The best and simplest loft conversion explanation i've ever seen - excellent. This demystifies the process and would allow the average person to either do it themselves, or not get ripped off by a builder claiming its much harder than it is. Really glad to have watched this.
Well the hard bit is getting those massive flitch beams into your loft! Personally I think this is beyond the average person, it takes a lot of organising and it's really hard working in a loft.
Jonathon this is like looking at a video of someone pumping up their tyres on a car and then saying well I can now thoroughly maintain my car. I’ve been doing loft conversions for 10yrs and never undertaken one this simple so please be a little more considerate when just claiming builders rip clients off claiming it’s harder than it is.. or even better go ahead and attempt and I promise you would soon come unstuck and be calling a competent tradesperson. There is just so much more than I could possibly list when practically undertaking a loft conversion it is a skilled craft for those doing it properly.
@@bdizzle7633Not knocking builders down but if a builder can something, everyone else can do it . Anyone with skills can do any DIY construction work. Of course, there's a lot more than what's shown in this animation. With all due respects to the video RU-vidr, I'd suggest leave the purlins in place .
When I used to do loft conversions, we had to have chicken wire below the new floor with rw4 fire insulation, dwarf walls had to be birdsmouthed into the rafters, which had to be upgraded to 6x2 sc16, any velux windows double up rafters either side, also the new floor had to be independent of the existing ceiling, avoiding any cracking etc, always check with your local building control, for advice etc.I enjoyed the video, I'm a carpenter by trade.
Hi Robin, Your videos and knowledge and how you explain your projects are brilliant. Very easy to follow and very informative. I have learned loads over the last year watching your channel many thanks Mark B
Hi Robin can you please continue the series on how to build a house in the UK including the foundation, beams, and truss calculation, or even information about UK regulation about building a house many thanks
Those 'ceiling TIES' that you refer to will in actual fact be under comression rather than tension, (assuming that the rafters have been appropriately TIED togeter, for instance with the ceiling beams/joists at their junctions with the wall plate. The specifications of the nailing plates will therefore not need to be worked out by a structural engineer in order to ensure that they can resist tensile forces but rather to resist compressive forces which will tend to cause them to skew as the compressive forces squeeze the ceiling 'ties' downwards. Since the ceiling 'ties' are under compression longditudinonally they would be better referred to as being, 'braces'. An effective way of reinforcing these joints would be to fix, (preferably also glue) a block/strip of timber immediately below them so that it abutts snugly against the lower edge of the ceiling brace. This will however complicate the task of cladding the inner surface of the roof with plasterboard etc. however since these blocks would not need to be very deep, eg. 1" and that loft conversions require sheets of thick insulation to be placed between the plasterboard and rafters, (rather than merely between the rafters because a gap must be left for ventilation and a 3" x 2" or 4" x 2" rafter is not deep enough to insert enough thickness of insulation to comply with modern building regulations) there would therefore be enough thickness of insulation to allow these areas to be replaced with blocks of thinner insulation. Of course even the methodology that you reccomend will kikely be more than strong enough to support a bit of plasterboard and insulation so there should be no need for everyone to have their new loft coversions ripped out and retrofitted! Thanks all the same for all the information that your providing in these videos much of which seems to be entirely sound.
i'll never do this but this is REALLY interesting. This is a understated channel that really should have much more subscribers ! Thanks for sharing and explaining
Hi Robin, great video! I can tell a lot of time goes into your videos, keep up the good work. Do you have anything similar for a hipped roof? Thanks, Luke
Probably the best described and illustrated video that I see on RU-vid. Very well Done! Only my question where can I find flinch beam? If I type in google nothing to come up that you described.
Hi Arpad. Try "Flitch" as the spelling. Also see my other videos on flitch beams here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-hy0-zljOcbw.html
Great video Robin! Id live to know, if you were going to cut through the stud wall as you mentioned at 9:43, what would you do with the flitch beam that would be above the floor line?
The "stud wall" is a supporting wall as it and the new beam are replacing the purlin. There are lots of options with the beam. I did one with four 225x50 timbers. Needed 3 plus one to cover joins. Where possible best to add a dormer to create more headroom in most lofts rather than velux.
@@RobindeJongh Hi, I cannot remember the spans but it was not long. The tables gave 3x 225x50, I put in 4 with staggered joints, so only 1/4 of 4 is joined = 3. My house has a purlin that is 15m long! That has joints in it.
@@RobindeJongh If spec is 3 beams and I have 4 with joins spread out and extra bolts then I would maintain I have a beam that will resist deforming better than the 3 with no joins. I could not get longer than a 2.8 up there!
