Home DIY

Unofficial (bed)rooms in lofts suffer from a few problems:

• It can't be sold/described as a (bed)room (only loft storage space) so until it is done properly and complies with building regs it won't add any value to the property (in terms of mortgage valuation and buildings insurance)
  
• If it was just a board and cover job then the thinner roof joists may not be up to supporting the weight of it being used as a fully functional room, could lead to problems in the future
  
• Sound insulation is going to be poor, and roof insulation likewise (the bulk insulation barrier is usually between the loft and the lower floors), if you heat the loft a lot of that heat is going to escape out the roof without further insulation
  
• Home insurance may be tricky, and may be invalidated if it is used as a room (without associated building regs compliance) and its use as an unofficial room was contributory to the claim
  
• Adding windows/dormer may require planning consent, which will trigger building regs compliance requirements
  
• If leasehold, freeholders may decline permission to add windows/insulation or charge a huge fee for permission
  
• Also leaseholders may not officially own the loft space so the freeholder may decide to be an arse about it in the future
  
• Access is often ill thought out and cumbersome, however nice the idea of a 'free' extra room is.