Loft conversion 'With Pictures'

So my parents 'who I live with' had a full spar bedroom filled with junk after moving house so I came up with idea of converting the loft to put it all in rolleyes pretty stupid I know and none of it is my stuff but anyways its took me longer than I thought due to health reasons and me losing the will to continue for a good part of a year:-D But now its done... probably a year and a half,there was no rush really though as it was out of the way I just went up there whenever I felt like it live Gibbs in his basement on NCIS:cool.I did all the work myself without help apart from the plastering which took my brother a short day to finish because he's really good at it.

ATM the carpet needs fitting still there's only two two layers of underlay down 'thats the green stuff on the floor' and the carpet fitter is coming this Sunday,the only reason I opted for that is because he'll fit it for £20, mates rates:cool

I was gonna post a long rambling thing about all the work,the tricky bits and the problems I had and there were a couple like the window not coming with the flashing kit to water proof it requiring me to order one from Denmark at my own expense for £60:eek And me having to remove literally half to a ton of dust and rubble which some dodgy builders had hidden inside the loftrolleyes 'You can see it in the first couple of picture's before and after cleaning' but I thought that would be pretty boring for most people especially if your not into DIY so instead I'll just post the pictures,if anyone has any questions I'll gladly answer them.

I took pictures most days after major sections were finished resulting in about 2-300 pictures but I've condensed them down to about 50 showing major changes.

Here they are,rather than post a link to each one here's the album peruse them at your leasiurem,they should be in chronological order first pictures I took after just sticking my head up on page one to its current carpet lacking state at the end of page three.

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/Rikky_/LOFT/

I've made them all public and they work fine for me but let me know if you have any probs viewing the pics.

 

Re: Loft conversion

Good work Rikky! Looks nice!

 

Re: Loft conversion

Thanks No I had to cut a hole in the roof:-D It was the most daunting part,I had to reinforce the roof joinst then to cut the hole,remove the roof tiles,then fit the window frame,flashing kit and fit the window and I had to do it all in one day on my own,if it was left overnight it could have rained into the loft and plus leaving a huge hole in the roof just wasn't acceptable.

If you look at the bottom right on page 1, 2nd and 3rd from the left you can see the hole in the insulation where I had to cut a hole in the roof,I don't have a picture of just the hole but it looked absolutely dreadful just after I'd cut it,like a bomb or something had blown a hole through it.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/Rikky_/LOFT/DSCF2099.jpg

Here's the window just after I'd installed it,notice the beam in the centre of the window has been cut and 2X3 peice of timber has been fixed below and above the window to spread the load across the two joists at either side.

There still a few niggling little touch up painting jobs around the black edge's which you may see on the pics.

Ermm? ATM yes it's just a fancy storage area because everything from the spare room is up there now but now I can now properly decorate the empty bedroom.

The rules over here regarding loft's are you can do whatever you want to as long as you don't put stairs in and sleep in it,if you do its then classed as 'living space' which you need planning permission for. To get planning permission you need to have engineering and architectural plans drawn up and then apply to the gov,it costs something like £5,000-£10,000 before you even put the first screw in,then usually another £10-£15,000 for the materials and labour.

The total cost of what I've done is all materials which came to around £1500,I have every receipt spend on it just not tilled them up yet.

My biggest regret was not putting proper floor joists in which you would need for it to be regulation living space and to have a strong floor but the amount of work it involves double's if you do, as it means disturbing and ripping down practically the whole of the upstairs ceiling which would make it un-livable,just not an option,especially since I don't know how long it would take me. you also have to take part of the roof off and lift the joists in with a crane,just far too much work.

Thanks Fred

 

Re: Loft conversion

Holy crap man! What a great job!:drool I love the exposed beams that you left on the ceiling along with that brick sort of arch type thing at the end of the room, great that you didn't have that plastered over as that would have been a true architectural waste to just have a blank plastered wall there.

The skylight is a very nice addition and much needed in a space like that, not only for light but for air too. Have you installed two of them as they look like they open differently than the roof shot(beautifully installed as these things can go horribly wrong), maybe it's the angle of the pics?

I await for the last pics when you get the carpet and furniture in. It should look just glorious! A job well done mate!:wine

All you need now is a remote controlled elevator.:-D

 

Re: Loft conversion

Funny you say that my dad is disabled so he can't climb the ladder into the loft but I have a 250kg winch:-D I would connect a seat to it and winch him up but there's not enough clearance above the loft hatch to safely get him up there,it would winch him halfway in then he'd have to climb sideways which is too dangerous.

No just one window that opens outwards,in this pic the window is in but its semi finished, you can just see around the outside of the window to the top right the edge stones need pointing with cement and tiles need pressing down,also part of the kit was missing in this picture there should be no exposed wood on the outside its all covered in painted aluminium,that's the part I had to overnight from Velux in Denmark,overnight from Denmark takes about a week BTW:-D I've now fitted the extra coverings and its completely water tight.

