Loft conversion builders
Dormer, hip to gable, rooflight and shell-only loft conversions, from the structure to a finished room under the roof.
What a loft conversion involves
A loft conversion turns the roof space into a usable room, usually a bedroom, a bedroom with a shower room, or an office. The work is mostly structural: new floor joists strong enough for a habitable room, often steel beams, a staircase that meets the rules for headroom, insulation to modern standards, and either new roof shapes or windows to bring in light and height. Loft conversions sit within our conversions service alongside garage and outbuilding conversions.
Choosing the type of loft conversion
A rooflight (often called Velux) loft conversion keeps the roof as it is and adds windows set into the slope. It is the least disruptive option and suits roofs that already have good height. A dormer loft conversion builds a box-shaped extension out of the rear slope, giving full standing height across more of the floor. A hip to gable conversion straightens a sloping side roof into a vertical gable wall, which is common on semi-detached and end-of-terrace houses with a hipped roof, and it is often combined with a rear dormer.
Our guides on dormer versus hip to gable, rooflight loft conversions and raising the roof height go into each option in more detail.
Shell-only loft conversions
A shell-only loft conversion covers the structural and weathertight stage: the steels, joists, dormer or gable, roof coverings and windows. You then bring in your own trades, or finish the room yourself, for plastering, electrics, plumbing and decoration. It suits people who want the heavy building done properly and are happy to manage the finishing.
Planning permission and Building Regulations
Many loft conversions fall under permitted development, which allows a set amount of extra roof volume without a planning application as long as the dormer does not face the road and materials are similar to the house. Conservation areas, Article 4 directions and flats remove or change those rights, and parts of Harpenden, Wheathampstead and Redbourn are covered by one or more of them. Building Regulations approval is needed for every loft conversion, because it covers structure, fire escape, stairs and insulation.
Keeping a loft room comfortable
Loft rooms that are too hot in summer or too cold in winter usually have gaps in the insulation, too little ventilation, or large unshaded rooflights on a sunny slope. Continuous insulation through the roof, walls and floor, sensible glazing and a way for warm air to escape keep the room usable all year.
Questions people ask
- Why is my loft conversion so hot?
- Usually a mix of thin or gappy roof insulation, south-facing rooflights without blinds, and no route for warm air to escape. Improving insulation and ventilation and shading the glazing makes the biggest difference.
- Why is my loft conversion so cold?
- Gaps in insulation where the roof meets the walls and floor, draughts around rooflights and loft hatches, and heating that was never extended properly are the common causes.
- What is a Velux loft conversion?
- It is a loft conversion that keeps the existing roof shape and adds roof windows into the slope. Velux is a brand name, so it is also called a rooflight loft conversion.
- What is the cheapest loft conversion?
- A rooflight conversion is generally the simplest, because the roof shape does not change. Whether it works depends on the existing head height, which we check at the site visit.
- Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion?
- Often not, if it stays within permitted development limits. A conservation area, Article 4 direction or a flat changes that. Building Regulations approval is always needed.
- Is a loft extension the same as a loft conversion?
- People use the terms for the same job. A loft conversion turns the roof space into a room; when a dormer or hip to gable adds roof volume, it is often called a loft extension.
Related: conversions · loft conversion guide · dormer vs hip to gable · shell loft conversions · rooflight loft conversions · raising the roof height · builders in Redbourn · builders in Wheathampstead.