Loft conversion roof height: Tips For Low Ceiling & Small Loft Conversions – The Loft Room

Tips For Low Ceiling & Small Loft Conversions – The Loft Room

If you have a low ceiling in your loft or your loft space isn’t the largest, you may wonder whether a loft conversion is possible for your home. In most cases, there are ways around a small loft or low ceiling for a loft conversion, but it also depends on the type of conversion and the specific limitations of the existing loft space.

What ceiling height is required for a loft conversion?

The average ceiling height in the UK is 2.4m (8ft) meaning the issue of a low ceiling doesn’t apply to most. That said, there are still many properties that have lofts that fall below the minimum height for a loft conversion.

Building regulations for a loft conversion require a minimum ceiling height of 2.2m (7.2ft) to comply with health and safety standards. If your ceiling height in the loft space is less than this, it may not be possible to convert it into a living space.

However, it may still be possible to create a storage space, a play area or a small office in a loft with a low ceiling. In a lot of cases, 1.9m for a loft conversion is ample headroom if you’re not using the converted area as a main living space. Roof light conversions are the most suitable type of conversion for lofts with limited headroom, as they do not require any structural changes to the roof. Installing roof lights can also help to create the illusion of a larger space and improve natural light.

Dormer conversions can also be designed to fit into a low ceiling space, but it may be necessary to reduce the size of the dormer window to comply with building regulations. This can reduce the amount of natural light in the space, so it is important to consider whether this is a suitable option for you.

Hip-to-gable conversions and mansard conversions are less suitable for lofts with low ceilings, as they require a significant amount of structural changes to the roof. These types of conversions are best suited for lofts with a higher ceiling height, as they provide maximum headroom and space.

Do I have enough floor space in my loft for a loft conversion?

If your existing floor space in your loft is small, it may still be possible to create a usable living space with a loft conversion. There isn’t a set amount of floor space required under building regulations, so providing you have the required ceiling height for a loft conversion, there shouldn’t be any issues converting your loft. However, the amount of floor space you have available will dictate what your loft can suitably be used for so would need considering.

Roof light loft conversions and dormer loft conversions are often the most suitable option for those with smaller lofts and in most cases require little to no structural changes to the loft.

Low ceiling and small attic room ideas

We find that most of our loft conversions are used to create an additional bedroom, with most larger lofts also adding an ensuite to their bedroom loft conversion. However, not all lofts have the space available to be converted into a bedroom space. Here are a few ideas for a loft conversion for smaller loft spaces.

Use your loft space as a play area
Convert your loft into an office
Create organised storage space in your loft
Design your loft conversion into a dressing room
Add a creative space within your loft conversion (eg. music or art studio)
Convert your loft into a gym/workout space
Create space for an additional bathroom in your loft

How to overcome issues for a loft conversion with low roof height

Although the average standard ceiling height in the UK is 2.4m (8ft), not all lofts meet the required head height of 2.2m (7.2ft) for a loft conversion. You may still be able to convert your loft into adequate living space however by raising the roof or lowering the ceiling height of the floor below where possible. Another option is to use thinner insulation to meet regulations if your loft is only slightly lacking the required height.

If raising the roof is necessary to allow for a low ceiling loft conversion, this is likely to require planning permission as it will alter the roof shape and structure. If raising the roof is something you think may be required, we’d recommend speaking to a loft conversion specialist to see how they can support with a low roof loft conversion, talk you through your options, and let you know if your loft is suitable for a loft conversion.

Summary

There are usually ways around converting smaller loft spaces or those with restricted head height, but it is always best to consult with a loft conversion expert who can assess the space and provide guidance on whether a loft conversion is possible and practical for your needs. They can also advise you on any planning permission or building regulations that may be required for your loft conversion project.

If you require any advice or simply want to discuss your loft room project, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team here at The Loft Room for a chat or free quote.

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Loft Conversion Tips: How to Get Over the Issue of a Low Ceiling

Under Building Regulations, a loft conversion has a minimum ceiling height requirement of 2. 2 metres. A loft conversion low ceiling can therefore be a problem. However, if your proposed loft conversion space is less than 2.2 metres, as measured from the floor to the top of the ceiling joists, fear not as there are ways around this problem.

Whether you need to raise the roof, or lower the ceiling of the floor below, here’s some expert advice on how to get over the issue of a loft conversion low ceiling.

How can I tell if I’ve got enough head height?

To assess whether you’ll have enough head height within your loft, measure the clear head room of your existing space. You need to measure from the top of the ceiling joists to the bottom of the rafters.

