reevesy
Distinguished Member
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
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hi all,
thought here might be good as place as any to ask about the murky world of loft 'rooms'
im currently looking for a new house and a couple have caught my eye with loft rooms..one in particular that i'm keen to go look at has one with windows and a skinny wooden straight stair up to it with no hand rail
now im assuming there's no regulation paperwork with any loft room that is not marketed as a bedroom but i dont know what a buyer should be looking out for...or in fact like i'm suspecting should walk away when it comes to diy conversions
originally i thought great thats a cinema/music room sorted but after a bit of googling it looks a right mine field.....fire proofing...correct enforcement of floors...sufficient ventilation behind walls to allow ventilation and prevent rot in roof wood work ..fire doors to name a few.
was thinking none of this can be checked without ripping it out ..which is not going to happen until you buy it....any surveys during the buying process is just going to visual ..and if the council get involved...then watch out as they could insist it's illegal so it will either have to be ripped out and put right...or ripped out and put back to normal.
i also read the if it was done so many years ago none of it should applicable ?..also sellers could be made to take an indemnity policy...which even if it was taken out...if the conversion is classed as illegal would be void?
any way as i'm sure theres many on here who have done it themselves i wondered what peoples views and experiences were?....or if i should just walk away
cheers
thought here might be good as place as any to ask about the murky world of loft 'rooms'
im currently looking for a new house and a couple have caught my eye with loft rooms..one in particular that i'm keen to go look at has one with windows and a skinny wooden straight stair up to it with no hand rail
now im assuming there's no regulation paperwork with any loft room that is not marketed as a bedroom but i dont know what a buyer should be looking out for...or in fact like i'm suspecting should walk away when it comes to diy conversions
originally i thought great thats a cinema/music room sorted but after a bit of googling it looks a right mine field.....fire proofing...correct enforcement of floors...sufficient ventilation behind walls to allow ventilation and prevent rot in roof wood work ..fire doors to name a few.
was thinking none of this can be checked without ripping it out ..which is not going to happen until you buy it....any surveys during the buying process is just going to visual ..and if the council get involved...then watch out as they could insist it's illegal so it will either have to be ripped out and put right...or ripped out and put back to normal.
i also read the if it was done so many years ago none of it should applicable ?..also sellers could be made to take an indemnity policy...which even if it was taken out...if the conversion is classed as illegal would be void?
any way as i'm sure theres many on here who have done it themselves i wondered what peoples views and experiences were?....or if i should just walk away
cheers