Frequently Asked Questions

The type of conversion could be dependent on the layout or style of the property, together with your aspirations for its intended use. We’d be delighted to offer you a free 1-hour consultation to discuss this with you personally.

This is City Lofts stands apart from other loft specialists. You’ll see from the ‘What layout will work best for my property?´ that our Designers consider ‘maximising’ space to be a fluid term. Knowing what the optimum space is for you loft is completely dictated by what the intended purpose for the loft room is and what the client’s priorities are. For instance using the space asa home office as opposed to a luxury bedroom has different priorities and therefore will generate different optimum-space designs. Thankfully we’ve already figured out the optimum layouts for all scenarios.   

Our Designers will try their utmost to avoid this from being the case. In fact it is quite rare to have to bite into an existing bedroom, as our preferred method of access is to develop from an existing landing or other available space. Our designs work very hard to ensure we maximise on the available space considering your requirements.

There is an optimum way to configure any conceivable loft space. The trick is to harness the home owners’ needs and preferences and integrate them into good loft design from the outset. 

Two things set us apart from the rest.

We are uniquely positioned in the industry because of the integration between our Designers, Architects and importantly, the property market. We have a London-wide network of Estate Agents and Commentators (whom we know personally), who advise as to what the local trends are not only in the area, but on your street. This is priceless information because if the property integrates the trends of the local market, you stand the best chance of making your property as desirable and future-proof as possible.

We pay the utmost attention to listening to our client’s requests, so we fully understand what they want from the design. It’s important we understand the motivation to convert the loft, because we can customise the design to give you exactly what you want, and more. 

For instance if the loft conversion will be used as a home office, we have designs that will maximise the usable floor area and give you fantastic work space, fully kitted with supplementary lighting and anti-surge power points to protect your computers and more.

If you’ve a baby on the way & plan to have a crib in the room, well we have optimum designs for that too, together with sound proofing solutions so baby doesn’t wake up in the middle of nap time

Teenage kids or perhaps welcoming a new member to the family? Well you’ll need more bedrooms and bathrooms. Our very clever Designers have solutions to afford give you two bedrooms instead of one, without having to compromise of en-suite options for either new bedroom.

Maybe you had dreams of master bedroom that would be the envy of the street. Our top end design packs will create for you an ultra-luxurious cocoon for you to dwell in and enjoy.

Perhaps you’re aiming to unlock the potential of you home and maximise its value. Thanks to unique property market integration, we know what sells and what buyers look for. And yes, we have designs for this situation too.

Perhaps the most overlooked aspect in the design process. Homes are for living in and without exception, its more enjoyable living in a well-lit house that a poorly lit house. There are lots of clever and cost effective ways to really maximise the level of natural light entering eth property. Design measure such as roof domes, light wells and cleverly positioned Velux windows won’t only open up the whole loft conversion, but will give an uplifting natural light surge to the first floor too. This brings another level of beauty to the whole property by day and by moonlight.  

If the loft room feels as though it’s been plonked on as an afterthought, it will add little to the value of the house. The staircase is the crux to making a conversion look as though it is part of the original blueprint of the property. The stairway should be a seamless, flowing continuation of the house’s original staircase, so that the evolution from old to new is looks totally natural. 

You may walk into some loft rooms and they feel ‘boxy’ and tight. This is not a good feel for a loft room. Even though the actual floor area is OK, that horrible ‘boxy’ feeling comes from having a very low ceiling. Upon designing the loft conversion, always look for the best way to maximise head height, so the loft feels like walking into a 2^nd floor as opposed to squeezing into a shoe box. 

• For any given loft type, there is an optimum position to installing your new staircase up to the loft room, so to give your property the best balance between usable living space and non-usable ‘swing’ space. Unfortunately all too often we’ve seen staircases that unnecessarily encroach onto a bedroom and don’t make the best use of what is otherwise ‘dead space’.
• The staircase will be installed according to regulations, which require there to be a minimum of 2m head height above the new top step. So typically the top of the new stairs will be under the ridge of the existing roof line or in the new dormer space.
• The staircase in most conversions is positioned above the property’s existing staircase.