If you have at least 2.2m head height, you’re good to go. However, if you have any less than this, you’ll need to speak to a specialist loft conversion company about how to create the required ceiling height.

The 2.2m head height regulation is in place to allow for insulation and the construction of the internal ceilings, to give the overall room a practical ceiling height of 1. 9m. Without this head height, your loft wouldn’t be a comfortable space, or for that matter, a habitable room. It’s precisely why the issue of a loft conversion low ceiling really needs to be addressed.

What are the options if I need to create more loft head height?

The three main options you have if you need to create more head height within your loft conversion are:

Raising the roof

Lowering the ceiling height of the rooms below

Using thinner insulation

These options can sometimes be combined with others, such as adding a dormer window as part of your loft conversion design to create a larger loft space.

What if raising the roof is necessary?

Raising the roof is a common way of creating extra ceiling height within a loft conversion. If you suspect you’ll have an issue with a loft conversion low ceiling, you will usually require planning permission if your specialists suggest raising the roof. This is because the roof structure and shape will be altered. It’s worth doing some preliminary checks with your local planning department as to whether there are any restrictions on raising the roof.

Once you know if planning permission is a possibility, your contractors will need to remove part of the existing roof structure and rebuild it in a design which allows for the additional head height. This could be as a dormer loft conversion, for example.

Alternatively, it may be the case that the entire existing roof needs to be removed. A ready-built room inserted into the space, such as a mansard loft conversion, is essentially an extension across of the whole of the loft space.

How can the ceiling height of the rooms below be lowered?

If the roof structure cannot be raised, then another option is to lower the ceilings of the rooms on the floor below your loft conversion. An example is when the property is a listed building or if your local authority planning department has an outright ban on raising the roof.

This is a viable proposition, especially in older properties which often have high ceilings. It is, however, a highly technical process and one which a loft conversion specialist will need to undertake for you.

The ceilings in the storey below will need removing. A plate will have to be inserted at the appropriate level for the new floor to be added above. Next, the new floor can be constructed and the ceilings below reinstated. This can also help when incorporating a stairway which needs to comply to ceiling height restrictions.

Can I use thinner loft insulation and still comply with Building Regulations?

If your loft room is almost tall enough to meet with Building Regulations, sometimes it’s a simple case of using thinner insulation between the ceiling and the floor joists. Modern techniques can now provide a leaner but still highly effective insulation to create both extra loft space and thermal efficiency.

Need to get over the issue of a loft conversion low ceiling? Talk to Bespoke Lofts

If you have an issue with a loft conversion low ceiling, get in touch with Bespoke Lofts. We have many years of experience and expertise in both raising the roof and lowering ceilings on the storey below a loft conversion, and can also advise on insulation. Contact us today to see how we can help you gain more head height in your loft conversion.

Attic: a dozen golden rules

Cottages with an attic floor are very popular in modern suburban housing construction. It is understandable: on the one hand – savings (it turns out 20-30% cheaper than a full-fledged floor), on the other – the possibility of non-standard architectural and interior solutions. However, in order for the attic to truly justify itself and not bring disappointment, some rules must be strictly observed.

If you decide to convert an unheated attic into an attic, do not try to start reconstruction “by eye”: in this case, as in construction, a project is needed.

Clearly state the requirements for the room, plan the floor in advance.

If the floor area is 100 square meters or more, contact a professional architect. Otherwise, the cost of rework can be much more significant.

High-quality insulation of the attic is the most important condition for its comfortable operation, as it heats up and cools down much more than the lower floors. The insulation used for thermal insulation must have high water resistance, low water absorption, increased fire resistance and resistance to deformation. One of the best heat-insulating materials for the attic are mineral wool-based heaters, which do not shrink (unlike fiberglass) and are non-combustible (unlike polystyrene foam boards). The total thickness of the thermal insulation layer for the attic is always greater than for other parts of the house. In central Russia, this value is 200 mm.

If you abandon the traditional windows on the gable of the attic in favor of inclined windows that are mounted directly into the roof, the possibilities for designing the interior of the attic increase dramatically, because this is the highest place in the attic where furniture can be successfully placed.

The insulation contour must be continuous along the entire perimeter of the attic floor: roof, partitions, ceilings and gable. Particular attention is drawn to the adjunction of the roof to the walls, overhangs, window openings, valleys, ridge. The heat-insulating layer must be supplemented with vapor and waterproofing layers.

