LOFT CONVERSION OR DORMER ROOF EXTENSION
A well-designed loft conversion with CK Architectural Birmingham can feel like finding hidden treasure. The space that you’re using is there already, we’re just helping you to make it meet its full potential. Our years of experience and specialist designers all works together to give you the best designs possible, and with our project management service available too, we can even take care of the build.
We take you through the best options for loft conversions in Birmingham and the surrounding areas, with roof lifts, hip to gable and dormer loft conversions and extensions all being an option. Our local designers offer doorstep service across the west midlands including West Bromwich, Walsall, Wolverhampton, Redditch, Kidderminster, Tamworth, Solihull, Cannock, Lichfield, Stourbridge, Nuneaton, Coventry, and the rest of the area too.
Contact us today to speak with our experts, and a member of our team will be in touch to offer you free quotations and advice that you can use however you like.
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR LOFT CONVERSIONS
The main considerations for converting a loft in Birmingham are the height and the stairs. The stairs will need 1.9M headroom over the treads and the same clearance over the existing flight. The roof will need improvements to the structure, so you can add a floor, prevent roof sag, and spread then add insulation. We recommend you have at least 2.4M or 8 feet from the ceiling joist to rafter joint (top of apex). There also needs to be fire and smoke protection, a door and landing at the top or bottom of the new flight. Once we have the sizes and stairs designed, it is a simple case of laying out the rooms and adding windows. If you need bathrooms or en-suite then the waste and ventilation must be considered along with the physics of using water if you’re into the sloping section of the roof. There will always be the need for structural design by an engineer, as floor and ridge beams are typical for this to take extra weight and prevent spread.
LOFT CONVERSION DESIGN OPTIONS
Once the necessary structure and building control elements of your loft conversion have been determined and outlined, the fun part of your loft conversion design can begin. Layouts for bedrooms, bathrooms, en-suite and glazing can all start to be looked at. Introducing small dormers to the loft conversion design can add more standing height or feature windows to improve internal use and external feature. With more lenient budgets, we can introduce recessed balconies, oak or traditional truss effects with eye catching angles and light changes. There’s a lot of creativity to work with.
PLANNING PERMISSION
Most conversions to the roof can be done without the need for planning consent with permitted development. You can change the internal roof structure, add rear dormers and even go hip to gable without the need for planning. We do advise that you get it in writing from the council by way of a permitted development enquiry for a small fee. This will ensure you have no delays should the question arise when selling the property.
Take a look at our planning guide for more information.
LOFT CONVERSION PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT
A volume allowance of 40 cubic metres additional roof space for terraced houses
A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres additional roof space for detached and semi-detached houses
No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the principal elevation that fronts the highway
No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof
Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house
No verandas, balconies or raised platforms
Side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor
Roof extensions not to be permitted development in designated areas**
Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the original eaves
The roof enlargement cannot overhang the outer face of the wall of the original house.
BUILDING REGULATIONS
Any changes to the roof structure with a loft conversion will need a building certificate. This can be gained by way of approved building regulations drawings and site inspection through the build. This is done by either local authority (Birmingham city council) or private building inspectors. You will need the input from an engineer, the new floor and roof will bare weight onto steel designed and calculated. You will need a protected fire route with smoke seals and interlinked detector/alarms on each floor.
The stairs must be safe from collision and not steeper than 42 degrees, plus protected from fire. The new floor joist must be the correct size and spacing, determined from the unsupported span, the floor must be fire and sound protected. New rooms will need to be thermally adequate, lit and ventilated. For dormer roof conversions, you will need a ridge beam which requires the design/calculations from an engineer. We will work through design options with you knowing it can be converted into working building regulations detail drawings. Read our detailed Building Regulations Guide.