A professional loft specialist will highlight this as an area to consider from the very outset. All too often a home owner spends thousands on realising their dream loft conversion, only to find that the shower doesn’t work in the new en-suite or the radiators don’t get how. Moreover the radiators in the rest of the property don’t work as well as they used to either. Why? Because the boiler that has been providing heating & hot water so reliably over the years, has now all of a sudden been rendered insufficient to meet the new demands of the household. It’s like a horse pulling a cart – if the cart is overloaded the horse has to work harder to pull the load behind him. Either the horse will slow down or just collapse. Just like the heating system. But if you add a horsepower than the cart can be pulled comfortably. 

90% of loft conversions can be designed to accommodate an en-suite or full additional bathroom.

Often overlooked. The attic is the ideal space to spore seasonal/bulky/old belongings – but when the attic is converted, where will you put all this stuff? We’ll always provide practical &  imaginative storage solutions

Often overlooked. The attic is the ideal space to spore seasonal/bulky/old belongings – but when the attic is converted, where will you put all this stuff? We’ll always provide practical & imaginative storage solutions. An experienced professional loft company will be able to convert otherwise ‘dead space’ into fully usable and practical storage space for big and small items.

The last you want is a loft conversion where people on the floor below can hear every footstep, flushing loo and other sounds from the 2^nd floor loft conversion above. This is very easily avoided by taking proper sound proofing measures from the outset

A dormer is the new wooden ‘box’ structure that will stick out if the existing roof line. This essentially is what gives the attic more head hi=eight and changes the attic into a ‘room’. 

Nearly all lofts can have a dormer window, which can provide useful extra space in a tight loft, adding light and outlook to a room. Some smaller lofts may require a dormer at the top of the stairs to provide headroom as you climb the stairs into the loft

• Countless Loft Conversions, average 20/year

Before entering the wonderful world of loft conversions from our background in high-end residential construction, we spent an immense amount of time and energy in understanding the market in intimate detail – identifying what forces made it tick, what aspects needed improving and what needed a radical rethink in order to deliver the best possible service to our clients. As a consequence, we developed the City Lofts philosophy – the 4 foundations upon which our business is built:

Unparalleled Client Care

The rationale is quite simple really. Because you’ve been good enough to let us work in your home, we strive to make you feel exceptionally cared for. 

We know that not all lofts are created equal. We pay great attention to understanding our client’s needs and priorities, and will tailor the offering to match. 

We have an ongoing two-way conversation with our clients, from the moment you submit your initial enquiry, to when the very last lick of paint has been brushed…and beyond.

We want you to know that your loft is our utmost priority and use an industry leading CRM system to help us achieve that.

Predictable excellence

Certainty of outcome –

There is a best way of doing everything. Inspired by the great Henry Ford we’ve pooled 90 years of collective construction knowledge to break down the task of converting a loft into its component and constituent parts and devised a patented (patent pending) SYSTEM of managing a loft that produces predictably superior finishes every time. This is how we manage multiple loft crews across London to develop in the same, superior way every time, with predictably excellent results.  

Joined-up Design – 

Our Consultants give you their undivided attention, and so we are able to create loft designs that match your motivation, and this lets us maximise space and layouts that marry up with your priorities.Because we have a constant 2-way conversation throughout the project, we’re able to react quickly and adapt designs to mirror your needs should you change your mind about something.

The Gentlemen

Perhaps a little old fashioned we know, but our working ethic is driven by putting family first. We all have parents, partners and kids that we work hard for and make a great home for. That is why we conduct ourselves in your home as if it were our own home. Shoes are removed for the carpets, dust sheets are used to protect fixtures and fittings, the garden path is immaculately at the end of every day, and disruption to you is kept to a bare minimum. After all that’s how we’d work in our own home.

We also hope that by doing this we serve as mentors to the rest of the industry and strive to raise standards of professionalism and craftsmanship across the board. 

The Big Finish

So you’ve taken your car along for its annual service at the garage. The Mechanic may have carried out the most pristine service imaginable, but if he mistakenly left a splodge of grease across the bonnet, what would you think of his work? What would your friends think of you driving a dirty car?