Thanks Robin. Very nice and visual video. Definitely a great tool you are using to show the process. In this case, can the existing ceiling joists take the load of a larger span while you have removed the existing ceiling binders? That should be a critical stage of the construction, maybe limiting the load until the installation of the new floor joists.
Hi Robin, great video thanks! What happens if you have a dormer window in the same position where you have the velux window, the beam would mean there is a protrusion out of the floor. Would you be able to trim the beam to say half height and support it somehow with a few columns beneath it?
great job Robin as I am converting my loft in the not too distant future. However my loft doesn't seem to quite follow your diagram. Firstly apart from the outside walls all the bedroom walls are studded and I have 1 massive beam running mid point at right angles, chest height and connected to the purlins. Suppose this is to stop the roof collapsing.I wasn't thinking of removing the purlins just put some uprights in and removing this beam and putting cross members at the apex. Do you think I could get away without putting in a flitch beam as I don't have space to get one in. Looking forward to your next video. Doh just seen your video about how much force a wood studded wall can take, although still don't know how much this is.
Amazing videos. Very helpful! What would you do if you have to add thicker rafters? The load bearing walls top flat would get in the way of any thicker timber you had to put in?
Hi Robin, I've just seen your video and really enjoyed it. I use my loft for storage and would really have to focus and dedicate some proper time off work to do anything like what you have done. A real stumbling block for me is ventilation, as I wouldn't want the loft to sweat and condensate. Any advice in thar direction would be fantastic. Would it mean lots of vents?? My loft is freezing in winter and like furnace in July. Thank you, Robin.
My structural engineer recommended two steels for the floors. 2 X steels which measure 203x203x46 x 6.5 meters. How much cheaper and simpler would flitch beams be to install? Could we install them without scaffolding and through the standard loft access.
Hi Robin, great video, one question, if I keep the purlin as a feature, do I still need the collar ties as height is an issue in my planned loft conversion, cheers
Could a flitch beam have suitable strength ( for the use outlined in this video) to span 6 metres if 2 steals are sandwiched between 3 timbers? Also… is it acceptable to have one end of the beam supported on top of the chimney breast ‘wings’ that stop at ‘floor’ in the loft to the side of the actual chimney that curves up to the stack? This would give more room to work with and not have to pocket out the party wall. Love your videos, so interesting how load gets passed through structures. Many thanks, Alistair
Maybe I'm being daft, but at the end of the video you say the next video shows how to install a staircase, but it doesn't. I've looked at other videos listed on your channel but I can't find any reference to a stair installation. Help! Great channel BTW...
The beam you add after 0.50 seconds, could that be put in place using strong joist hangers bolted to the concrete wall? Instead of resting on a wall or in a pocket, thanks
Could please show how is posible to convert similar roof but with perpendicular truss (not sure how its named properly) and then need drop ceiling for 30cm down, as need win space to have at least 2m headroom. Thanks
Great video but I think the height of 2.2m is wrong because the finished floor height will be say 2.1 and then it is only over a 20cm span. Move 30cm to the right and you are down another 45cm already. Perhaps I am wrong but as someone who lives in a 'room in roof' house don't underestimate just how quickly the roof slopes!
My loft is almost identical apart from a pair of A frame type beams - about 1/3 and 2/3 along the loft space, mid height (so really impede movement unless you're good at limbo🤣) sitting under each opposing purlin and attached to the adjacent rafter. Would this conversion method allow these to be removed since there will no longer be any purlins?
Great video thank you! Quick question- if you have a solid masonry house with no cavity. How would the filtch beam be supported as a pocket wont be able to be opened? Really enjoy the informative videos
Hi, in my conversion, rather than use this flitch beam method we sat the new joists on the timber wall plate (on packers to raise off the existing ceiling) on the outside walls. Generally due to the increase in length of joists and manoeuvrability within the loft space it may require a few rows of roof tiles etc being removed so that the joists can be passed through the roof
Interesting theory video. Doesn't explain how you get the flitch beam or I beam into the loft, I suspect that this will need a hole punched in the external wall. Also a steel beam would probably need to be craned in. Similar issue with getting floor joists into roof space, won't go through loft hatch. Mentions DIY but then talks about using builder? The purlins and other timbers supporting my roof are not as simple as this illustration.
Is there an equivalent video if you have a truss type roof? My builder is telling me it's likely the whole roof will need to come off and be redone in order to have a loft conversion.
How do you run waste pipes/services perpendicular to the floor joists? Do you not need to drill a very large hole through the joists compromising their integrity?
What is the longest a flitch beam can be? Our roof is approx 10m wide, can you get a single beam to span this length or would we need an alternative solution?
