Builders and Decorators in Wandsworth

The price depends on the type of loft (Velux, dormer, hip-to-gable or mansard), its size and head height, the steelwork, the new staircase and the finishes you choose. After the survey visit and a look at your drawings, and once the quotation fee is settled, we send a written, itemised quote, so you can see where every pound goes.

Many lofts fall under permitted development, within set limits: 40 cubic metres of extra roof space for a terraced house, and 50 for a semi-detached or detached one. Mansards, front-facing dormers, flats and homes in conservation areas usually need planning permission. Your architect confirms the right route and prepares the application, and we build to the approved drawings.

Most lofts take about 6 to 16 weeks on site, depending on the type; your quote includes a programme with the key stages. Design, approvals and any party wall notices come first, and their timing depends on your borough and your neighbours.

There are six main types, shown in the illustration above: a rooflight, a rear dormer, an L-shape dormer, a rear mansard, a hip to gable, and a hip to gable with rear dormer.At the survey we look at your roof and head height and talk through the ones that fit.

Yes, every loft conversion needs it. It covers:the structure;a protected escape route with fire doors and mains-wired smoke alarms;the staircase and headroom;insulation and ventilation.We coordinate the building control inspections, and you receive a completion certificate at the end, which you'll want when you sell.

If your loft touches a wall you share with a neighbour, usually yes, because steel beams often sit in the party wall. Under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996, your neighbours receive notice at least two months before that work starts, and they can agree or appoint a surveyor. We look at this at the survey so it fits the programme.

A loft that adds a bedroom and a bathroom is one of the most popular ways London homeowners gain space and value while staying put. The value it adds depends on the layout, the quality of the build and your street, so a local estate agent is the best guide to figures for your home.

Most London lofts can be converted. The first thing we measure is the head height: you need about 2.2 metres at the highest point, from the top of the ceiling joists to the underside of the ridge. We also look at the roof structure, the stairs and the rooms below, and whether a dormer, hip-to-gable or mansard suits your house and your street. At the survey we tell you plainly what your loft can become.