We get it. 

We devote as much care & attention to the small stuff as to the big stuff. The finish on the loft conversion is lovingly completed in every facet. From smoothing down rough edges to ensuring not a single brush stroke is out of place. The end result is to stand back and marvel at a job (really) well done.

You don’t have to settle for second best. If a job’s worth doing it’s worth doing well. This is a project you’d have been planning for a long while and you will want to make sure it surpasses your expectations. 

Bottom line is that your loft specialist should be able to inspire you.  You’re about to embark upon a major transformation of your home, which you’d have been saving towards for a long while, so you want to be damn sure that your appoint not only the best qualified company as per your selection criteria, but also very importantly, a company that you click with. Because they’ll be working on you property for 7-9 weeks after all. In our experience the right contractor does far more than just develop a loft to specification, they get to know the homeowner, understand their wants, needs and vision for their home, and will do everything possible to work them into actual workable designs. So have an ‘ideal contractor’ profile and get as close to it as possible when appointing your Loft specialist.

Honest Pricing

Working ethics are very important to us. The industry is plagued with companies who will offer a low quote in order to win the work , and then steadily add cost, after cost, after cost throughout the course of the project because they didn’t make clear what was actually paid for and what was not.  And because costs have not been properly tracked from the outset the client ends up paying a lot more money for a loft that is of half the quality, than if they selected a reputable loft specialist from the outset. 

We promise that from City Lofts, our comprehensive quote will state very clearly what is included in the price, and what is not. The price you’re quoted is the price you pay, and not a penny more. 

The false economy of ‘doing it cheaply’

The risk of not doing an exceptional job is too great a risk to take when dealing with your family’s home. As the old saying goes, if you pay peanuts we get our fury friends who swing through trees. Scrimping and opting for the cheapest quote comes with a major health hazard; there’s always a reason that company’s quote is cheap. If it sounds too good to be true, you can be sure it will be. Any profession loft specialist knows that there is a bare minimum cost any job could be completed for, and if a quote is low, then invariably the contractor will be clawing back the difference by cutting corners (such as inferior materials, illegal or dangerous installations, no motivation to finish the job well because it is unprofitable). 

Quality is always cheaper in the long run.

Our loft conversions are built to superior specification as standard. We know this means we will never be the cheapest loft company, but we would rather give our clients the best available of the materials and technology available because we believe you deserve the best for your family home. Our philosophy is that we strive to develop  your loft conversion as we would develop our own.

For instance (to hazard a guess) a cheaper loft company may probably use inferior quality materials for standard felt roof,  laying down only a couple of layers of felt. Now its life span will be short and will inevitably start leaking in heavy rains. Whereas conversely, a high specification Rubberoid roof maybe more expensive initially, but has a 40 year life span. So in the long run it is always cheaper to pay for quality.

More than just an exquisite finished Loft Conversion, we deliver…

Certainty of outcome – you will get exactly what you wanted.

Quality assurance – our systemised work flow means we produce lofts built with a predictability of excellence.

Peace of mind knowing that you’ve got the best working for you. We’re so sure of our quality, that we ask you to complete payment only when you’re satisfied that the job has been finished to your high standards. Oh, and a 10 guarantee on our work comes as standard.

More than just a loft conversion, we deliver you an asset. Estate Agents and property commentators support the widely held belief that a well-built loft conversion adds 20% to the value of your property. In London a great deal more. This gives you more cash to move up the property ladder with, to refinance and pull out a cash lump sum and a greater inheritance to bolster your legacy for loved ones. (Always seek advice from a Real Estate professional for accurate property values in your local area and from trained Financial Advisors if you are considering refinance options.)

Unparalleled client care. We strive to exceed your expectations in all aspects of the project. 

The utmost professionals – all our tradesmen are not only talented at what they do, they are each fully insured, qualified, vetted and referenced checked.  

Prestige, as standard  – City Lofts are accredited with all major industry bodies, meaning we’re kept at the forefront of all technology advances which means to lofts we produced are as future-proofed and built to the highest standards. 

