Structural Engineer for Open Plan Living

Open Plan Living Engineers

If you need a structural engineer for home extensions our Wakefield based team can help with all the requirements for your project.

Open Plan Living Structural Engineers

WF Design can help you convert your loft into an additional room. We have the knowledge and experience to make sure that it suits all of our client’s needs, whether they are looking for a master bedroom with ensuite or dressing area in addition to other spaces such as children’s rooms! The space is already inside one household – so why not utilise this wasted opportunity?

Our team of professionals can design a space that is perfect for your needs, no matter what you are looking to do with it. We understand the importance and versatility each room has in creating an entire house but don’t let this stop us from giving out some advice on how our talented architects could make sure every inch becomes something special. A loft conversion or roof extension should provide enough extra living area without compromising any other important functions such as accessibility downstairs.

In Roof Loft Conversion

Additional Bedroom

In Roof Loft Conversion

En-Suite Bedroom

In Roof Loft Conversion

Bedroom & Staircase

In Roof Loft Conversion

Bedroom & Staircase

Hip To Gable Loft Conversion

Adding A Kitchen

Hip To Gable Loft Conversion

New Room & Staircase

Creating Your New Living Space

All good designs should achieve what you need whilst being buildable in accordance with the Building Regulations and your budget. To help put that into context, some of the most common key areas to consider are:

Height is a major factor in making these rooms work as the roof pitch will generally pitch down to the floor.
We recommend that you have a minimum of 2.4 Meters (8 foot) from the top of the ceiling joist to underside of the rafters.
Staircases need 2M headroom over at least half of the tread. The new stairs will also have to form part of the escape route which needs to be protected from fire for a period of 30 minutes.
Windows can be put in the roof using Velux’s, gable ends or built into a new dormer.

If you are putting a bathroom in the roof you need to think about the waste as it can be difficult to get new pipework through the floor. On 2nd floors or rooms with a finished floor over 4.5 but under 7.5 meters you need a sealed/protected landing top or bottom.

When you have determined the best position for the stairs, landing, and structural elements, you can then begin to design the rooms. Sloping roofs can be hard to work around, but with the correct layout, they create a nice feature.

It is best to work with the shapes you have and let each room get the full triangular profile where possible. Adding a dormer can create extra space and add features to the external roof too. Be careful when choosing the material finish outside as sometimes the small dormer side/cheeks will not look good if you try matching the tiles.

The dormer is different, and you cannot always blend it in. Choose finishes that enhance the angles and make if prominent and purposeful. Velux windows are the most obvious way to light the room.

Other options are building up the gable, forming hip dormers, and in some situations putting a new roof on. Depending on the planning limitation due to the surrounding properties it may well best to put a new roof on, this can be designed around what you really want and surprisingly not much more to the build if you use attic trusses.

Click our gallery to see our built loft conversion designs in Wakefield, Castleford, Leeds, Pontefract, Rothwell, Dewsbury, Tadcaster, Garforth, Swillington and West Yorkshire.

ESTIMATE YOUR FEE

Open Plan LIVING Options

Bi-Fold Doors

Bi-fold doors are doors that slide open, made from a series of panels that fold up against the wall like a concertina.

Curtain Wall

Curtain wall glazing is strong but lightweight aluminium profile with glass to create an stunning facade.

Velux Roof Lights

Velux roof lights are centre or top pivot windows for pitched roofs that allow natural light into a room.

Roof Lantern

Roof lanterns channel light from all angles and create a stunning architectural showpiece in your home.

Velux Roof Lights

SLiding doors consist of two or three doors that slide horizontally on a track give fantastic views of your outdoor space.

Open Plan Living Design Fee

At WF Design we understand that a key question is how much are our engineering services going to cost? The answer is not always a straight forward one and there are a number of factors that will influence the fee. Our approach to costing is based on a percentage fee of the estimated build cost with allowance for any specific considerations. This allows us to ensure that each project is reviewed for its own individuality.

We have developed an online tool to help give you an idea of how much the structure design for your project might cost. Once you have followed the steps in the estimator tool, you will receive an email copy of this for reference. We will then get in touch using the details that you provide to discuss further and offer a formal quotation.

It must be noted that the estimator tool is a preliminary cost only and needs to be validated by one of our engineers before a formal quote is offered.

We are confident in our approach to costing projects and its fairness along with the quality of our designs, and each project is reviewed on its own merits before a final cost is agreed. Once agreed our fees are a fixed rate unless the scope of works is changed by the client – there are no hidden extras. When choosing an engineer for your project, like most things, the cheapest is not always the best. Be sure to know fully what you are paying for and that it is appropriate for your requirements.