Couple of questions regarding loft insulation and wiring

[Darkwood]

Thanks for the detailed response. Would you say that done correctly the wiring should be mostly above the boards then?

There is no correct way Par se' ... every job is different there are a few ways of doing it all with certain pro's and con's and some been financial and some been time as per my previous post - ill not recommend any method unless I see the job .. if you don't relay all the info or even miss a vital point out then we would be giving incorrect advice.

 

[internet]

There is no correct way Par se' ... every job is different there are a few ways of doing it all with certain pro's and con's and some been financial and some been time as per my previous post - ill not recommend any method unless I see the job .. if you don't relay all the info or even miss a vital point out then we would be giving incorrect advice.

Was just wondering something whilst re reading what you wrote before about holes through joists.

Is that a standard practice if no boards are there. It's just the wiring in this loft all lays above the joists in addition there are no clips of any kind. The fire arlarm wire is clipped in places by a screwed clip but doesn't run through holes in joist at all. That is the reason I was putting the batten down , cut to leave a space where cables run accross.

 

[Darkwood]

Not really an issue when loft is unused as long as they are place out of the way of any tradesman and not in stupid places like clipped to the lip of the loft hatch where anyone entering would stand on or pull themselves up.

You were discussing boarding out the loft that is what my comment relates to, yo will have to address the running of all the cables and notching joists is not permitted anymore but you can use an old notch if necessary with a nail guard fitted, otherwise all drilled in accordance with building regs.

A floating floor may get around alot of issues but reduces height available in the loft which is usually limited.

 

[siimon]

Is that a standard practice if no boards are there. It's just the wiring in this loft all lays above the joists in addition there are no clips of any kind. The fire arlarm wire is clipped in places by a screwed clip but doesn't run through holes in joist at all. That is the reason I was putting the batten down , cut to leave a space where cables run accross.

The advice given in the On-Site Guide (sometimes called the OSG) that all sparks should have a copy of details how and where you can put holes in joists, and I believe this is taken from building regulations (but I'm not sure). From a layman's point of view, the floor of the attic appears to have joists. They look like joists, but from a structural point of view they are a component of the roof truss, and no self-respecting spark will drill one under any circumstance. I don't believe it mentions this explicitly in the OSG (although I haven't got mine to hand right now).

This can lead to confusion for DIYers, picking up the OSG, or reading other advice about joist notching and drilling and trying to apply it to what they are doing with their house.

When I had an attic conversion done, with 8x2 timbers, my structural engineer still advised me to route cables round behind the knee-wall instead of drilling the timbers. Although he said it would 'probably' be OK. Mind you, having paid an SE a s*** load of money you don't really want to then ignore their advice to save a few pennies on copper!

Hope this helps,
Simon.