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Creating a marvellous mezzanine

Creating a marvellous mezzanine

Building a mezzanine can be a surprisingly cheap way to maximise space and add value to your home

Building a partial floor, or glorified balcony, overlooking the space below is a great way to gain extra space. These half floors can be built for any purpose, from cosy guest bedroom tucked under the eaves to home cinema floating behind a wall of glass. Adding a mezzanine floor is usually done as part of a conversion or extension and doesn’t need to break the bank.

Mezzanine Floor
DMVF Architects, photo credit Paul Tierney

What does it involve?

Whether you can – or cannot – add a mezzanine floor will probably come down to ceiling height: 14ft (4.2m) is the minimum to allow you to create an extra room and have a functioning space below it. You need to be able to stand up comfortably in both the mezzanine and space below it. The mezzanine level should not cover more than 50 per cent of the space it sits above.

A good example of a new mezzanine level can be seen in a two-storey side extension to a four-bedroom family home in Winchester. The mezzanine floor added a fun family room, allowing teenage children some privacy away from the main living space. The floor space below is freed up for a back hall, separate study and utility room. It’s a design that maximises space beautifully.  In another project involving a garage conversion, the new pitched roof created a tall ceiling for a sleeping platform, a bonus bedroom. By clever design, mezzanines can conjure living space out of thin air.

Planning a mezzanine

Planning permission is not usually required unless it’s part of a new extension. However, anything that changes the slope of a roof or adds a dormer will usually need planning consent, so do check with your local council before any building work starts. If the work affects a party wall structure, you will need to notify your neighbours. It’s essential to consult an engineer as the mezzanine will add extra weight to the supporting walls of your home. A structural engineer will calculate the strength of the floor and if any strengthening or underpinning of the roof or foundations is required. The engineer will provide the calculations and information for building regulations to ensure the mezzanine floor is structurally safe.

Rules and regulations

Building regulations approval will always be needed for a new mezzanine. A mezzanine rising from the ground level can be used for any function.  However, different rules apply when building a mezzanine on the first floor as it may create a three-storey home which means the stairwell will need fire doors. Moreover, it can’t form a habitable room unless the floor level is 4.5 metres or less above outdoor ground level and has a fire-compliant window. Whatever you use the mezzanine space for, it will need to be enclosed with a balustrade or half-height wall to prevent people falling over the edge. 

Adding a Mezzanine FloorSteven Holl Architects, photo credit Susan Wilder

Get creative

Don’t be put off by all the red tape. Mezzanines can be quirky and and practical. They can create extra space for you to do almost anything. They are usually used for an extra bedroom, office, galleried library or playroom for the kids but can also provide extra storage. It’s important to think about how you will use the mezzanine and the space below to make sure they don’t clash. Do you want it to be separate space or part of a more open-play layout? Sound-proofing may be needed if the mezzanine and floor below are going to be used for very different purposes, for example a home cinema above a noisy kitchen-utility area. One option is glazing in the mezzanine which will maintain a feeling of openness and light, while reducing noise.

What do I need to consider?

Access to the mezzanine floor is a key design issue. If space is tight, a space-saving staircase can be installed with hit and miss treads or loft ladder with handrails. A spiral staircase may be another option. However, a conventional staircase is safer and easier to use (if less fun) for young children and the elderly. Make sure there’s plenty of natural light. Depending on where and how tall the lower level windows are, it could be quite a dark space. Maximise natural light by installing generous skylights and/or dormers. Get creative with coloured LED lights. Make sure electric lights can be controlled from both the lower and mezzanine levels. Painting a feature wall a bold colour, such as deep purple, can make it an eye-catching space.

How much will it cost?

Expect to pay from around £75 to £120 per square metre. Costs can vary hugely depending on what’s involved but it’s usually a relatively quick and inexpensive way to add extra square footage. Fees for architects, surveyors and structural engineers will add to the bill.