Is my loft suitable for conversion?

This question is not easy to answer as the suitability for loft conversion usually depends on a few factors.

The first is 'when was the house built' as this normally indicates whether the roof was constructed from individual rafters. This construction is ideal for loft conversion as the pitch is steep with a clear space between the supporting frame-work.

Most houses prior to 1960 were built using this method but since then, the majority of roofs are built from factory assembled ‘trussed’ rafters that have a lower pitch with more struts. This type of roof can be converted but the process is much more complicated as it requires the timbers to be re-arranged and possibly the roof raising.

The second factor is ‘is there enough headroom?’ There are no building regulations for the height of the room but we recommend a minimum height of 2.3 metres (over half of floor area) to make the room into useable space.

Don’t forget that the floor might be higher than the original joists as supporting timbers might need to be installed to make support the new structure. The original timbers were there to support the roof, not a new room!

Plus dormer windows can help get you enough height in your loft.