Indy Total Construction

Your lighting and power accessories will almost certainly need new circuits, which mean having sufficient spare fuseways or breakers at the electric panel, or extending the existing service panel. If you intend extending your central heating system, check that the boiler has the extra capacity.

In general, you will probably have to re-route pipes and cables already in the attic.

Attic conversion work should not be undertaken lightly since major structural alterations to the roof are inevitable. That is why it is essential to employ professionals to carry out at least all the initial design work, loading calculations and the necessary structural alterations. Then, if you want to save money, do the less critical parts of the job yourself: building the dividing partitions, cladding the floor and ceiling, installing the electrical circuits and pipe work.

If you do intend carrying out these tasks yourself, and you have any doubts at all regarding your ability to do so, then consult an expert in the particular area. In the final analysis, it may save much frustration, time and cost.

What the job involves

The weight of the floor, partition walls and ceiling of an attic conversion can be quite considerable and that is without the loading imposed by the framework for a dormer and, of course, the furnishings added to the completed rooms. So the very first job that is done when converting the loft is to build a supporting structure that will be able to carry this loading and also provide partial support to the roof, if parts of its original framework have been removed.

It is most unlikely that the original attic joists will be capable of providing the necessary extra support. There are two ways in which a strong floor frame can be made: either extra joists of the same size as the originals are fitted between them, or a completely separate structure is built on top of them, being supported directly by the load-bearing walls. Of the two, the latter is preferable, since it will insulate the rooms below from noise and vibration from the rooms above. It will also prevent damage to the ceiling during the construction stage. However, the available headroom will be reduced.

The separate framework will consist of strong wooden beams called trimmers placed around the edges and at strategic points joists will be fitted between them on metal hangers. Where trimmers and joists pass over intermediate loadbearing walls they are packed out with wood blocks for support.

Once this framework is in place, the necessary modifications can be made to the roof itself – adding extra support struts, dormer frameworks and even, in some cases, loadbearing wood-framed partitions.

The floor is normally clad with tongued-andgrooved plywood sheets — a quickly-laid, flat floor.

It is possible to buy standard size flights of stairs, either of the closed or open tread type and, if at all possible, these should be chosen to save on the expense of having stairs specially made to fit. It may be necessary to add a trimmer joist to the floor at the foot of the stairs for extra strength; another trimmer will be needed in the attic floor to support the top. The opening for the new stairs will be quite large and roomy, requiring several original attic joists to be cut through. Their ends must be supported from the new framework with trimmer joists or metal hangers.

The staircase itself may need cladding along the underside with gypsum board, unless it is of the open-tread variety.

Joists for the ceiling can be nailed- between the original rafters, and if a dormer is fitted they are bolted in place and carried through to support the dormer roof.

The internal walls can be lightweight stud partitions. The frames should be nailed together flat on the floor and then lifted into position where they can be nailed to the floor joists, the ceiling joists and to the rafters or other parts of the structure. Always notch the frameworks to fit over the existing roof members, not the other way round otherwise you will weaken the roof.

While the ceiling and partition frameworks are bare, you can fit all the electrical accessory mounting boxes to battens nailed in place and run in all the cables and any pipe work. Then cut insulation material to fit between the studs and bracing of the walls, the joists of the ceiling and the original rafters.

Wall cladding

Clad the walls and ceilings with foil-backed gypsum- board. This will help insulate the rooms and prevent moisture from passing through the walls into the roof space. The final job is to plaster the walls and decorate.

You will need to be able to get to the rest of the roof for repairs and maintenance to water tanks and pipe work, in addition to using it for storage purposes.

To this end, hatches should be built into the partition frameworks. They can be fitted with plywood panels held by magnetic catches and trimmed with molding.

A building permit will probably be required if you plan to do the following:

1. Alter or change the external appearance of your house. For example if you: add a porch; add a screen in a porch; add or remove a window or door, or if you build a fence or wall.

2. Do any electrical work.

3. Do any plumbing work.

4. Add or remove any structural element.

5. Build an addition to your house.

6. Erect a separate building on your property.

Applying for a building permit

To obtain a building permit, a set of plans showing your proposed alterations must be submitted to the local Building Department where they will be checked for compliance with the National and local Building Code. If the plans are up to code a permit will be issued, usually for a small fee.

The permit will be valid for one year after which time a new application must be made if the work has not started. The permit must be displayed prominently at various stages of the construction work you may be required to call in the local building inspector to check the work for compliance, for instance, before and after any footings have been made.

This checking procedure ensures that the work is indeed being carried out according to the approved plans and that the method of construction and the quality of the materials is up to the standard set out in the Building Code. Although this procedure may not be necessary on your particular job, however, the Building Inspector may call by at any time to check on the progress of the work.

Always be sure to complete the job according to the approved plans. If you are in any doubt, call the building inspector and ask his advice, never try to guess. This could be a waste of your time and money as any work not covered by the approved plans or not up to the standards of the code may be condemned at any stage of the building.

If your plans are rejected by the building department for non-compliance you will receive a notification of the reasons given. In some cases this may be simply dealt with by getting your building contractor to amend the plans making sure all the changes are incorporated before re-submitting them.

In other cases the layout of your property may make it impossible to comply with the requirements of the code. In this case you may seek an exception to the law by filing an application with the Zoning Board of Review. When filing for an exemption, evidence supporting your position must be presented with your application, together with a block plan showing all lots within a specified distance including all buildings and marked with owners’ names and addresses.

A plan of your lot showing the existing structures, and plans and elevations of the proposed work must also be submitted. A decision will be made after a public meeting of the Board during which any member of the public may speak for or against the project.