Closed from the outside

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/Rikky_/LOFT/DSCF2121.jpg

Open

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/Rikky_/LOFT/DSCF2118.jpg

Open from the inside

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/Rikky_/LOFT/DSCF2116.jpg

I think its just the angle of the pic.

With regards to what it will be used for in the future I don't know? When I started I wasn't gonna make it as nice as a room it just ended up that way,maybe a hobby room,little cinema?

 

Re: Loft conversion

The reason I put so much storage space up there was exactly because that was its purpose,everyone in my family has said its too nice for a storage room now but that's how I designed to serve as both,it is shame to cover all the brickwork with crap from yesteryear but its better than it being stroon across the floor.

It has masses of storage space,the two cupboards are huge and turn backwards into the empty small part of the roof,I've put about 20 that's right 20! cardboard boxes full of books into those cupboards that were never re-shelved after the move into the cupboards until there's somewhere to put them.

So an entire rooms worth of stuff into two cupboards and the wall shelves on the chimney breat which leaves the floor area totally empty for whatever.

 

Re: Loft conversion

I never knew your dad was disabled Rikky, I just thought it would be a good idea if you were going to live up there. I'm obviously wrong in that assumption then.

I'm disabled too if you didn't know and elevators are necessary for me, maybe that's why I thought of it. Anyways, who would want to climb/descend that ladder many times a day?-D

 

Re: Loft conversion

Yeah I know I can't use it as living space which is either A)A bedroom or B) Install stairs leading up to it,it has to be a ladder. If I put stairs there so my dad could get up and they found out about it they have the authority to rip it out then charge me for it.

Hypothetically if I did apply which as I said would cost a minimum of £5,000 everything I've done would have to be ripped out and it built exactly to the specs of living space code and the architectural plans,including floor joists.

Even the window has to be a certain height from the floor so it can be used as an escape window in case of fire,I've put mine 20 cm too high,on purpose so it would let more light into the room.

But it can be used as anything else,I could put a TV and sofa in there,turn it into a library I guess?

Out of the 20 boxes of books we have, I kept 2 :-D My dad doesn't seem to grasp the fact that the internet has made books pretty much redundant,the rest are just his,none are fiction which I could understand,well no not really I'd rather have a kindle than waste a room on a library.

 

Re: Loft conversion

I love books! I like to read an actual printed page and smell the book too, as long as it's not too musty. Screw the Kindle and other online books, I'll never get used to the fact that a piece of electronics can ever replace a real book.

A library would be nice if you 'HAD ANY BOOKS LEFT!':-D

 

Re: Loft conversion

Not a bad job at all Rikky, I'm impressed, not an easy thing to do.
The rubble left up there is most likely lime dust/rubble from when the roof was converted from lath and plaster to felt, if you've ever replaced a roof like that you'd understand why it's there. When I used to do them I would lay plastic sheet or a plastic tapr down to catch the plaster and then wrap it up and lift it through the roof before felting it, but many builders don't bother.
Not fully understanding why you had to get a flashing kit from abroad, could you not have just bought a roll of lead and flashed it?
Having said that to take on a dorma fitting on your own is a pretty brave tasks, so so many things could go wrong so quickly it's not even funny, but you did a grand job sir.

As for the flooring, that damn rule that says you have to have 14" (or is it 16"?) joists for a traffic floor is bull, always hated that rule, you look into some of the old old houses that had loft conversions donkeys years ago and all they did was fix cross joists and corner block where needed, guess what, they are and have been safe for 60+ years.

Did you do the electrical yourself?
If so my advice would be to have a certified electrician give it the once over and put his name to it for insurance reasons.

In one of those pics is looks like the gable brick is shiny, did you seal and shine it? or is that just the way the light hit it?
Either way it's a fantastic job and looks really good, good job my friend

 

Re: Loft conversion

Nice Job Rikky, a great achievement to do it all yourself.
I live in an apartment so loft conversions are out plus with my mobility problems i would have to pay someone else to do it.
We do have a loft over the garage but i am not able to get up there so it's empty and all the junk lies in the garage.

