Frequently Asked Questions

Most conversions qualify as permitted development and don't need a formal planning application — but dormers in conservation areas, front-facing changes, or work on listed buildings usually do. We check this against your specific property at survey stage, before you commit to anything.

It's a set of national rules that let homeowners add a limited amount of extra roof volume without going through full planning permission, as long as size, height and materials stay within set limits. We measure your roof against these limits as part of the free survey.

If your home is terraced or semi-detached and the work affects a shared wall, your neighbours need formal notice under the Party Wall Act. We handle the notices, timing and paperwork so you don't have to chase it yourself.

We design most projects in-house, producing the drawings needed for building regulations approval. For more complex roofs or listed buildings, we can bring in an independent architect if needed.

Yes — every loft conversion needs it, regardless of whether planning permission applies. A building control surveyor inspects the work at key stages and issues a completion certificate at the end.

Yes. We commission the structural engineering calculations for the new floor, steel beams and staircase as part of the design package, so everything meets building control requirements from day one.

Building regulations generally expect around 2.2m of head height at the highest point of the new room. We measure this precisely at survey so you know upfront whether your loft qualifies.

Most can, but roof pitch, existing joist depth and available headroom all affect what's possible. A short site visit is usually enough to tell us which conversion type suits your roof.

Yes — building regulations require permanent, fixed access to the new room, so a staircase is part of almost every conversion. We design its position to use as little of your existing floor space as possible.

New loft rooms are built to current thermal performance targets for the roof, walls and floor, so the space stays warm and comfortable without pushing up your heating bills.

It depends on the type: a simple rooflight conversion costs the least, a dormer sits in the middle, and larger hip-to-gable or mansard conversions cost more because of the extra structural work involved. We give you a fixed written quote after the survey, not a vague estimate.

We quote a fixed price for the agreed scope. The only time cost changes is if we uncover something unexpected once we open up the roof (see below) or if you ask us to add extra work.

We flag it immediately — with photos and a clear cost/time impact — before doing anything further, so you're never hit with a surprise bill at the end of the job.

Yes. We visit your property, measure the roof space, check what's possible under planning rules, and follow up with a written scope and price — no charge and no obligation.

Structural and roofing work is covered by a multi-year guarantee, and we're fully insured for public liability for the whole project.

In almost all cases, yes. Most loft conversions don't require you to move out, though expect some noise and limited access to parts of the house on certain days.

We seal off work areas and protect staircases and floors with sheeting, and most of the structural work happens externally or within the roof void, which keeps disruption to your living space to a minimum.

Most projects run 6–10 weeks on site, depending on the size of the dormer and how much structural work is involved — plus a few weeks upfront for design, drawings and permission sign-off before work begins.

Yes — a lot of clients combine a loft conversion with ground-floor or rear extension work in one build phase, which can reduce overall disruption and make better use of scaffolding and site setup costs.

Book a free feasibility survey. We'll visit, measure the roof space, check the planning position, and come back with a written scope and fixed quote — usually within a few days of the visit.