Dear sir I have been watching the video that you have in RU-vid Iam thinking to convert a loft into living area about 12m in length 2.2m in hight is it possible to do it and for the budget will be expensive the plan drawing and convertion Thanks
Hello, I've just discovered your channel having found a bungalow that I am considering buying - for full renovation including a loft conversion. The roof timbers, unfortunately, have the diagonals and I feel the roof needs a steeper pitch to maximise the floor area available, approx 7.8m x 11m. It has gable ends so I'd like to think I'd have 4.4m x 11m to construct 2 bedrooms, a bathroom and landing space. So, I'm looking at a new roof. My question is: Am I insane?!
just been looking in my eaves some sod has left the purlin in after building the stud wall off the flitch beam, that being said I have a dormer so maybe it's different I don't know but I am wanting to knock down the stud wall in two places and ideally support them with maybe an arch on either side of the load bearing wall in the middle of the eaves to make some eaves cupboards pretty specific I know but any hope of a video?
Do you actually have to have a structural engineer or is there a way of doing this without one? I assumed lofts/dormers were all permitted development?
Permitted Development is to do with planning permission. The structure is to do with Building Regulation approval. You will need structural calculations to get a loft conversion passed.
Hi Grahame. Timber framed houses in the UK usually have trussed rafters, which are designed with 0.25kN/m2 imposed load for storage, So you may be able to use it for very light items (0.25 is equivalent to two layers of plasterboard)
Hi Robin, great video! As you can see from my name I am working in my attic currently and it is fully boarded and seems strong, however it looks as though the boards have been just screwed into the existing roof joists without any additional beams/supports. Is this not suitable for any real load bearing? We also have quite a few things stored in the attic. What problems could I run into if I continue using the attic with no additional supports?
In terms of just storing things its is generally ok as you are limited on what you can put in your loft by the size of the hatch anyway. If you were doing a loft conversion you will break your ceilings on the floor below as you walk across and put extra weight on the rafters, they will almost definitely be insufficient as a floor.
Hi Robin, very useful video thanks. I have a near identical roof space to this, have put new c16 floor joists between the existing ceiling joists, slightly floating above the ceiling as per your drawing. The total span is approx. 4m, with a load bearing wall about midway, so approx 2m spans between supports. I have used your loft floor calculator which suggests deflection will be okay but in practice there does appear to be a little deflection still. Its not too bad but if I can remedy it, I probably should before I cover it up with boards (or perhaps the boards will stiffen them?). I'm thinking perhaps screwing or bolting some flat 3mm steel bar along the sides of the joists to reduce deflection in the timber? Is that something people do or is there a better idea?
HI. Just checking - have you supported the new joists on beams? British standards limit deflections to 14mm or span/300, so you will get that amount of deflection if you use the tables.
Hi Charlie. Oddly enough, the truss clip is specifically designed to take load in this fashion (due to wind uplift at the wallplate). All we're doing here is turning it upside down, because the load is occuring downwards 👍
In my (1965) bungalow I have 3 evenly spaced braces that span between my purlins that sit about chest height. The Purlins have braces onto the walls which I'll not touch, but If I brace each of the rafters with the same sort of ceiling ties as shown here could i just remove the original braces between the purlins? They are just in the way & I'm always banging my head when I go into the loft.
How would the supports sit in a fully pitched detached loft where there isn't a gable etc? Every video I have seen deals with terraced or semi detached or converted to gable. I have a detached bungalow that is pitched at both ends and would prefer to convert without changing the angles of the roof.
Why does my roofspace seem so much more complicated? 🤔 In addition to vertical beams I have a lot of horizontal beams spanning from one opposite side to the other about waist high.
Because yours are trusses, they have webbing inside to keep it structurally sound. This video is of a cut roof which is usually much older houses. Your roof Was basically pre fabricated in a warehouse and assembled on site
@@marconeill9510 because it needs to sit on 100mm each end on padstones, so if you have a 100mm cavity you just need cut a slot in the inner leaf, feed the beam in then back 100mm on to the other padstone,
@@marconeill9510 you might need steel posts sitting on the foundations and put your beam on top, also you probably wont get c24 timber 8m long most are 6.1m max, steel goes up to 11m, a gluelam beam might be worth looking into. Im planning my conversion, i can weld so im bolting universal beams in sections with HT friction grip bolts.
Pad stone is a solid stone/concrete block that is bedded in where the blocks are so the steel can sit on it as normal blocks aren't strong enough to carry immense weight on a singular point of pressure. A pocket, in this case, is basically a hole in the block work for the fletch beam or steel beam to slide into.
@@RobindeJonghnite probably easier and safer to employ a contractor to do the heavier work as rood structure changes any RSJ installs. You will then be left with installing the floor joists, flooring utilities, partitioning, stairs boarding and plastering. This lot could be done by a diyer who has common sense and ability to read and listen and replicate the instructions into actions But still a great video
