How Long Will a Loft Conversion Take?

A loft conversion can be a great way to improve your home, offering more space and increasing the value of your home.

As a leading loft conversion company, we have worked on many projects like this over the years and continue to serve all regions in the UK. We understand that a lot of homes have unused or misused loft space, and a loft conversion can solve this.

By converting the loft, we can create a new room or even a new floor for the home, and this may take less time than you thought.

We provide a range of services to our clients, including providing a range of loft conversions to suit all kinds of properties. With this work, we interact with people every day and are faced with common questions related to loft conversions, including how long does a loft conversion take?

This is a common question and one that may interfere with your decision to get a loft conversion done because it allows you to weigh the benefits up. It should come as no surprise that a loft conversion is a large task, and it takes a lot of work to transform your existing loft space into something new.

With that in mind, the time it takes to complete a loft conversion can vary based on multiple factors. As a leading loft conversion company, we have worked on all kinds of homes across the UK and all roof structures, so we have a good understanding of how long each loft conversion will take.

In this guide, we are not only sharing the work we do and how we can help but also answering the common question of how long does a loft conversion take.

Why Get A Loft Conversion?

A loft conversion is one of the best things you can do for your home, and it can offer many benefits when done well.

Loft conversions work by focusing on the existing loft space in a home and expanding it, where it can be used for more storage or create more rooms in the home.

If you are needing more space at home, whether this is to accommodate your growing family or for additional storage needs, you may have considered moving house. This is a common solution for people who need more room at home, but it is not the only one.

Using the existing roof structure and the misused loft space you have available, a loft conversion can provide what you need and offer ongoing benefits. Instead of uprooting your family, you can stay put in your home and opt for a loft conversion instead.

Over the years, we have worked on many kinds of loft conversions and know that these work for all property types in the UK. This is because the average loft in this country is being misused, and we can help transform it into something new for your family.

A loft conversion can offer many benefits, and it may be a shorter project than you think.

How Long Does A Loft Conversion Take?

To determine how long does a loft conversion take, we first need to look at the varying stages of any loft conversion project.

While there are different types of loft conversion, each project we work on has three main stages:

1) Design and Planning

This is the first part of the process for any loft conversion and determines what you need to get done. This is the part of the process where designs will be drawn, and agreements are needed, such as planning permission or a party wall agreement.

The kind of property you own and where you live can determine what agreements are needed, with each contributing to the length of time needed for this part of the loft conversion project. In most cases, a loft conversion is considered part of the building regulations afforded to all properties in the UK and is considered permitted development.

As part of your permitted development rights, all property owners can make adjustments to their homes, and most loft conversions fit in with this. There are some circumstances when a loft conversion goes against building regulations, and this is when planning permission and a party wall agreement are needed.

If you are living in a terraced or semi-detached home, then it is likely that a party wall agreement is required, as a loft conversion can impact the shared wall between yourself and a neighbour. Detached homes do not need this agreement.

You can determine whether you will need planning permission based on the type of loft conversion you want. Not all loft conversions require planning permission, as they do not alter the shape or appearance of your home.

For example, a mansard loft conversion is one of the most popular types we offer and does not usually require planning permission because most of the work is internal. Permission for a loft conversion depends on whether it alters the roof structure and the appearance of the home, such as a dormer loft conversion.

It is also important to note that building regulations vary based on your location and can be stricter in a conservation area. There will be a set of guidelines that determine the lawful development of any property, and most forms of loft conversion fall into this.

These include the minimum height for any living space, as well as fire safety requirements and building regulations.

All of this will be considered by your project manager during the design process of a loft conversion. Loft conversion plans will be drawn up based on your requirements, and these will be assessed by building control to determine what agreements are required.

In most cases, the design process should take between two and four weeks. This can take longer if the loft converted requires permissions during the planning stage or issues are found by building control.

2) Building

Once the plans have been drawn, and permission is granted, we can start to build loft conversions for our clients.

