Converting your loft is one of the most straightforward and cost effective ways to add space to your home. This usually depends on using the existing roof structure with minimal modifications, however there can be advantages to replacing your roof entirely when converting your loft. When decided whether to replace your roof, there are a number of factors you need to weigh up.

How much space do you need?

As lofts were not originally designed for living in, they often do not provide the ideal spaces for conversion into habitable rooms. If you have a narrow floor space or low roof pitch you may struggle to get enough usable space for comfort. This can be compounded by issues such as hipped roof ends (where the roof slopes inwards instead of forming a gable).

Replacing your roof allows you to have a higher pitched structure which can increase head room and extend the usable floor space. It also gives you the opportunity to remove hipped ends and replace them with gables which will allow you to use the floor space from end to end of the roof.

Do you need to change your roof load?

Some older buildings, especially those built in the years immediately after the Second World War, do not always meet modern standards of construction. One relatively common issue is caused by low pitched roofs fitted with heavy roof tiles, often made of concrete. This can result in a lot of weight pushing outwards on the load-bearing walls of the house, essentially pushing the external walls apart.

There are two options you can take to address this. The cheapest and simplest is to replace your existing heavy tiles with lightweight roof tiles which will reduce the load. Alternatively, you can change the entire roof structure to give it a higher pitch. This will mean more of the load is going directly downwards through the walls and into the foundations, meaning the walls are no longer being pushed apart. Even if you chose this option, it is still well worth considering switching to lighter roof tiles to reduce the overall load.

Is your internal roof structure suitable for conversion?

Traditionally two main types of structures have been used for roof construction – framed and truss section. Framed roofing is usually found in houses from the 1950s and earlier and uses strong timbers to provide sufficient structural strength with relatively few supports. Modern houses usually use factory-made truss roof sections which are constructed from thinner timbers and rely on additional diagonal braces to provide structural support. This means the space inside a modern, truss section roof will likely be broken up by these diagonal braces making the space harder to convert into rooms.

If you have a truss section roof, replacing it can give you the chance to open the space up and make it more suitable for conversion. If you don’t replace the roof structure, you will still have to modify it heavily, including adding reinforced steel joists (RSJs) to provide enough additional support to allow you to remove the diagonal trusses.

Increase Your Roof Space with Metrotile

Metrotile’s lightweight roofing provides the perfect way to replace your existing roof giving you a future proof roof that comes with a 40 year weather proof guarantee. Our stone-coated, aluzinc treated steel roof tiles are up to 7 times lighter than traditional tiles while being virtually indistinguishable from many traditional roofing materials in appearance. If you need to replace your roof, Metrotile offer a high-tech, cost-effective alternative that will protect your home and gives you peace of mind for decades to come.

To find out more or to ask for a quote, call Metrotile today on 01249 658 514 or use our contact form for a swift response.