"There are some fantastic jobs being done around the 100,000 range, " says Michael Hogan of Attic Conversion Services, which provides a turnkey service, including design. "The current trend is to turn attic spaces into adult playrooms with saunas and jacuzzis, " according to Tony Gilbert, of The Attic Man.

Dubliner Yvonne O'Driscoll has reached lofty heights with a deluxe conversion at her southside bungalow. The recently completed 1,500sq ft project incorporates a sauna, shower room, gym and teenagers' recreation room.

Having carried out an attic conversion in her previous home, she knew the benefits.

"We created a master bedroom that ended up being the largest, most comfortable room in the house. It was south-facing, and was always very bright and sunny, with gorgeous views of the garden."

While that complied with the building regulations on habitable spaces, the latest conversion adheres to the building regulations for nonhabitable spaces.

Carried out by Attic Conversion Services in tandem with a complete remodeling of the house, the work took about three months. "The attic was totally disused and we knew it had the potential to hold a lot of leisure facilities for which we didn't necessarily want to forfeit the rooms downstairs, " she says.

"We didn't have to get planning permission because it was an internal redesign and we were able to get stuck in immediately. We love the result."

The general spend in converting an attic in an average three-bed house is around 18,000 to 20,000, according to Hugh Moore of CHI Attics.

"That would get you a fully finished attic, with proper stairs, heating and electricity, " he says. Gilbert, a member of the National Guild of Master Craftsman, quotes 19,500, including VAT, for a deluxe conversion, including materials and labour costs. Ninetyfive per cent of The Attic Man Ltd's conversions are completed within two to three weeks, he says.

For some householders unable to trade up due to punitive property prices and prohibitive stamp duty, the only way is up. "The attic is a good place to look first. With an attic conversion, you won't use up your garden and you can have independent access, " remarks Hogan.

According to Moore, the basic requirement for a straightforward conversion is reasonable height in the centre of the attic. "Measure the distance between the top of the ceiling joist, the beam you're standing on, and the bottom of the ridgeboard, the horizontal plank above your head, or in the case of a trussed roof, the bottom of the square metal plate above your head. Deduct five inches and ask yourself if you would be happy with a ceiling that height." If the roof is too low, he suggests consulting an architect or engineer.

Factors determining cost, Hogan says, include: size, the height, width, and floor area required; architectural layout, the number of rooms needed and whether windows and a bathroom are being sought;

the extent of alterations; suitability of existing structure and roof type; the extent of mechanical and electrical services, facilities and fittings required; specification of finishes and details; location; and access available for scaffolding, skips, transport and parking.

Building regulations determine basic parameters of the specification, says Hogan.

There is a legal requirement to comply with the regulations when carrying out a loft conversion, including those on fire safety. The Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government has published a leaflet on safety in attic and loft conversions.

According to a department spokesman, apart from listed buildings, where planning permission automatically has to be sought, a lot of attic conversions are exempt from developments because the ceilings are not high enough to qualify as habitable accommodation. If the conversion is done as non-habitable accommodation, what was a threebed house cannot be sold as a four-bed dwelling. You can however, point out that the attic is converted. Whether planning permission is required depends on the nature of the work proposed and whether windows or other features are being included.

The department advises getting an assessment of the feasibility of achieving the required accommodation and how it will comply with regulations. It recommends getting advice from a building professional like an architect or engineer on the design of the loft conversion; the selection of a competent contractor; certification of payment installments; and certification of the completed conversion as compliant with planning and building regulations.

The department points out that additional storey height increases the difficulty of escape in the event of a fire, and provisions required under the building regulations for attics are increased. This is particularly the case for a three-storey house, where the existing stairs and the new stairs should be enclosed in fire-resistant construction. This applies to the wall construction and the doors into the habitable rooms.

The technical guidance to the building regulations makes special provision for loft conversions in existing two-storey dwellings, where the conversion provides not more than two habitable rooms and the additional accommodation is less than 50sq m. These relate to the means of enclosing the stairs to the new storey and upgrading of the protection to the existing stairway. The habitable rooms in the new storey should each be provided with a window or roof light suitable for escape or rescue. Guidance is given on dimensions for size and position, relative to the eaves and new floor level.

Existing standards and finishes will have a big bearing on the finished conversion, Hogan says. Conversion types can vary enormously, he says.

Options include provision of roof windows; use of flat roof or pitched roof dormers to increase available height in part of the attic area; either minor or major roof redesign ranging from the formation of split-level sections to eliminating hips by forming a gable wall; and roof alterations coupled with projects involving mezzanine floors, lowered ceilings, relocation of existing stairs, walls or partitions.

According to Hogan, it is never the case that an attic can't be converted. "Sometimes it can be prohibitively expensive, particularly with timber-frame housing. However, you can put up a steel structure and a steel framework which would cost around 20,000, " he says.

Attic conversion specialists generally cover everything from the provision of roof windows to stairs, with electrical work and heating provided.

According to Moore, the heating systems in older houses may not be up to the mark.

However, radiators can easily be installed in modern homes.

Some householders get stairs specially designed, with timber and metal popular materials. According to Niall Moriarty of Stairsandco, there is a hankering for open tread stairs. "People want to keep as much lightness and brightness as possible." Prices can range from 5,000 to 6,000.

USEFUL CONTACTS >> Technical Guidance documents on how to comply with Parts A-M of the building regulations can be viewed on the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government's website, www. environ. ie 'What We Do . . .

Building Regulations' >> Attic Conversion Services, Olivemount House, Olivemount Road, Windy Arbour, Dublin 14, 01-216 9955. www. atticrooms. ie >> The Attic Man Limited, Dublin, 01-885 5522/087-233 5220.

www. theatticman. com >> CHI Attics, Sutton Cross, Dublin 13, 01-8321342, www. atticconversions. ie >> Niall Moriarty, Stairsandco, 01-4038441. www. stairsandco. ie