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Q&As
Lowering the Ceiling for my Loft Conversion
I am looking to lower the ceiling on the first floor to allow enough space for a loft conversion, as the height I currently have is not enough.
I would like to know if Telebeam is an adequate option for lowering the ceiling.
How thick are the beams? And how much would it cost for a house that is 6m wide and will be 10.5m in length? I'd like to know a rough figure to see if it fits my budget.
One Answer
Yes, Telebeam can be used to lower the ceilings to increase the headroom in the loft. If it is lowered by a small amount, we can provide specially fabricated hangers to support the Telebeams so the tops of the Telebeams are at the same level of the ceiling joists, so no headroom is lost due to the strengthening of the floor.
If it is necessary to lower the floor more than this, the issue is the loss of connection between the rafters (timbers on the main roof slopes) to the horizontal ceiling joists. This connection creates a triangle with the ceiling joists preventing the walls being pushed out as a result of the horizontal thrust of the roof.
Normally to prevent this a ridge beam is provided at high level to prop the roof and prevent it from dropping and spreading. This issue applies to any situation where the floor may be being lowered, not just to a Telebeam conversion.
The height of the Telebeams range from 150mm (6”) for a 5.8m trussed roof span to 225mm (9”) for an 8.4m span (internal wall to wall distance). We are currently looking into producing a very shallow beam (125mm) for narrow span building where headroom is often critical.
The budget price for a typical modern trussed roof building 6m wide x 10.5m long internally would be £7,800 plus VAT to include stairwell trimming and delivery. This is assuming that the conversion has roof lights or small dormers and a central staircase.
The price is for supply only following a detailed roof survey and, in most cases, structural calculations should not be required as the beams are Building Control approved throughout England and Wales.
You can get in touch with us to talk about your project through the Telebeam company page.
Digby Rowsell from the Telebeam team