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Attic Conversion Questions

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  • 03-08-2010 11:17am
    #1
    ButtersSuki
    Registered Users Posts: 53,028 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi, new to this side of boards so please forgive me if any questions are sound stupid(!).

    Want to convert the attic on my house into a home office (not a bedroom). It's an end of terrace (a terrace of 3) house and we've had most of the usual guys out to quote. Happy enough with most of them and their quotes but the bit that leaves me uneasy is I'm unable to get an answer on a couple of what I thought would be fairly fundamental questions (this is made even more complicated when I talk to some local estate agents). So hopefully someone can help me here!

    My main concern is the potential effect on re-selling my house (which I plan to do in 3-5years). I need the attic space now so please don't tell me it's not worth it to change for that time period etc. - it is worth it to me as I need the space, and now!

    1. Will converting the attic (and removing the trusses) make the house un-sellable - even with a cert. from an architect/structural engineer?
    2. What's the difference between a cert. from an architect and one from a structural engineer; and do either have any effect on potential selling/sale in the future?
    3. Are there any legal "must haves" when converting an office into office space?
    4. Someone told me that I can write the cost of the conversion off against tax as it is a home office? Does anyone have any information on this?


    Any help greatly appreciated!


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    #2
    DOCARCH
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 17,780 Mod ✭✭✭✭DOCARCH


    A couple of quick answers for you - I'm sure you'll get lots more.

    1. Will converting the attic (and removing the trusses) make the house un-sellable - even with a cert. from an architect/structural engineer?
    Quite simply, no.

    2. What's the difference between a cert. from an architect and one from a structural engineer; and do either have any effect on potential selling/sale in the future?
    At the end of the day, they do the same job, just from different professions. At the end of the works somebody (with professional indemnity insurance) needs to basically sign off that the works comply with Building Regulations and also that the works comply with and/or are exempt from the requirement to obtain planning permission. Note that normally attic conversions are exempt from planning (but not always).

    3. Are there any legal "must haves" when converting an office into office space?
    If the attic conversion is deemed 'habitbale', and the house in effect becomes 3 storey, this opens up a lot more building regulations that must be complied with, including the provision of fire doors throughout the house to make a protected lobbies and an escape route. If the attic conversion is not deemed 'habitbale', then requirements are less rigorous. There is very informative leaflet from the Department on the Environment on attic conversions which you should read. There is a link in another thread here to this or if you google 'loft conversions', it should pop up.

    4. Someone told me that I can write the cost of the conversion off against tax as it is a home office? Does anyone have any information on this?
    Talk to your accountant/tax advisor - it's generally not advisable as whe you sell your house, a portion of the house is an asset of your business and you will have to pay capital gains tax - as I say you really need to get adice from an accountant/tax advisor on this.


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    #3
    amira
    Registered Users Posts: 210 ✭✭amira


    ButtersSuki wrote: »
    Hi, new to this side of boards so please forgive me if any questions are sound stupid(!).

    Want to convert the attic on my house into a home office (not a bedroom). It's an end of terrace (a terrace of 3) house and we've had most of the usual guys out to quote. Happy enough with most of them and their quotes but the bit that leaves me uneasy is I'm unable to get an answer on a couple of what I thought would be fairly fundamental questions (this is made even more complicated when I talk to some local estate agents). So hopefully someone can help me here!

    My main concern is the potential effect on re-selling my house (which I plan to do in 3-5years). I need the attic space now so please don't tell me it's not worth it to change for that time period etc. - it is worth it to me as I need the space, and now!

    1. Will converting the attic (and removing the trusses) make the house un-sellable - even with a cert. from an architect/structural engineer?
    2. What's the difference between a cert. from an architect and one from a structural engineer; and do either have any effect on potential selling/sale in the future?
    3. Are there any legal "must haves" when converting an office into office space?
    4. Someone told me that I can write the cost of the conversion off against tax as it is a home office? Does anyone have any information on this?


    Any help greatly appreciated!

    Hi Buttersuky,

    would you mind me asking, how much were you quoted for that conversion? just an approx. figure will do.
    At the moment i'm trying to buy a house and looking at one that doesnt have the conversion, would love to do it in the near future and just thinking how much is that gonna cost me..

    many many thanks!!!


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    #4
    jennypeny
    Registered Users Posts: 42 ✭jennypeny


    I am also interested in the quote element.. Ball park?

    I am looking also at getting my attic converted into a bedroom although I know without Planning P the room will only be called “storage space” and can only have windows in the back of the house.

    I have no intention of selling my house in the next few years nor could I with neg equity and all that!

    I was hoping to get it done more piecemeal though.. Anyone know if a builder would take on a job by just doing a reinforcement and stairs… I don’t have the funds to get it done in one lump sum.

    Also at the OP as already stated defo do not claim it against your income tax it has big implications if you ever sell r your home as you will partially not qualify for relief from CGT as the room will be deemed as work space and not your private residence.


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    #5
    ButtersSuki
    Registered Users Posts: 53,028 ✭✭✭✭ButtersSuki


    amira wrote: »
    Hi Buttersuky,

    would you mind me asking, how much were you quoted for that conversion? just an approx. figure will do.
    At the moment i'm trying to buy a house and looking at one that doesnt have the conversion, would love to do it in the near future and just thinking how much is that gonna cost me..

    many many thanks!!!

    Ask away! Where do I start? Anything from €13k+VAT to €22k+VAT. Then you can add on extras like solar panels etc. and that can add another few grand to it. We've already spent money moving a wall to accommodate the stairs and did this as we were doing up a bathroom to save doing that up and then having to knock it. But each guy we had re-quote is about @5k cheaper than last year when we looked at doing this first.

    Depends on whether you want a cert. or not - which sent the alarm bells off for me really. Of course I want a bloody cert. and some comeback should anything go wrong down the line!

    Be warned, there are cowboys out there! I've learned to ask can I see samples of their work in other peoples homes - just to see the handiwork for myself - though I couldn't really tell what's going on behind the walls the interior finish has been top notch in one or two; in others not so much.


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