FabSwingers.com forum: Architects or builders in the room?

By *ollie_J OP Couple
over a year ago

London

May we ask a bit of advice..

We have some architects coming around to play around with remodelling our house.

We would like to put a dedicated play room into the house ie a large sized room, probably with access to a en suite, soundproofed and away from the other bedrooms

Here we could put cushions, av units, dimmed lights (no beds.. We find them too restricting for anything but sleeping!)

Luckily we are detached

Two choices come to mind.. Loft conversion or garage conversion..

Ideas please,,

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

dungeon.....??

no-one can hear the screams from there

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I converted the loft myself, if you can, do it yourself, saves 1000s, if its just a playroom, all you need is a solid floor, stairs, windows, some electrical points (for scalextric

) and thats it.

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By *atisfy janeWoman
over a year ago

Torquay

Garage conversion every time, so much cheaper.....

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By *ast and modifiedCouple
over a year ago

near glasgow

"I converted the loft myself, if you can, do it yourself, saves 1000s, if its just a playroom, all you need is a solid floor, stairs, windows, some electrical points (for scalextric

) and thats it."
i think you will need to fit 1hr burning fire doors to every room in the house if you are going to covert your loft.new legislation a few years ago and its common sense.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"..........

Ideas please,,"

Mirrors? Maybe a whole mirrored wall? You could have curtains to cover it when playing with people who don't like watching themselves.

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By *ustyWoman
over a year ago

inverclyde

loft conversion gives more space to space that is wasted, need a garage to eith keep the car in or tools etc

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Garage conversion every time, so much cheaper....."

I'd go for the garage too although I have no idea about comparative costs. I just feel the process of meeting and greeting at your door followed by a few drinks in the lounge and moving through to the playroom sits more naturally than 'going upstairs', especially if you're going to have ladder type access to the loft.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My garage has been converted with sliding patio doors dimmers etcetc it is fully fitted with a teak bar which means I have a bar, playroom with easy access. Next job is the hot tub beside it.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Garage, then you can keep it all as separate from your home as you need.

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By *ushroom7Man
over a year ago

Bradford

Pop in and ask an ( attractive ) estate agent their view.

Unless you have space to build a garage at a later date, i suspect the loft conversion will add better value to the house.

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By *b430Man
over a year ago

Tayside

"I converted the loft myself, if you can, do it yourself, saves 1000s, if its just a playroom, all you need is a solid floor, stairs, windows, some electrical points (for scalextric

) and thats it."

Seeing as drawing plans, etc for building work is what I do everyday of my working life I can tell the OP there is a lot more to it than what is quoted above.

Always make sure whatever you are doing complies with the current Building Regulations and that you get a Building Warrant & Completion Certificate at the end of the work.

If you don't then the money you pay for your house insurance will be wasted as the insurance will be null and void!

Doing things yourself may save you money in the short term but if you ever come to sell the house without the correct paperwork then the sale will always fall through until you get the work done to the standard of the regulations that are in force at the time of the sale, not when the work was originally done. This could lead onto costly remedial work as regulations mainly change to be stricter rather than more lenient.

A loft conversion will cost more than a garage conversion but will also add more value onto the house if done correctly.

Hope that helps.

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By *heWolfMan
over a year ago

warwickshire

After a friend bought a bungalow with an ex MOD bunker in the back yard, I really wanted to buy that cottage that was actually a facade for a Cold War nuclear shelter. Imagine how much fun that would be, to move from the small cottage, "downstairs" into a sprawling bunker complex. I was only about £10million short on the asking price, so had to let it slip through my fingers.

I know of several very well heeled people who have had cellars extended into large soundproofed studios, but it costs a pretty penny to do. Given the chance, I'd do that, build a downstairs playroom.

(Erm, that sounds ever so slightly sinister, in a Fritzl type of way. That's not my intention!!)

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By *ollie_J OP Couple
over a year ago

London

Thanks all for the inout so far

Interestingly I saw a article that mentioned sprinkler systems as a alternative to fireproof doors..

We have qualified people we can call on and have done work for us before: so absolutely no DIY at all..

We actually have a music room already and spookily mr new used to work in underground bunkers back in the day.. ie supposed to fire maroons in the event of an attack..

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By *heWolfMan
over a year ago

warwickshire

Ah yeah, I can see the logic behind that - we're expecting several megatons of thermonuclear device to detonate in the general vicinity in the next few minutes, let's fire off some things that go "Bang"! Could have been worse, he could have been the poor bloke who goes round with a placard urging people to close their windows in the event of an attack.

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By *ollie_J OP Couple
over a year ago

London

Ahh you see you haven't yet encountered military logic

The worst job was immediately after a nuclear strike to run up the ladder and out of the bunker

Change the film in the pin hole camera come back in to the bunker, develop it and then phone it in on special lines to tell them where the bomb blast was

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Not as much fun as knocking off the Adjutant's wife, eh?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I converted the loft myself, if you can, do it yourself, saves 1000s, if its just a playroom, all you need is a solid floor, stairs, windows, some electrical points (for scalextric

) and thats it.i think you will need to fit 1hr burning fire doors to every room in the house if you are going to covert your loft.new legislation a few years ago and its common sense."

Yep if you have a loft conversion you need to put in fire doors with automatic door closers on all doors in the house.

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By *ensualfire88Man
over a year ago

Edinburgh

"Ahh you see you haven't yet encountered military logic

The worst job was immediately after a nuclear strike to run up the ladder and out of the bunker

Change the film in the pin hole camera come back in to the bunker, develop it and then phone it in on special lines to tell them where the bomb blast was"

Change the film and come back in? Bugger that.

Just get on the "special lines" and tell them it was "fucking close to here".

What are they going to do, downgrade you at your next appraisal?

(can you tell i'm not ex-military?)

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I converted the loft myself, if you can, do it yourself, saves 1000s, if its just a playroom, all you need is a solid floor, stairs, windows, some electrical points (for scalextric

) and thats it.i think you will need to fit 1hr burning fire doors to every room in the house if you are going to covert your loft.new legislation a few years ago and its common sense.

Yep if you have a loft conversion you need to put in fire doors with automatic door closers on all doors in the house. "

Isn't it just any door on any possible egress route?

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