The building process is where most of the work is done, and the timeline for this can vary greatly based on multiple factors, including the type of loft conversion you opt for. The average timeline for each loft conversion type is as follows, based on our previous work:

• Velux loft conversions: less than four weeks

• Dormer loft conversion: four to six weeks

• Hip to gable end conversions: up to six weeks

• Mansard loft conversion: several weeks

A Velux loft conversion is the simplest kind of project we provide, which includes the installation of a roof light or windows onto the existing roof space. As a Velux loft conversion is such a simple project, it has the shortest time span.

However, a larger project, like mansard conversions which can include a whole roof replacement, will take longer to complete. When it comes to other options, such as a dormer conversion, the planning stages will take longer than most because adding dormers usually goes against the rough guideline for all properties in the UK, but this will have been determined before we started converting the loft in the first place.

For some loft conversions, time needs to be added for the design and creation of the new roof space off-site. This can apply to a dormer loft conversion or mansard conversions where a new roof may be required, and this can be made off-site.

3) Finishing Touches

This is the final stage and occurs when most of the work has been done.

With the current layout adjusted and a new roof installed, our team will continue to install the features your loft conversion requires. This can vary based on what you are using the extra space for.

For example, while a Velux conversion may only take four weeks for construction, additional time may be added to transform the interior loft space.

If this new room is now going to be used as a bathroom or master bedroom, then additional work will be required to make it habitable. Features such as stairs from the first floor to the new loft, fire doors, underfloor heating, and even painting can contribute to the time frame of your loft conversion.

When working on a loft conversion, we also need to ensure that the flooring can satisfy load demands and that there is a sufficient head height for a living space in the roof. All of these can contribute to how long the loft conversion will take.

An additional week or two is usually required for this stage to ensure your loft is fit for purpose.

What Can Effect A Loft Conversion Time Frame?

In most cases, Velux loft conversions take around four weeks, whereas dormer loft conversions take several more due to the construction that is required.

However, if we discover damage to your roof during this time, then it can delay your new loft even more. Any issues we discover during this time can increase how long it will take for a loft conversion to be completed, as the damage needs to be resolved first.

We will offer a building inspection before any loft conversion takes place, where everything from the internal stud walls to the roof trusses is examined, but this does not prevent all issues which can arise during the conversion time.

As a leading loft conversion company, we aim to resolve all issues on-site and provide an accurate estimate for all our work.

What Kind Of Loft Conversion Should I Choose?

The best kind of loft conversion for you will vary based on your location, your property, and your budget. It is also important to consider how long each loft conversion can take to complete, as this may affect your decision.

As we have mentioned, one of the quickest loft conversions to do is the Velux loft conversion, as this requires the installation of a roof light. This kind of loft conversion can be done on any home, even a flat roof, without impacting the space too much.

Additional time will be added if you choose dormer windows for your loft or a larger conversion type, like a hip to gable conversion. With a hip to gable conversion, the whole shape and structure of your roof will change, which is why it can take longer than other forms.

When determining what kind of loft conversion is right for you, the shape of your roof and the existing space is also considered. This is because not only does your roof determine how much space is available for the conversion but also how long the conversion will take based on the amount of work that needs to be done.

If the roof needs to be replaced, for example, then you can expect a longer project.

Summary

How long does a loft conversion take is a question with multiple answers because this can vary based on your needs.

The type of loft conversion you choose, as well as your current roof shape and the kind of property you own, all contribute to the length of time it takes for a conversion to be done.

As a leading loft conversion company, we have worked with all kinds of properties to provide the best conversion for our clients. We understand that everyone has unique needs and that each project has its own timeline, but we can still provide an accurate quote every time.

Due to the number of benefits, a loft conversion can bring to your home, several weeks of construction can be worth it, and we continue to offer the best service within these parameters. We provide loft conversions to properties across the UK and serve most regions.

Get In Touch

If you are interested in getting a loft conversion, then you have come to the right place. Please get in touch with our team today to learn more or to request a quote for our service.

We look forward to hearing from you!