A touch of class  – in 2018 & 2019 we were nominated for the Federation of Master Builders ‘Builder Of The Year Award’

An everyday contractor  won’t possess the knowledge or skill to develop a loft conversion safely and to Regulation standards. This can be dangerous for you and the property.

• Always seek social proof that your contractor is as good as they claim – get references! Also here are three hop tips to picking a good contractor:
• A good contractor won’t be able to start tomorrow
• A good contractor won’t price the job straight away.
• A good contractor won’t be cheap – quality craft comes at a price & cutting corners will invariably cost you in the long run

• A professional loft specialist should divulge this information without you having to ask, but don’t be afraid to ask for proof for your own satisfaction.
• We’ve got top spec insurance cover – -to the tune of £10million with a world-leading UnderWriter.

We insist on this. We want to you check our credentials thoroughly. We insist you scrutinise our past and current work. In fact we won’t take on you project until you have visited at least one of our previous jobs & spoken to the home owners.

You’d rather have an Electrician working on your fuse board that a Plumber – both are in the repair business but do very different things. In the same way you’d rather have a professional loft specialist developing  your loft conversion than a man-in-van from the directory.

Yes. Our aim is to make your loft conversion as simple as possible, which is why we give you one price which includes all the costs associated with developing the loft conversion you’ve been planning for. 

You can pay however it suits you best  – by card or by BACS.

 Yes, £2500 is all you need to ensure you have the best people working to create your dream loft conversion. 

No, we’ll agree a payment schedule that suits you, which will allow you to pay in stages over the course of the project. We even have finance options, so you don’t have to pay immediately for the work. 

Yes, we ask you to hold on to the final payment until you are utterly delighted with our work. 

Your property is as unique as you so it is not possible to provide an exact figure. For instance you may decide select the Rolls-Royce of bathroom suites over and above a standard bathroom suite, which would of course impact the price. However it would be possible to provide provisional costings upon inspection of your property. This will give you a pretty good idea as to what you can expect to pay. After we have carried out the initial site visit we will give to an exact quotation to the penny. The price you see is the price you pay.

We know that contractors & loft companies will just hand over a complicated document to the customer with lots of technical words & numbers, and just expect customers to understand what they’re looking at. We also know that some companies make a point of making the quote more complicated than it needs to be for exactly that reason. The price starts off low & because the customer wasn’t clear on what’s included & what’s excluded, then the small print makes the price go up massively during the project. Not us. We know that unless you trust us completely, you wouldn’t want to work with us – that’s why we’d rather take time out time especially for you, and walk you through the price 1-2-1 – that way not only will you know with cast iron certainty, exactly what the project will cost you, to the penny, and at the same time City Lofts are raising the standards of the industry.

In short, a quality loft conversion is not cheap. If you’re getting in a couple of quotes and one looks too good to be true, it’s a no-brainer to conclude that it is. The cheaper quote would almost certainly have excluded certain costs from the overall price just to make it look cheaper; items you will have to pay for in addition  – such as Architect fees, decoration, planning fees etc. – so know exactly what is in & what is out of the quote.

Permitted Development Rights come with most houses, and they enable you to develop a certain additional volume without planning permission.

From the time of submitting the application, it usually takes 8-10 weeks for the planning department to review the paperwork.

We will do it on your behalf. We use private Building Control Inspectors to carry out the checks, as they are much quicker than the Council’s Inspectors. And that’s good for you as you can look forward to enjoying your completed loft sooner.

Don’t panic, we have the best people on board to ensure you get planning permission. In fact 95% of applications we submit are accepted first time round.

This is a piece of paper issued by your local authority, which confirms that a development (either existing or proposed) is lawful in regards to town planning aspects, and does not need any further planning permission.