According to SNiP, the recommended installation of a roof window is 80–90 cm from the floor to the lower border. It is in this position that the best view opens from the window, and it is most convenient to manage it.

It is best to install a battery under the roof window. Thus, the air near the window will circulate more intensively, which will avoid the formation of condensate.

The size of the roof window must be such as to provide a view from it for both a seated and a standing person. The smaller the angle of inclination of the roof, the greater the height of the window. So at an angle of 600, the optimal window height is 118 cm, at 450 – 140 cm, and at 350 – already 160 cm.

If the angle is very small, roof windows can be installed one above the other.

The specific dimensions and number of skylights can be calculated by the company where you purchase them. As for the width of the window frame, it should be 4–6 cm narrower than the distance between the rafters. If the window is narrower or wider than the pitch of the rafters, they are adjusted according to the recommendations usually contained in the instructions for installing skylights.

The optimal width of the stairs leading to the attic is at least 120 cm, with steps no narrower than 30 cm and no higher than 15 cm. her. This is especially true when you consider that in the attic there is often a nursery, the inhabitants of which are often not inclined to walk at a measured pace.

A roof window will only last for many years if properly installed. To do this, it is very important to follow all the steps, including hydro and vapor barrier, according to the instructions. You can use branded kits in order to avoid mistakes. Thus, it will be possible to prevent leaks into the room or under the roofing.

In order for the insolation of the room (lighting by natural daylight) to comply with the norms, the area of glazing must be at least 10% of the total area of the room.

However, if we are talking not about the bedroom, but about the nursery or living room, experts recommend focusing on 15-20%.

The attic receives much more direct sunlight than other rooms. To avoid overheating, it is recommended not to use ordinary curtains, but to install roller shutters or awnings.

It is very important to properly insulate roof window slopes. Otherwise, condensation will form under the outer lining of the window, which will leak and freeze.

What to consider when designing a private house with an attic

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Fashion is changeable. But this does not apply to private houses with an attic. For many years they have been invariably popular with those who build suburban housing. Meanwhile, the attic is a special part of the building, and many nuances must be taken into account when designing it. Today we will talk about them, as well as about the author’s projects of country houses from YTONG – houses with an attic made of aerated concrete.

Pros and cons

Attic – living space on the top floor of the building. The peculiarity of this room is that its walls are completely or partially formed by the slopes of the sloping roof. An alternative to the attic is a full-fledged top floor topped with a cold attic. We note the main pros and cons of the attic in comparison with the cold attic.

Let’s start with the arguments against:

A mansard roof is a complex structure, mistakes are often made during its construction. The difficulty is due to the fact that such a roof is multi-layered (the so-called “pie”). In this “pie” – vapor barrier, insulation, hydro-wind protection, ventilation gap.

Each of the layers of the “pie” must be perfectly mounted, otherwise problems cannot be avoided: freezing of the roof through leaks in the thermal insulation circuit, rotting of the wooden parts of the roof, wetting of the fibrous insulation (which is fraught with heat loss from the house, shortening the life of the thermal insulation, wetting and damage decoration of the attic room, etc.). Therefore, the construction of the attic can only be entrusted to professionals, but even they are not immune from mistakes, especially in the case of a roof of complex shape.

It is extremely difficult to repair the “pie” if mistakes were made during its construction.
The area of the attic floor is always less than the area of the floor below. And there are always areas along the eaves of the roof that cannot be fully used, and this is the loss of valuable square meters. Yes, and by themselves, inclined slopes make it difficult to arrange furniture or install lamps in the room.

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If these disadvantages are critical for you, then choose projects of two-story houses with a cold attic. At the same time, the popularity of cottages with an attic is easily explained: the disadvantages overlap with the advantages.

The attic is the decoration of the house, it gives it individuality. Dormer windows (lucarnes) look very expressive, and dormer windows located in the slope plane emphasize the difference between suburban housing and a city apartment. As well as sloping walls, which add a special flavor to the room.
A building with a pitched roof always has an under-roof space, and if it is not exploited, then this is a loss of usable area.
A country house with an attic, as a rule, is 15-20% cheaper than a similar two-story house with a full top floor and a cold attic.

However, recently the situation with prices for building materials has been rapidly changing. The cost of wood, insulation, insulating and windproof films, as well as consumables for them, has increased several times. And, for example, the price of aerated concrete increased slightly. Therefore, it is possible that in a particular case, the cost of a gas-block cottage with a full-fledged second floor will not be fundamentally more than a cottage with an attic.

