Any builders? Advice needed!

[Worgie]

Hi, just wondering if there are any builders who can advise. Our house is a 4 bed but has 2 big double bedrooms and 2 large singles. Eldest DS is at uni now so younger son has moved into the bigger room but eldest being 6'5" needs a bigger room. We have 4 options which are:
1. Build over the tandem garage attached to the house & reconfigure upstairs
2. Build a small 2metre double storey extension on the back of the house to make DS room larger
3. Reconfigure upstairs to make it a 3 bed house (not keen on this)
4. Loft conversion.
We have had a couple of builders who have all said different things. One said loft conversion is not possible in our house (20years old), another has said he will quote for it. One of them said building over the garage was fine as foundations are fine but it would seriously devalue the house?
Just wondering if someone in the know can advise whether a lift conversion is possible on a 20 year old Bovis home? Alternatively if you have any other bright ideas we would like to hear them!
Thanks
Louise.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

The first question is your roof a traditional cut timber one or is it roof trusses?
Judging by the builder and the age you quote I would say it's trusses.
Roof trusses are all but impossible to convert and it's cheaper and quicker to scaffold over the entire house, put up a scaffold cover with tarpaulins on to secure the water integrity of the house and put a new roof on being part trusses and part cut.

[Worgie]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

The first question is your roof a traditional cut timber one or is it roof trusses?
Judging by the builder and the age you quote I would say it's trusses.
Roof trusses are all but impossible to convert and it's cheaper and quicker to scaffold over the entire house, put up a scaffold cover with tarpaulins on to secure the water integrity of the house and put a new roof on being part trusses and part cut.

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Would that (in your opinion) be substantially more expensive than the other options? We walked all around the estate the other day & couldn't see a single loft conversion so I am thinking you are right & it is trusses or someone else would probably have had it done by now. That said, all of the properties are large 4 & 5 bed houses so maybe no-one else has stupidly tall children!

[dismadbrit]

Can't really offer anything except my house is about 22 years old and had a half loft conversion when we moved in and next door has a full loft conversion.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by Worgie

Would that (in your opinion) be substantially more expensive than the other options? We walked all around the estate the other day & couldn't see a single loft conversion so I am thinking you are right & it is trusses or someone else would probably have had it done by now. That said, all of the properties are large 4 & 5 bed houses so maybe no-one else has stupidly tall children!

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I am way out of date on construction. In your situation I would get an architect to the house to explore the multifarious options and go from there. I think even removing the roof could be the cheaper one than a whole extension. However scaffold costs are horrendous as I know from recent experiences.

[Worgie]

Thanks Mr M. Architect has been contacted so hopefully he can tell us exactly what is and isn't possible. Mind you given the state of his room since he's been back from uni, I am loathe to give him any more floor space to clutter up!

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Worgie

We have 4 options which are:
1. Build over the tandem garage attached to the house & reconfigure upstairs
2. Build a small 2metre double storey extension on the back of the house to make DS room larger
3. Reconfigure upstairs to make it a 3 bed house (not keen on this)
4. Loft conversion.
.

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I Used to be a carpenter / general builder / site foreman 15 years ago

I will reply to each point

1. Much more desirable option, very common to do these days, I guess you will have a " landing window " looking over the garage ? ? ? this would be your doorway into the extension, not sure why it would devalue the house, you could have build over the garage in a " dorma style " extension, so just a high roof with the room underneath, this would by far be the more cost effective option, adding a really nice sized room with a dorma window at the front ( or rear ) or even both


2. not really cost effective and imho not a option

3. resale value would drop, but if you could make the 2 smaller bedrooms into on, it wouldnt be a massive job to convert back into a 4 bed, just use one of the doors as a cupboard from the landing, this of course would only work if they were back to back rooms

4. I like loft conversions, the builder you spoke to doesnt have a clue, yes its not a easy job, but it would be the cheaper option and in a 4 bed home should add 2 more bedrooms and a bathroom in the loft space


If you were my customer, i would go with option one with a Dorma roof extension over the garage

[Stew_the_red]

Originally Posted by Worgie

Thanks Mr M. Architect has been contacted so hopefully he can tell us exactly what is and isn't possible. Mind you given the state of his room since he's been back from uni, I am loathe to give him any more floor space to clutter up!

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Get a structural engineer to run some calls on the footing to the garage as well

I agree with everything mr morrow has said, loft conversion is possible but it will cost!

[sam7]

I can't comment on building option, but would say both mine went to uni and didn't return back home. DS got a job in his uni town and DD moved in with her boyfriend that she met at uni.

[Worgie]

Originally Posted by sam7

I can't comment on building option, but would say both mine went to uni and didn't return back home. DS got a job in his uni town and DD moved in with her boyfriend that she met at uni.

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That's what DH says but at the moment he wants to do a post graduate Social work course and the only way he can afford to do that is to come home. Of course that will probably change multiple times over the next 2 years.