Check out sky lofts.co.uk gallery - this may give you some inspiration.

Looks like a really lovely flat with loads of potential. I know there are plenty of neighbourhoods like Jesmond where spending that extra doing a loft conversion is probably worth it. I would check that out by getting some sketch plans drawn showing what it would be like with a loft conversion and then having a chat with some local estate agents to get an idea of what the likely uplift in value will be. Then you can either set your budget by the potential uplift, plus perhaps a little to cover your enjoyment of living there for the next 5 years or so. It is very hard to tell from the photo how much head room you have in the loft space. If there are other loft conversions on your street then it seems likely that it is possible, if not then that might be an indication that it is either not quite high enough, or that there hasn't been enough value to be gained from doing it (although if that is the case and the area is up and coming then this might change). If you climb into the loft (being careful not to put your foot through the ceiling) and measure the height from the top of the ceiling joists to the underside of the ridge, then you'll get some idea of the potential for a loft conversion. You can drop the ceilings for all the rooms at 1st floor to create more head height in the loft if you need to - this is a big job, but is doable and might be worth it. The current head height in the loft will be reduced by the insulation build-up that you will need to add to the roof and probably by new floor joists that you'll need to add (the ceiling joists alone are rarely enough to take the floor for a loft conversion). This is all work needing building control approval, though probably not planning - though it would be worth checking with your local authority planning department to check. You can do PD enquiry. You would need planning permission to add a soil vent pipe to the front of your house to change the study into a bathroom - might be possible to get approval, but not easy. It is usually easier to use the existing SVP or add one at the back. As a suggestion: Maybe you could add a kitchen to the back of the bedroom one / reception room and open that up to the landing, study and front bedroom to make a big open plan kitchen/diner/lounge to the front (if you're extending into the loft you'll probably need to have a fire protected stair so keep this in mind). Then add another bedroom, possibly with ensuite into the loft, and turn the dining room into a bedroom with ensuite and walk-through wardrobe where the current bathroom and kitchen are... You could make the bathroom a bit bigger by taking in some of the kitchen and you could make some of this into a utility room as well... I have a free checklist with support emails to help with getting your project off to a good start and making the right decisions for you. You can get a copy from my website: www.i-architect.co.uk

hi Cornelius, I think that the staircase is probably installed in this manner to allow you to have the correct clearance for the stairs below. If you check the height from the underside of the new stair they need to have a clearance from the nosing of the stair to the underside of 2m. Moving the staircase to the edge probably created a problem. it could also be a problem on heights entering the loft space. if you check this you may be able to assess whether this is the case. it can be moved if there is the room at the top of the stairs to cut the staircase. the stringer must arrive and be fixed to the floor joists, moving the stair may result in the stringer not being correctly positioned to transfer loads and be fixed. Looking at the staircase it is a very basic staircase and will not be capable of too many changes on site without affecting the stability of the stair. Was their a drawing for the staircase produced on the opening, or was this left to the builder to measure and order. If the latter you probably don't have any real option in accepting their design solution. If your architect designed the staircase , they should have resolved clearance issues and have a clear position for the staircase to start. this should include where the balustrade runs and Newell post positions. Did your architect produce a for construction set of drawings or did you use the basic planning set of drawings. In order to resolve problems such as this it is better to have a very detailed set of drawings that the builder can follow to ensure the quickest easiest option isnt taken by your construction team. i think a second newel post will be the best solution. I dont thing it will look as odd as any other solution your builder might suggest. Loft extension access stairs are often a problem and the solutions are a series of compromises made in order to shoehorn in the requirements of regulations and utilise the space to get a clients desired layout. I hope that you can agree a compromise with your builder, as disputes can result in costly litigation and wasted money. try to work something out with them and get the project over the line.. best Rowland

Re C: Sorry to throw another idea your way, but there is another way to set out the storage in C. Rather than have the cupboards/wardrobes opposite the bed, you could dedicate the space under the sloping roof to the cupboard/wardrobe. ie there would be a long row of storage running parallel to the bed. (I've had this in one of my houses). To look at the wardrobe doors look square. The pitched room is hidden behind. The advantage is that you can then have sliding doors on the wardrobe, and a long hanging rail. It's only a half height -- so not good for dresses, full length coats - but fine for shirts, skirts, suits etc. This leaves the wall opposite the bed (in orientation C) free for drawers (maybe two sets of drawers - if two people are using the room) and you can display photos/vases/ etc attractively on the surface of the drawers. Maybe put art work/photos above the drawers (which you can look at from the bed), or wall paper the entire wall. So - you get a long row of hanging space (behind neat sliding drawers), you can store stuff behind and below your hanging space (because the eaves go back further), you have plenty of space for proper drawers, and you look at an attractive wall when you walk into the room. (Disadvantage - not much full height hanging space - you could add some but not alot behind the door)