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Because of this we have an “Open Information Policy”. This means we aim to provide you all the information you will need to make an informed and accurate decision.

Our approach to every customer enquiry is the same with very few exceptions. Below is the process we follow from start to end.

Dealing with enquiries

Regardless of how we receive your enquiry we will reply by either phone or email and in some cases both if we feel it is appropriate to do so. This initial communication will be to make an appointment to visit your property and set a time that is convenient for yourself.

In order to accurately provide any estimate we must assess the scope of work required hence the need to view the property.

Providing estimates

We provide estimates free of charge to customers. An estimate is a brief summery highlighting an approximated price for under taking the work you have specified and a summery of the work we feel should be met in order to deliver what you want.

We also take this opportunity to provide you with options that might fit your needs better than originally planned. Our estimates can also be used as inspection surveys for insurance related work. Because of the detail and effort involved in producing an estimate we will on occasion charge for this service.

This is usually limited to surveys undertaken for insurance work, asbestos testing or where a survey is undertaken for the purposes assessing the feasibility of purchasing a property. Customers who commission AHB Contractors to do work on their behalf do not pay for this service.

Within an estimate you can expect to see:

• The “Estimate Summery”
• Approximated break down of materials required (Prices are subjective and based on supplier rates at the time of purchase)
• Approximated time period it will take to complete all specified work
• Conditions that may adversely affect progress of work (Such as weather, state of work area prior to commencement or work specification changes)
• A cost for completing the work.
• Payment terms are discussed upon acceptance of our estimate.

Commissioning work

We ask our customers to acknowledge that they have accepted our estimate and understand all aspects of the estimate provided to them. This allows us to begin work with out any misunderstandings about what our customers want.

This is a very simple process. We will accept an email from a customer where they have stated they wish the work to commence and when or should a customer not have access to email, we will accept a signed copy of our estimate with any agreed comments attached.

Upon receipt of this we will schedule a start date that is suitable to you the customer. We will also discuss a payment schedule that is suitable to you and ourselves. Generally we do require some funds prior to starting any project. These funds we refer to as a deposit and is required to enable us to get any materials required to complete the work.

If you prefer another approach:

• You can pay a deposit before we begin to secure materials, or
• You can call our suppliers and pay for a pre-collated materials order, or
• You can supply the materials yourself. (If you are supplying the materials we will provide a shopping list. All materials should be on site prior to our scheduled start date.)

Completing Projects

Our estimates provide all the guidance and terms related to payments needed to enable our customers to settle any outstanding balance of payment.  When we complete a project we ask each customer if they would provide us a service and that is to provide comment on how we have worked.

• We ask if they are satisfied with the work we have provided?
• We ask if they are pleased with the quality of service they have received?
• And we ask if they would be happy to provide us a reference to support this?

Our business is based on quality, excellence and transparency and the only way we can demonstrate this is through our customers. We provide an online form which customers can fill out and we generally email the form to customers whenever possible.

The removal or alteration to any roof elements could affect how the roof works and cause movement to occur. Movement could cause cracks to occur in the walls and, possibly, the eventual collapse of the roof. When performing work on any roof, care should be taken to ensure the roof will continue to perform effectively and without any movement.

Existing Pitched Roofs

The existing roof structure that forms the loft space has a number of timber elements that make the overall pitch. Each element enables the roof to span across the building and support the tiles/covering on top as well as being able to transfer the loads (weight) created by any wind and snow down to the walls.

Listed below are the typical elements of a pitched roof:

• Ridge Board – This forms the apex of the roof and is where the rafters are fixed to both sides.
• Rafters – These are the timbers that form the main pitch to the roof and support the tiles and battens.
• Purlins – These are long pieces of timbers that are normally seen half way along the rafters and act like beams to reduce the span (unsupported length) of the rafters.
• Struts – These support the purlins.  They are fixed at an angle with one end connected to the purlin and the other on to a load bearing wall or a timber spread across ceiling joists. These are the diagonal timbers seen in the roof.
• Ties – These are timbers which stop the roof from spreading and form an A-frame shape.  They can either be the ceiling joists (as described below) or can be fixed half way up usually above the purlin and are fixed horizontally from front to back. (Common in terraced houses).
• Ceiling Joists – These can act as ties, but mainly support the ceiling below.  Their sizes are usually relatively small and will not be able to take the load of any typical room used in a house.

Existing Flat Roofs

Flat roofs are more simple and generally consist of joists that span the gap between two walls. These are covered by panels which, in turn, are covered in felting or other such coatings as required.

Further information

The following pages give an indication of some of the elements normally required to satisfy the requirements of the Regulations for work on an existing roof:

• Re-roofing
• Rooflights
• Insulation and thermal elements
• Conversion projects

A new roof will be required to:

• resist weather
• resist the spread of fire from one property to another
• be able to support loads (weights)
• provide resistance to heat loss (insulation)
• be ventilated to protect from condensation (in most cases)
• have adequate drainage

There are generally two types of roof construction used:

• Pitch roof – This is where tiles or slates are used and a void is usually created underneath.
• Flat roof – This usually consists of felting which has a slight fall to allow rain water to drain off.

