately you will have to change all of the doors in habitable rooms that face onto the stairwell if you add a loft conversion. You will also need wired smoke alarms. Both of these things are in the Building Regulations and are there to provide protection in the event of a fire as they give people warning and time to escape. 👍
How about if Ive already started my loft conversion prior to planning due to family complicated issues prior to planning but done to building regs and structural engineers design. As planning approval refused twice on the basis of over proposed development of land for a garage! But due to time element and family predicament if this wasnt started as of we'd all be stuck in a small caravan during winter. Not ideal, 20 weeks now waiting for approval, twice submitted application with second application completely free of garage. I had no choice to start, if the roof aint on by next week, we as a family dont stand a chance of getting in before the winter. I have a disabled daughter, a son with autism and a stressed out wife. Me being a professional builder of 34 years had to make an executive decision based on my families situation. Although all structure is exposed to show steels, joists, rafters, connections, supports etc. What do you think building control will say to this situation??
Hi mate what about when the house is detached and we want to build the loft (no wall around) and in the plan is dormer around (big square box flat roof in the middle and the rest front and back pich roof) my question is except the floor beams (steels) is possible to make and the big square box flat roof with metal ?or just duble triple timbers 6x2 or 7x2 (corners and windows), Thank you
My roof is too low, I want to convert it into a TV room. But my project manager said that the plan would not be approved.
Thanks for this, 👍
Was really informative, starting mine shortly,
Did they not do a check on the fire doors?
Hi Steve. Thanks for watching and the great feedback. Hopefully our other loft videos will also prove useful 👍
And the fire doors?
The fire doors were checked as part of the Fourth & Final check once the loft was completed.
Do you have to fit fire door on a loft conversion?
Hi Dale. Thanks for watching. When you convert the lift space you have to fit fire doors on both the new loft rooms and also the existing habitable rooms have to be changed to fire doors so you need to factor than into your costs. Check out our daily dairy videos as there is a video dedicated to the fire doors 👍
Is it OK if the project takes longer than 10 months because say you get only the shell done , then you hiring separately plumbers elsctricians etc so it's going to take time that way
we dont have a building control certificate, Can we still live in the house without selling? I.e. is it illegal to live in the house with a loft conversion done without building certificate
Signed off with gaps in the insulation all over the place.
Building Notice or Full Plan application ? And what are the benefits?
Hi Clint, are you able to provide feedback on this please
@@user-ye3lk1hc4j
Building Notice: Quick & simple for small projects like minor renovations or small extensions. No detailed plans needed. You notify the local authority before starting, and work can begin in 48 hours. One downside of using a building notice is that you're relying solely on the builder's expertise to ensure the construction meets the latest building regulations. This might lead to uncertainties in compliance and quality control.
Full Planning Application: More detailed - You submit complete plans to the local authority, it takes about 4 weeks for approval, and construction starts only after getting the green light. With full planning, you get the advantage of being able to submit detailed drawings for Tender. This lets you gather competitive quotes from different contractors, helping you find the best deal for your project.
@@tstube818 Thank you for your reply, my friend has carpentry experience and would do the loft conversion DIY. Would you advise Building notice or Full Plan application? Thanks
@@user-ye3lk1hc4j I'm currently working on my loft project too, and I'm self-managing it. I decided to go with the full planning application route. While it involves hiring an architect to produce the drawings and waiting for the consent before starting, there's less risk involved. Once approved, you can be confident that if the builder follows the drawings, everything should go smoothly.
Hi , I’m thinking of loft conversion . Just wondering where are you based . I’m in Manchester. Thanks
Thanks for watching and the great feedback. We currently only cover London but are hoping to get to Manchester some time in the future! 👍
@@JoeBlogs thanks 🙏🏽
I know for a fact that Bolton Council has taken a few brown envelopes in the past, so this is not really accurate 😐
Building Control. Always Use council building control. Builders like to use private companies because they know that the inspectors will not bite the hand that feeds them. I am a builder and have been called on numerous occasions to sort out jobs signed off by private companies that wouldn't pass local authority building inspections. Obviously, the council was not interested, and the only recourse the client has is to go to court.
Thanks for that. Can I ask why would a job be signed off with a Completion Certificate by a private company be revealed as not up to the local council standards? Is is not the case that the existence of the CC is the end of the matter? Cheers
@@thesmallnotesduo building control rarely has any input on the quality of work only on the fact that the work confirms to the building regulations. This is the get our that the building inspector uses if you try to query something out is the clients responsibility to ensure that the work is done to the required standard
Many thanks Andy. My son and daughter are both trainee residential surveyors and they tell me Planning Permission and Buildings Regs are 'a nightmare'. I had a look into it and have to agree - they are just too complex for anyone to get a really good understanding of and on top of that they keep changing. They are being trained to instruct their clients to ask their legal advisors if there is a final completion certificate for any building work that needs it and your comment alerted them to the possibility that even when one exists, a final CC may still leave the client with problems if BRs have not actually been followed. Thanks again @@andykostynowicz
Should be called build a better loft lol
That made me laugh! 😂👍
Absolute rubbish I hired attic life loft loft conversion in Bristol and they barely looked at it ,I really regret not using local authority
Hi Clint I live near Bristol and was wondering how much your loft cost? I have my structural drawings , and would like to do part of the work myself. I would like the steel beams , flooring and first fix electrics done in the first instance. Thankyou in advance