Looking to do an attic conversion myself

I was looking to see if someone can help me with this. I was looking into getting my attic converted into an extra bedroom, but I would like to do it myself rather than paying the huge prices that the conversion companies are charging. I may need to get people in to do certain jobs but want to do the bulk of the work myself.I have a lot of carpentery expierience, but I was looking to see if anyone knows about other elements, and how best to go about them.

Things like;

- Moving the water tank
- Installing velux windows.
- Insulation required.
- Installing the stairs.
- What kind of additional support is needed to support a floor, and how to install it.

Im sure there are many people out there who have done this before, that might be able to share thier expieriences, good or bad, and wheather they would recommend doing it myself. Or if anyone knows of any good books or online guides that would help.

Any assistance on this would be greatly appriciated.

This is really beyond the scope of your average DIYer; converting an attic will have structural implications (stability of roof structure, increased floor loadings) and an understanding of the Building Regulations in relation to Fire Safety, Structure, Heat and Conservation of energy is required. A poorly considered or badly constructed conversion could have a serious impact on the value of your home and your ability to resell it in the future, where professional advice is not sought.

Hi Carpenter,

Thanks for the reply.

While looking into this I have noticed that I will need and architect to sign off on the conversion and issue me with a cert to say it applies with all the regulations. I understand this is a requirement when reselling the house. So I will have an architect on board from the start to let me know what regulations I need to meet. I realise it is quite a large project to take on, but intend to hire people to fill in the gaps where I fall short, e.g. plastering and plumbing.

Ok but an architect isn't going to be able to assess the structural requirements....you'll most likely need some input from a chartered structural engineer.