 

Re: Loft conversion

The joists are 14 inches apart anyway but if you notice I've tied all the joists into the roof beam with 3x2 at their weakest part in the centre of the room

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/Rikky_/LOFT/DSCF2030.jpg


The roof beam isn't going anywhere as its cemented into the wall and at the other end is over a supporting wall,i've also reinforced the corner over the supporting wall.

http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/Rikky_/LOFT/?action=view&current=DSCF1828.jpg

With regard to the flashing kit that was a typo, mis print whatever,I bought the flashing kit with the window and installed it when I did the frame, the part that was missing was part of the window trim and was supposed to be in the box with the window in a sealed pack called a top hung bei pack-

This is the actual one I ordered

http://www.veluxsolutions.co.uk/invt-173-369/velux-top-hung-bei-pack-2

If you notice in this pic there's no cover over the top part of the window wood,it should look just like the bottom part with no wood exposed.

http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b214/Rikky_/LOFT/DSCF2121.jpg

I had two choices the store where I got it,they would accept return of the window for a full refund but what they wouldn't do is order parts from another company for me,nor would they reimburse me the money for the bei pack. The window was already installed when I realised it was missing and I wasn't taking it out again.

That was the only screw up in the whole project really,spending an extra £60 over budget is nothing on a project this size,usually there about 5-10 things that have to be returned or reordered.

The chimney breast took 6 coats of PVA based sealant to get it like that,first brushed and vacuumed it,pointed it,brushed vaccumed and cleaned it again then applied a really weak 5 parts water to one part PVA to soak into the brickwork,I then built it up to the final coat using 3 parts PVA and one part water to give it good shine,it looks much better in the flesh the pictures don't do it justice.

In retrospect this was a bit of a mistake because where the PVA splashed onto the finished plaster on the walls it could be seen through the paint so I had to sand all the walls down a foot around the chimney breast before I could paint it,if I did it again I'd PVA it before the plaster went on,the onyl problem with that it it will probably get damaged and dirty again before completion,I dunno damned if you do damned if you don't.

I looked forever for a good hydrocarbon based brick sealant like ronseal or thompsons water seal that had a glossy finished but I couldn't find one so I'm not sure they exist.

Thanks Ned:

 

Ah, the window thing makes more sense now lol, don't you just bloody hate it when companies wont work with you, I suppose they told you to "Just bring it back and we will swap it" without a clue that once a hole has been cut in a roof it's not the sort of thing you can wait around for.

Thompson used to do a gloos sealler but quite possible they don't anymore, was never a big call for it but PVA works, as for it showing through the paint, it might but I used to seal off rusty nail heads with PVA before painting so the rust wouldn't show through, having said that is was gloss not emulsion so probably would show.

Great job anyway Rikky, I'm sure you're very proud of yourself and rightly so

 

Yeah they have a fixed policy.Usually I would argue,threaten them with further legal action,tell them the law:-D But I just couldn't be bothered,I just ordered the parts I needed within 5mins of getting home.

I've heard of other people using regular wood varnish:confused

Thanks again.

Wonder if anuone else has realised there free 'thanks' going in this thread:-D

 

Great work Rikky.
Neat job with the skylight. I'd covet the space as a bedroom. Legal or otherwise. :-D
Always found spacey attics to be charming with a bit if intrigue.

Hats off and cheers..

 

You can use wood varnish but it has a tendancy to flake and peel away from brick because it only puts a top coat on and doesn't actually soak in a seal, now if you seal it up first it would last longer but then you could get a weird chemical reaction that could turn it white.
You used to be able to buy brick varnish years ago, but I think they stopped making it because the chemicals in it were not good, much like creosote.

I think it looks fine how it is mate, with all those layers of PVA it will probably last many years as well.
Is the wall a gable or a joining wall?

Just had a thought, if it's an open gable, is the outside sealed?
What you don't want is the outside absorbing weather/water and penetrating through to the inside and then hitting the PVA, that could turn it white with the salt.
Just a thought, I could be wrong but I've seen odd things happen with brick and sealers, mind you I'm basing this on living by the sea with a lot of salt in the air.

 

Nah that connects on to the east wing of our estate.

Or the next door neighbours house,I forget which now:confused

:-D

Same thing can can happen on undried plaster,people seal it with pva not knowing it can take up to 6 weeks for a freshly plastered 'brick' wall to completely dry,the only thing you should seal them with is watered down 'matt' emulsion which can breath and let the wall dry.

 

Oh yes, I've known guys to skim coat a wall and seal it the next day then paint it the day after and the result is not nice, if they are lucky they will just get blotty spots on the wall but more often than not it will simply start falling off in small clumps lol

I've also seen guys plaster and play with it too much to get it smooth, if you put a trowl mark in it try a couple of times to get it out with a dripping wet trowl, if not then sand it out a couple of days later.
See there's no need for that knowledge here because they use plasterboard for everything and then just tape and fill it, I have been refered to as the master here with skim coating, unfortunately the reason is because no other bugger knows how to do it, but there's also virtually zero call for it. The one thing I can do better than most people around here and it's not needed, just my freakin' luck huh lol

 

Just got back to M.G.'s to look at this thread. Pretty impressive job you've done there, mate!) Doing it by yourself wouldn't be easy, either. Great job, there! I need something like that for all my books and stuff, too.