We already have a staircase to the attic but it is too steep to class the attic as a third bedroom. There is plenty of head room to use so doe’s anybody know what else i need to consider?

Youll need a fire door either at the top of the stairs or an denclosed staircase with a fire door at the base, mains powered smoke alarms , and a door closer to close the door automaticly.

youll also need building control consent and need to inform the mortgage comapny as well as the building insurers.

Fire proofing to next door’s attic? Escape option in event of fire.
We just rebuilt our stairs in our last terrace house. There were already stairs there and nobody ever questioned it.

As far as I remember, and we had our loft done in Autumn, you have to have a certain pitch to the treads and its about 45 degrees. Also I think you have to have fire doors on all levels with 3 hinges and mains powered fire alarms on all floors. Aren’t all local authorities regs a bit different though?

Treads need to be at least 220mm deep IIRC. But when was it built? Surely if it was already like that building regs don’t apply? Otherwise pretty much all terraced houses would need re-building

Hmm curious, I know LOADS of attic conversions that dont have mains powred smoke alarms, extra escape options (other than a skylight!) or special stairs. Mostly in old victorian houses.

There’s a difference between doing something properly and doing it on the recommendation of IT blokes on a web forum. Why not phone up your local Building Control office and ask for some advice.

what pieface said when was it built?
clickyhere for building Regs

Its about 100 year old, victorian terrace and we’ve no intention of moving in the near future.

I’m thinking, put in a staircase that sits at the right angle, tread depth, etc, and don’t see what its got to do with building control. I am not altering anything structurally. The room is already a proper living space.

http://www.loftshop.co.uk/lofty_ideas3.asp

A handy site for loft info especially the guide to building rgs bit

Am I right in thinkign there’s a staircase but the attic isn’t currently converted into a room?

If its already been converted a long time ago then regs don’t apply, however if you’re converting it then you’ll need to comply.

Building control will be interested in the details of the stairs (Part K of the regs).

Have a read of the regs here:-

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADK_1998.pdf

Must be sensible to talk to the building regs people as could be a problem if try to sell th house without doing it properly – indeed this happened to a neighbour and they lost their buyer. I was miffed as I wanted to move my staircase to a wall to open up downstairs, as others in the road have done, but I couldn’t due to the regs.

I WORKED IN A HOUSE A FEW YEARS AGO, AND THEYD HAD A LOFT CONVERSION, NICE MAN FROM BUILDING control called round after the neighbour complained, he condemed the loft, they meeded to build a small room at top of stairs to house the fire door as door wasnt allowed art top od step, the velux window was to high and a platform to reach it wasnt acceptable to hin, also they had to have a gable end window put in with obscure glass as a means of escape.

Go ahead and do what you like, but someday youll sell and the surveyor may well pick up on the problems,and then youll not be able to sell.

Oh and im not a keyboard button pusher (it consultant), but a tradesman.

Cheers Project, I asked for the advice and will carefully consider it before making any moves..

Pieface its a large room with two Velux windows, and a radiator but the current staircase rises too steeply.