To enable compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations to be demonstrated, full details of the new roof will be needed – including materials and their dimensions and performance properties.

Covering

The materials used to cover the roof should be durable and capable of resisting the elements of the weather.  With a pitched roof the type of tile or slate you wish to use will be partly governed by how steep or shallow the slope is.  If the roof is close to a boundary, which is often the case, the roof should also have properties to limit the risk from fire spreading across the boundary.

Ventilation

Not all roofs need to be ventilated. Ventilation is not required to a warm roof system, which is where the insulation is placed above the joists or rafters.   Otherwise ventilation is required and this is known as a ‘cold roof system’.

When ventilating a roof the air should be able to enter at one end and travel through to the other end where it can exit.

Further Information

The following pages give an indication of some of the elements normally required to satisfy the requirements of the Regulations for new roofs:

• Weight (Loading)
• Thermal resistance (Insulation)

You do not normally need to apply for planning permission to re-roof your house or to insert roof lights or skylights.

The new rules introduced on 1 October 2008 allow for roof alterations without the need for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• Any alteration to project no more than 150 millimetres from the existing roof plane.
• No alteration to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Side facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor.
• The permitted development regime for solar panels has different limits on projections and in relation to protected areas.

Solar panels: for guidance on the planning and building regulations regime for solar panels see Common Projects section.

These permitted development rights apply to houses. If you live in a flat and are considering work on your roof you are advised to contact your LPA for guidance.

Building Regulations

If you want to carry out repairs on or re-cover less than 25 per cent of the area of a pitch or flat roof, you will not normally need to submit a building regulations application. You will need approval, however, if:

1. You carry out structural alterations
2. The performance of the new covering will be significantly different to that of the existing covering in the event of a fire
3. You are replacing/ repairing more than 25 per cent of the roof area, in which case, the roof thermal insulation would normally have to be improved.

There are separate rules for construction of new roofs.

This section provides guidance for making alterations to the loft space of an existing house which is no more than two storeys high. Requirements for alterations to an apartment or other dwellings like maisonettes, or houses over three storeys, will be similar but may be more extensive and possibly extend to other parts of the building.

The regulations will be applied to ensure, for example:

• the structural strength of the new floor is sufficient
• the stability of the structure (including the existing roof) is not endangered
• safe escape from fire
• safely designed stairs to the new floor
• reasonable sound insulation between the conversion and the rooms below.

You may wish to make these alterations to enhance the storage facilities available or to increase the living space of the home.  If you plan to make the loft space more accessible or more habitable by, for example, installing a stair to it and improving it by boarding it out and lining the walls / rafters etc, more extensive work is likely to be required and the Building Regulations are likely to apply.

It is recommended that you contact Building Control to discuss your proposal and for further advice.

Boarding-out for storage

In most homes, the existing timber joists that form the “floor” of the loft space ( i.e. the ceiling of the rooms below) will not have been designed to support a significant weight (known as “load”). The joists tie the pitched members of the roof together to prevent them spreading and support the ceiling lining of the rooms below.

An excessive additional load, for example from storage, it may mean that the joists are loaded beyond their design capacity. If you decide to lay flooring boards over the existing joists in the loft space, then this may require a Building Regulations Application to Building Control. Your local Building Control body will be able to advise you on this issue.

Creating a liveable space

If you decide to create a liveable space in an existing loft space of a home it is likely to require a range of alterations. Many of these could have an adverse impact on the building and its occupants if they are not properly thought out, planned and undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the legislation.

Further Information

The following pages give an indication of some of the elements normally required to satisfy the requirements of the Regulations when converting a loft:

• Existing walls & foundations
• New Dormer
• New internal elements
• Fire safety
• Stairs

The following common work sections give an indication of several other elements normally required to satisfy the requirements of the Regulations when converting a loft:

• Drainage
• Electrics
• External Walls
• Kitchens and Bathrooms
• Internal Walls
• Roof
• Windows and doors

You must also find out whether work you intend to carry out falls within The Party Wall etc. Act 1996.

Planning permission is not normally required. However, permission is required where you extend or alter the roof space and it exceeds specified limits and conditions.

Under new regulations that came into effect from 1 October 2008 a loft conversion for your home is considered to be permitted development, not requiring an application for planning permission, subject to the following limits and conditions:

• A volume allowance of 40 cubic metres for terraced houses
• A volume allowance of 50 cubic metres for detached and semi-detached houses.
• No extension beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the principal elevation that fronts the highway.
• No extension to be higher than the highest part of the roof.
• Materials to be similar in appearance to the existing house.
• No verandas, balconies or raised platforms.
• Side-facing windows to be obscure-glazed; any opening to be 1.7m above the floor.
• Roof extensions not to be permitted development in designated areas*.
• Roof extensions, apart from hip to gable ones, to be set back, as far as practicable, at least 20cm from the eaves.

*Designated areas include national parks and the Broads, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, conservation areas and World Heritage Sites.
Common projects: Loft Conversion
Building Regulations

Building regulations approval is required to convert a loft or attic into a liveable space.

Building Regulations

Building regulations approval is required to convert a loft or attic into a liveable space.