Which methods can i use to reinforce the "floor" of my attic room to make it useable as an additional bedroom?(and conform to building regs) Any other relevant info/snags regarding an Attic conversion (to meet regs) would be most gratefully recieved.
Thanks.
Some description of the existing structure would make this an easier question to answer.
Very large joists, or steel girders. It's a big job.
No chance of putting metal joists in parallel to the existing "standard" joists then?
Something I've wondered. If the existing joists are almost adequate. What would be wrong with simply stressing them upwards a little, then fixing securely along the top a steel bar. Wouldn't this dramatically increase stiffness?
This is the way it is usually done - you leave the existing floor untouched as much as possible, and install a new one betweeen the existing joists. That way you don't disrupt the ceilings below, and at the same time do no lose too much head room in the new loft room.
To give some frame of reference to the "it's a big job" bit, I found it worked out about at about a six day job for two of us. You also need scaffolding to get access at roof level and will need to make a hole through the existing roof somewhere to allow you to get the new joists and stuff into the loft.
So in comparison to a whole loft conversion, while it may appear to be a big job - it is actually one of the quicker bits!
Even reinforced as you suggest, the existing ceiling joists would be nowhere near 'almost adequate' at around 4" x 2" (or in 'new money' 100mm x 50mm) to support the dead and live loads that the floor must carry when the attic is converted to a bedroom - or any other type of room for that matter.
To conform to the building regs, new floor joists must be inserted and adequate access via a permanent stairway is required with a fire-check door fitted, along with roof insulation requirements to make the room habitable even on the hottest/coldest of days - and this is just with old fashioned 'cut roof'.
If the roof is constructed with TRADA roof trusses, then the work becomes even more involved as these cannot be cut without seriously weakening the truss.
Brian G
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