It is not likely you will need planning permission. In 2008 new regulations were introduced that stated that most loft conversions didn’t require planning permission any more (as they had previously). They are now considered to be what is called ‘permitted development’, and is subject to the following:

• The max. volume allowance of 40 cubic metres of additional roof space if you’re converting a loft or attic in a terraced house
• The max. volume allowance of 50 cubic metres additional roof space if you’re converting a loft in a detached or semi-detached house
• The loft conversion is not allowed to extend your loft beyond the plane of the existing roof slope of the main elevation that fronts the highway
• Any other alteration to the roof of a dwelling house must not protrude more than 150mm beyond the original roof plane, or be higher than highest part of the original roof. This includes the dormer.
• Materials used in the construction of your loft conversion have to be similar in appearance to the existing house
• Balconies, verandas or raised platforms are not allowed without planning permission
• The loft conversion must not have dormers on the front elevation facing the road or may invade your neighbour’s privacy
• Any side-facing windows in gable end conversions should be obscure-glazed.  Any opening must be a minimum of 1.7m (approximately 5.5ft) above the floor.
• Roof extensions or loft conversions, other than from hip-to-gable developments, must be set back to at least 20cm from the edge of the room
• The property mustn’t already been extended past the permitted development limit of an additional 15% of its original size
• Other than in the case of a gable-end, the rear dormer of the attic conversion shall not be less than 200mm from the edge of the original eaves

If for one reason or another you chose to, or your property demands that you DO hit on any of the above provisos, that full planning permission would indeed be required.

Different houses in different areas will be required to go down different planning routes. The planning process itself can be quite involved in some circumstances and it is critical that as part of the Loft Specialist’s team, there is a robust system in place to achieve a successful result with Planning dept. There have been cases where the homeowner was been ill-advised on planning permission requirements and has gone ahead and constructed  a fully fitted loft conversion only to be told to demolish it at their own expense. Homeowner was been ill-advised on planning permission requirements and has gone ahead and constructed a fully fitted loft conversion only to be told to demolish it at their own expense.

They are involved from start to the finish. They receive the plans submitted by our Architect and check all the structural calculations through the Borough Engineer’s department. Once these have been given the OK together with all the relevant building regulations for the loft conversion, an approved set of plans are returned and the work then commences. The Local Authority’s Building Control Inspector periodically come to visit the build to make sure all the structural work and building regulations are being complied with. Post completion of the development work, a final inspection is carried out. Once this has been confirmed as meeting all the requirements, a completion certificate is posted out to the homeowner confirming that the loft conversion complies with building regulations.

If your property is a terrace house or semi-detached, you will share a ‘party wall’ with them. This is the wall that separates your property from theirs. It is very likely that the  party wall will be needed to support steel beams used in the construction of the loft conversion. Therefore they need to be served a ‘party wall notice’ to advise them of the plan. The neighbours cannot stop you from developing your loft conversion but they can delay you from starting if this process is not managed well. 

Your neighbours cannot prevent you from carrying out the loft conversion. However to avoid any delays in getting the project going it is always best to let them know about your plans from early on. Not only will it mean that their concerns can be addressed, but it will help progress the project seamlessly.

A Party Wall Agreement (AKA an ‘award’) is the document produced by the 2 party wall surveyors (or the “agreed surveyor”) acting for the two property owners. It consists of:

1. The award itself i.e. a set of guidelines setting out how the proposed work should progress
2. A “schedule of condition” of the adjoining property, often supported by photos.
3. Drawing(s) that show the details of the proposed loft conversion.

Yes, as there are will in all likelihood be steel beams used in the construction of the loft, which will be positioned to rest on and inside the party wall. Even though the beams only rest on your half and not the neighbours, a Party Wall Agreement should be in place to avoid any disputes arising once the work has commenced.

A party wall is a wall common to two adjoining contructions or rooms – so the wall that divides you from your neighbour if you are a Terrance, end of terraced or semi-detached property.

In most loft conversion projects fire regulations need to be met. Depending on the situation at your property, this might mean installing fire alarms around the property, changing some internal doors or adapting some doors to meet fir regulations. Whatever action is required, it will already have been included within your quote.

These are the minimum standards for design, construction and alterations to virtually every building. They are developed by the Government and approved by Parliament. They set national standards for building work, be it on a new development or a loft conversion. 

