Attic Conversion

Horn_of_Africa

How much roughly should I expect to pay for an attic conversion? The house is a 3 bed semi.

Ideally would like two dormers but could live with one.

leinster93

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058248143/attic-conversion

we were given an estimate of 100K for detached two story attic conversion. This would have cost approx 50K pre-covid. Probably not the best time to do it.

The Mighty Quinn

Got two people out to quote for an attic conversion in 2021. 23K and 25K.

EDIT, I've got the quotes still, see below.

Unfortunately, both contractors told us we'd essentially lose half the box-room to make the stairs work, so we wouldn't so much be adding a room as swapping a smaller room for a larger one.

Biker1

Neither quotes have adequate insulation specified and not a mention of airtightness which is critical in an attic conversion.

AnRothar

Interesting, both of those quotes mention "storage only".

Obviously there is a difference between habitation and storage in terms of applicable building regulations?

The Mighty Quinn

Having an attic converted to a habitable room has implications for the levels below in terms of fire. Your landing below will need to become a fire rated construction, doors opening off it will need to be 30 min fire rated, fitted with closers etc etc.

In reality most don't do this, most call it a storage space and use it as a bedroom to get around regulations. That being said, fire doesn't give a **** what you call it, so probably best not meddle with fire safety!

See link below to government publication on same.

https://assets.gov.ie/130178/6636824a-c574-470a-ac3a-4e88b58292f1.pdf

danfrancisco83

Sorry for hijacking this, but maybe one of you can help. I'm due to get an attic conversion in the next couple of weeks, and it's with a reputable conversion specialist. They contacted me and said I can save around 2k if I pay cash. They have nothing but 5 star reviews, and they were recommended to me by different people. Is this legit? sounds iffy to me, but I know nothing about the building trade, if it's all good then happy days. Thoughts?

DOCARCH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235784#Comment_119235784

Is it legit? Most likely not as I would assume the reason for them wanting you to pay them cash is so they can avoid paying tax (to which you would be party to).

TheMilkyPirate

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235784#Comment_119235784

It'll be frowned upon by people in here but a lot of tradespeople will do cash jobs to avoid tax. It's common enough but entirely up to you if you want to go ahead with it

Juwwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235784#Comment_119235784

How much was your original quote ?

I'm presuming they have included 13% VAT in that quote .

At the very minimum you should be getting all that 13% taken off ,, €2000 doesn't sound like its all the VAT being taken off if its an attic conversion job.

brennarr

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119300554#Comment_119300554

Can imagine the vat is removed from the labour but not from the materials.

Juwwi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119498925#Comment_119498925

That's a good point .

danfrancisco83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119235784#Comment_119235784

Update:

We got the attic done in the end, reasonable enough job, very very messy though, almost to the point of taking the p**s with how messy they were. Anyway, got the best painter & decorator I could find to finish everything and it looks good, and no issues yet *touch wood*.

The only thing is there is no sign of an engineer's cert. Job finished since end of July and every 2 weeks I email them and all I get back is "yeah he should be around in the next couple of weeks".

Couple of questions.

1) Could it actually just take a couple of months before the engineer gets round to calling out, how long after the job done have people here got the cert?

2) Should I just accept that they're stonewalling me, and take it from there?

jimmy86

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119709379#Comment_119709379

We had our attic converted, completed at the start of July and the engineer just called out this week. I chased it a few times but had slipped my mind recently until I got a call this week.

danfrancisco83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119709513#Comment_119709513

That's great, appreciate that jimmy. It's playing on my mind a bit, I've been getting the feeling that they're fobbing me off. Good to know that it's something that just takes a bit of time. Hopefully get a call in the next couple of weeks.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119709379#Comment_119709379

was it a 'legit' conversion to a habitable space or is it technically just a storage space (doesnt matter if it will still end up being used as a bedroom etc.)? if its storage then you don't really need any certification. if it is a proper conversion to a habitable space then an engineer should have signed off pretty much as soon as the works finished but usually such an engineer would be employed by you and not by the builders (although maybe that is just in my experience)

danfrancisco83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119709582#Comment_119709582

It's a standard conversion, technically storage space but using it as a guest room and office (it's a large space). It's just that we were told by our solicitor to get the cert, and I believe it can cost in and around 6-800 euro to get an engineer to certify, and that was covered in the quote.

I presumed the week it was finished an engineer would call out, inspect it, and give a cert and that would be the end of it. I didn't realize it would take months.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119709607#Comment_119709607

either your solicitor is or I am getting confused as to what is actually going on with the works. from your description i think the solicitor may be wrong on this one but obviously i could be wrong too.

from the sounds of it, strictly speaking nothing has actually happened to your attic, its gone from storage to storage and doesnt need certification. it looks like your solicitor is viewing it as a habitable space (which in as much as it is and thats what it will be used for, it isnt). im confused why they would include certification in their quote though - it sounds like there is nothing to actually certify since its not actually a habitable space

might i ask why you have a solicitor involved? these issues are usually ones that come up when selling but i understand why you would want to deal with it now

iwillhtfu

I'd have assumed an engineer would have had to call out during the conversion to asses the work as it happens. All he can do now without opening up floors and walls would be give an opinion, perhaps I'm wrong but I doubt there's an engineer coming.

danfrancisco83

Sorry, I'll try make it clearer. Bought the house a couple of years ago, at the time we mentioned to the solicitor that we intended to convert the attic, she said just make sure we get the cert (she might have assumed as habitable space). An engineer just needs to come out and inspect the steel in the eaves, as I understand it, and make sure there is no structural damage to the roof(others here might elaborate, does he just call in for 15 minutes and that's it?), and sign off on a cert. I know technically it's not a big deal, and since we've no plans to move any time soon, it doesn't really matter that much.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119709739#Comment_119709739

okay it makes more sense now as to why you need certification but it does sound like the works should have been inspected as they were being done rather than after the fact. without knowing the full details it looks like the company may have pulled a fast one on you unfortunately

danfrancisco83

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119709808#Comment_119709808

Maybe. I'll give it another 2 weeks, and have a think about what to do then.

danfrancisco83

Final update

Engineer called out last week, got the cert in the post today. I suppose around 3 months is the current backlog. Anyway, happy now :)