You can find a professional construction company, find out prices for building a turnkey house, and also find interesting projects on the website building-companion.ru

Roof

Decided to choose a house with an attic? Then you need to carefully consider the design of the roof and the planning of the space under it. There are no restrictions on the shape of the roof. But if, for example, it is four-pitched (that is, the house does not have gables), then it is possible to illuminate the premises under it only due to the dormer windows. You will need a lot of these windows, and they are quite expensive.

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To equip residential premises under the roof, its slopes must have a slope of at least 20°, best of all – 40-60°. The smaller the slope, the smaller the usable attic area. Moreover, the slopes should be long enough so that there is enough space under them for living quarters.

Please note: only the central area of the attic floor will be functional. The lower the vertical (attic) walls of the attic, the more difficult it is to use the space along them. A sloping pitched roof is preferable in this regard: attic walls can be made higher, which means that there will be more useful space in the attic.

How high should an attic wall be made?

Optimal – 1.4-1.5 m, with a roof slope of 40°. Then next to the walls you can put furniture, and at a distance of 50 cm from them you can move without tilting your head.
If the height is less than 1.5 m, the room will be small and cramped.
If more than 1.5 m, then the walls will be slightly lower than on a full-fledged top floor, and then the attic is unjustified from an economic and architectural point of view.

As for the height of the main part of the room, according to sanitary standards, it must be at least 2.5 m.

truss structure may need retaining elements. In some cases, the supports can be hidden by integrating them into interior partitions, and in some cases they will have to be left in plain sight and played with in the interior.

A large number of support posts or trussed rafters usually do not allow exploitation of the space under the roof. It is better not to rack your brains on how to equip an attic with such a design, but immediately turn to the projects of two-story houses with an attic roof.

Horizontal ceiling beams (crossbars) have little effect on planning decisions. Such beams can be hidden behind decorative trim or left in the interior: they will perfectly fit into the style of a chalet, country, Provence or loft.

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After evaluating the design and useful area of the attic, you can decide how to use this space: turn it into an open space, like a studio, or divide it into separate rooms. Not forgetting that every living room needs a window.

Stairs

Stairs and stair halls “eat up” the useful area, especially if they are located in the middle of the attic floor. To make them take up less space, it is best to place a ladder along one of the walls. At the same time, it is worth remembering that the dimensions of the attic are smaller than those of the floor below, and the walls of the attic are sloping – all this affects the choice of the location of the stairs.

Even if you want to save space, the planning scheme of a private house should provide a fairly large opening for the stairs in order to fit into it a structure that will be safe and comfortable to move around.

Windows

There are several ways to illuminate the attic during the day:

Windows located on gables, if the building design provides for gables.

Dormer windows (lucarnes) – superstructures on slopes, in the front part of which there is a vertical window.

Roof windows built into slopes.

A combination of different types of windows.

Gable windows are optimal in terms of room lighting, convenient and easy to build. In an aerated concrete house, the pediment can be made either from aerated concrete blocks or using a wooden frame, like the entire roof truss structure. Given the current low prices for aerated concrete compared to wood prices, aerated concrete gables may be preferable.

As for the choice between dormers and dormers, it is rather complicated.

Project “Heidelberg” by Ytong

Advantages of Lucarna:

Improves the architectural appearance of the house, “breaking” roof geometry.

Increases the volume of the living space as it rises above the slope.

Allows you to open windows to ventilate the room at any time of the year.

Cons:

It is more difficult and expensive to build a dormer window than to build a skylight into a skylight.

A vertical window illuminates the room worse than an attic window of the same dimensions: the light flux will be limited by the side walls and the roof of the lucarne. At the same time, it is easier to provide a lucarne with a large window than to increase the dimensions of the roof window.

Lucarna complicates the shape of the roof, thereby increasing the quality requirements for the design and execution of this part of the building. In particular, each lucarne involves two valleys (convergence of slopes at an internal angle) on the roof. And the valley is the risk of leaks and difficulty in ventilation of the under-roof space.

Roof window advantages:

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Illuminates the room more evenly than the auditorium.

Much easier to build than a roof top with a vertical window.

Cons:

In winter, when the roof is covered with snow, the roof window does not give light, and it is problematic to open it for ventilation.

Windows located high from the attic floor are difficult to clean.

During installation, the window structure must be properly connected with the layers of the roofing “pie” (insulation, vapor barrier, hydro-wind protection) and correctly embedded in the roofing. But if the window is installed by workers of low qualification, this often turns into errors that lead to leaks, freezing of the roof, the appearance of condensate in its structure, etc.