Yes. Building Regulations are there to serve the benefit of the home owner and the property to ensure the loft conversion is deigned & developed  in sustainable and safe way. Everything we do complies with Building Regulations.

Any loft conversion is a major structural transformation of your home. The attic space wasn’t designed to take the loads associated with a living space (people, bathrooms, wardrobes etc.). Very few contractors, irrespective of how long they have been working, will have the technical know-how to overcome the plethora of challenges that can invariably crop up over the course of a conversion. A top loft specialist earns their money when the have to deal with a complex issue and resolve it to the complete delight of the customer. Is it really worth risking the sanctuary of your home to save a few pounds?

Most industry commentators and property market professionals such as Estate Agents will say with high a high level of certainty, that a professional loft conversion will increase the value of your property significantly. The property market is of course different around the country & around the capital, so it’s always best to check with your local Agent first.

Definitely. A specialist Loft Conversion company will manage this whole process as a matter of course. The Architect will be producing the planning drawings for submission the local planning department, as well as producing the full building regulations drawings and structural calculations that the Council and Loft contractor need.

Definitely. In fact we insist that you do. We’ll provide you a list of delighted City Lofts customers closest to you. Simply arrange to pop over a meet them / see the work at your convenience.

It goes without saying that any professional loft conversion specialist will ask you to sign a contract for the project, for your own protection and peace of mind.

We always endeavor to provide the best service for our customers. However, on rare occasions, we recognise that there may be times where our customers may not be completely satisfied. Where this is the case we have formal complaint policy and logging procedure in place to resolve any grievances quickly as with minimum fuss to you.

Where we cannot resolve any complaints using our own complaints procedure, as a Which? Trusted trader we use Dispute Resolution Ombudsman for dispute resolution. In the unlikely event of a complaint arising and you wish to refer the complaint to them please contact   0117 456 6031 or via their website https://www.disputeresolutionombudsman.org/which-trusted-traders-partnership/

any professional loft conversion specialist should offer you a 10 year guarantee on their work. A general contractor won’t. 

Which? Requires project deposits exceeding £500 to be protected. Although we do not offer deposit protection, all clients enjoy a no-questions-asked 14-day cooling-off period on orders.

Lots of loft companies do not, but we can. 

Yes, we can develop you the shell and if you prefer, you can do the rest yourself.  The shell includes planning, and building regulation approvals, the structural floor, stairs, and dormer/Velux. 

Give us a call and we’ll take some basic details and book you in for a free 1-hour consultation with our Surveyor. 

Yes. This is a highly specialised area, so please call us for information.

So long as the project is within planning guidelines, in our experience most types of loft can be converted. Of course we’ll need to ensure there is sufficient headroom so as you can walk around in the nee loft room. We’ll check for this when our Surveyor comes out for your free 1-hour consultation.

It’s not the actual size of the loft that matters, but whether you have enough head height. Minimum is 2.1m finished. That said you’ll want the new space to be big enough for you to actually enjoy and become a useful value-adding space. Our Consultant will be able to advise you of this when we come to meet you.

• Are you developing  a loft conversion because you need the space? If so, than how else could you get the space you need? Garage conversion, side extension, rear extension or just move ti a bigger house. All these are way more expensive and far more disruptive.
• Are you developing the loft conversion because you want the space? This usually means home owners wish to increase the value of their home. And why not? If you don’t enjoy the benefit of doing do, somebody else will. According to experts, including TV’s Phil Spencer, converting the loft the #1 way to increase the value of your home https://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/buyingsellingandmoving/7906602/Phil-Spencers-top-20-ways-to-add-value-to-your-home.html

Nope. We have our own Architect on board who does nothing but loft conversion drawings – so you’re definitely in the right place.

90% of traditional roofs can be converted after a survey has been carried out.

You can find the different types of loft conversion available to you here: https://cityloftslondon.com/types-loft-conversion/

It is. All we ask is that you purchase the bathroom suite and tiles of your choice, and we’ll do the rest. We have long and trusted relationships with our bathroom suppliers, and would be happy to personally get you in touch with them so you get the best service possible.