Few things are as important in any homebuilding project as ensuring the ground under your feet is stable, level, and generally fit for purpose. Unless floor structures are carefully designed and built you could end up with uneven, sloping, or springy floors in need of expensive remedial work. So before finalizing your design it's worth taking a look at the main options for floor construction and how the choices you make can have an important impact on the rest of the build.
1 Relate floor construction to design early on
The positioning of the upper floors will dictate how much residual headroom you have in the rooms below. Therefore it's essential at the design stage to factor in the full depth of the floor structures - including boardings and coverings, ceilings, and plasterwork. It's equally important to calculate the finished surface height of ground floors once fully insulated and screeded with floor coverings in place. There can be additional challenges with extensions where floor levels need to be aligned so you don't end up with awkward steps between the main house and the new accommodation. Detailed section drawings are invaluable for assessing the available vertical space, bearing in mind that there may be planning restrictions on roof heights that can potentially constrain the dimensions of top-floor rooms.
Another factor that can easily get overlooked at the design stage is the need to accommodate pipework and ducting for ventilation, heating, and hot water systems within new floors.
2 Building Regs compliance
Denne historien er fra December 2022-utgaven av Homebuilding & Renovating.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 2022-utgaven av Homebuilding & Renovating.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Back to black
Dramatic black finishes and industrial touches add impact to Charlotte and Sam Tisdall's extended end-terrace home
Change for good
A last-minute decision to build a kitchen extension instead of a general update turned out to be a wise move for the owners of this detached period property
High praise
After converting a run-down gospel hall into a unique 1930s-inspired home-complete with geodesic dome - Alice Deuchar and Daniel Schamroth pronounced it a resounding succes
Lifetime achievement
Replacing a tired 1960s bungalow with a bespoke prefabricated contemporary house allowed retired architect Helen Heslop Brunt and her husband Martin to fulfil a long-held dream
Self-build for beginners PART 13 PRE-CONSTRUCTION GUIDE
Make sure that your insurance, health and safety, build and cost schedules and all documents are all in place before kick-off
ECO LANDSCAPING
Creating a garden with green credentials isn't without its challenges, but there are plenty of ways you can reduce its impact on the environment, once you know how
WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT PASSIVHAUS VENTILATION?
Heat and energy expert David Hilton explains the benefits, options and costs of this ultimate heating standard
HOW MUCH DOES EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION COST?
It's touted as an affordable home insulation method, but is external wall insulation worth the outlay and what are the lifetime costs? We look at the figures...
Open-plan kitchen DAVID HOCKNEY EXTENSIONS
From structural considerations and zoning to layout ideas and lighting, our practical guide to creating your new space has it covered
RENOVATING A GEORGIAN HOME
Known for their elegant architectural features, Georgian homes need to be restored sensitively to make them fit for modern life