A few tips for those who opt for skylights. To illuminate 10 m2 of a room, 1-2 m2 of glazing is required, depending on the purpose of the room. Based on this, select the number and size of windows. In addition, the length of the window depends on the slope of the roof: the smaller it is, the longer the window should be in order to illuminate the space well. For example, with a slope of 30º, a window with a length of 140 cm or more is optimal.

And the width of the window is determined by the distance between the rafters: it should exceed the width of the window by 4-6 cm so that there is room around the perimeter of the frame for high-quality roof insulation. Often the pitch of the rafters does not allow “fitting” a window of the width required by the customer into the roof. Then you need a combination of several windows installed in adjacent inter-rafter spans. Or you will have to expand the opening for a large window, that is, make a gap in the rafter leg and install additional longitudinal and transverse support beams. In many cases, such alteration is possible only after the calculation of the loads.

Thinking through the interior of the attic, keep in mind that the dimensions of the window opening will be larger than the dimensions of the attic window. This is due to the regulatory requirements for slopes: the upper one should be parallel to the floor plane, and the lower one should be perpendicular to it.

If the window will be located high from the floor, determine how it will be opened. It can be a telescopic rod or a more convenient, but also more expensive option – a remote control in combination with an electric drive installed on the window to open and close the sash.

You can find a professional construction company, find out prices for building a turnkey house, and also find interesting projects on the website building-companion.ru

that on the attic floor, it will not be possible to fully use the space near inclined slopes. Often, customers do not remember this and plan to place here, for example, a shower cabin or a tall wardrobe. As a result, problems arise.

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A few recommendations:

If the height of the attic wall is 1.3-1.5 m, then a bed can already be installed next to it. Of course, it will not be possible to stand up to its full height on it, but it will be quite comfortable to sleep and sit on it.

Attic wall 1.4-1.5 m high can be fitted with a washing machine, a toilet bowl, and with a large slope of the roof – a bathtub. It is convenient to use the bathroom when the distance from its center to the slope is at least 2 m.

A desk, an armchair, a chest of drawers, a low rack can be placed against a wall with a height of 1.4-1.7 m or more. By the way, the height of a person sitting at a table along with an armchair is on average 1.35 m, so it is often quite easy to equip a place under the slope to work at a computer or laptop.

Custom-sized built-in furniture companies offer a variety of loft cabinets and shelving options – stepped or beveled shapes to suit the geometry of the room with sloping walls. Another option is modular storage systems based on L-shaped metal racks, fixed at one end to the floor, the other to an inclined wall. Shelves, drawers, rods, etc. are fixed to the racks. If the roof has a small slope or no attic walls, then under the slopes, for example, storage systems with retractable or roll-out sections can be provided.

Many attics have a ceiling formed by horizontal crossbars of the truss system. And then a cold “mini-attic” remains between the roof ridge and the ceiling. It can also be used, for example, to store seasonal items here. To do this, you need to make a small opening in the attic ceiling and install the finished product – a folding attic ladder with an insulated hatch.

Often there is space between the attic wall and the eaves. If a door is provided in the wall, then this space can also be used for storage.

Projects from YTONG

As we have already said, today the price of aerated concrete is relatively low, which makes the material very popular. YTONG (Xella Russia) not only produces premium autoclaved aerated concrete, but also offers author’s standard designs of individual houses from this material. The YTONG catalog includes more than 30 projects of one-story and two-story houses, ranging from 37 to 297 m2. The company provides these projects completely free of charge to those who bought aerated concrete in the amount necessary to build a house according to the selected project.

There are many houses with attics in the catalog, realized in classical and modern styles. Let’s note some projects:

“Barnhouse 2” with an area of 116.5 m2. Compact house that does not take up much space on the site. Made in trendy barnhouse style. The barn house, in accordance with the canons of this style, has a gable roof without cornice overhangs and panoramic windows that visually unite the interior space with the surrounding landscape. A massive chimney along the main façade adds personality to the project. The dominant of the first floor is a spacious kitchen-living room (29,8 m2) with a second light. On the second, attic floor, there is a private area with bedrooms. Under the large gable roof overhangs there is a terrace (14 m2) with a barbecue area.

Marburg, 170 m2, in classic German style. Laconically designed facade, gable roof, large windows that provide good natural light. Comfortable and functional layout, which provides for common and private areas. On the ground floor there is a kitchen-dining room (18.