Looking for permitted development plans, building regulation drawings or other loft plan assistance for your next project? We at Elite Loft Conversion Plans can help.
Loft conversion projects can be incredibly difficult, requiring you to wade through a sea of planning permission issues and architectural concerns that can take hours to resolve. Even with that out of the way, knowing how to plan loft conversions is another matter entirely.
We can provide a wide range of loft conversion services, supporting you all the way from the earliest loft conversion planning drawings to the final stages of the loft conversion project work. Loft conversions are tough, but we’re there to help you every step of the way.
To find out more about our planning services, or to receive a free quote, please get in touch with out team using the contact form below.
We at Elite Loft Conversions have come together to form a specialist loft conversion planning company, one that can provide a wide variety of high-quality loft conversion designs for your property. Our past work has given us a long list of previous clients to take inspiration from, each of whom needed unique and bespoke work done to their home or business.
Our team of experts know who to create excellent lot conversion designs fit for each client, and we’re well-prepared to take on another customer. Whether you just want more roof space or are looking at a full overhaul of your existing loft space, we’re available to help with any stage of the project.
We are able to provide some of the best loft conversion drawings and plans available, aiming for an extremely high standard of quality with each project we tackle. We treat every client as a bespoke order, never taking shortcuts with the designs we create.
We have been able to work with clients of all sizes, scopes and loft requirements, aiming them from the very beginning of the project to the very end. Clear communication and constant double-checking ensure that we’re always creating exactly what our clients want, no matter how specific their needs are.
All of our past loft alteration and conversion work – as well as work on other building projects – has enabled us to build up a long list of practical experience. We use the knowledge and skills gained from past clients to try and satisfy future customers even more effectively, never relying on copy-pasted designs or shortcuts when putting together loft plans.
We have well over 10 years of experience in the field of creating loft conversion designs, and have produced thousands of loft conversion projects for properties all across the UK. This covers all major types of loft conversion as well as countless original roof space designs that are bespoke to one single client.
All of this experience has given us a good insight into how an effective loft conversion plan is created, which elements are most important to a loft conversion, and how to avoid over-complicating our work. All of this has made it much easier for us to handle niche projects well.
The type of loft conversion you choose changes a lot about the end result.
There are multiple conversion types that we can offer, with different loft conversions fitting different kinds of roof space better than others. Some clients may need to choose one due to building regulations, while others are chosen for aesthetic or loft space reasons.
Either way, understanding the basics of our loft conversions can really help when you’re looking into a new loft rework. The more you know about what we can offer, the easier it becomes to choose the loft space and style that’s right for you.
Some lofts may only work on a pitched roof or hipped roof, or homes where the roof slopes in a certain way. Others may require alteration of roof trusses, and others might require that you build a section of flat roof to accommodate them. We can help you understand the type of loft conversion that suits your home best.
A dormer loft conversion is the most common type you’ll see in the UK, and is most often features on both terraced houses and semi-detached houses. These conversions replace the existing roof slope with a flat-roofed alternative, creating a new room “inside” the roof.
Dormer loft conversions are simple and effective, but they have limits to how far they can change a space. Not only do they alter the silhouette of your home – meaning that they often need planning permission – but they also usually need to be consistent with the rest of the roof.
A rear dormer loft conversion might not be as much of a problem, since it won’t usually be visible from the street, but building regulations still apply. We can help create the perfect dormer design for your home.
Hip to gabble conversions provide a lot more floorspace and head height, but are installed in the side of the roof rather than the front. These are often built into a hipped roof, turning the existing roof slope into a new room and flattening out the sides of the roof itself.
These are essentially dormer conversions in a different location. However, they’re often limited to detached or semi-detached housing, since they can’t be built on terraced houses that have the sides of each roof connected together.
These can take a lot of time and effort to create, but the end result is worth it, providing some excellent vertical space and a lot more room to move. If a dormer conversion isn’t suitable for your needs, then a hip to gable plan may be a better option.
A mansard loft extension reaches across the entire roof, turning it all into an extra room on top of your existing house. These are some of the largest options, but are also quite expensive, since they focus on creating the maximum amount of space possible.
These are a great choice for people who just want more space and have no issue with altering their roof structure: the larger your roof, the more space you can create. These are often installed as a rear roof extension at the back of the home, but this isn’t always the case.
Most mansard loft conversions still try to retain the same style as the original roof. Thanks to the sheer amount of loft space being created, there’s a high chance of needing planning permission, since the house roof’s silhouette is going to change quite drastically.
VELUX lofts are cheap and reliable, offering the minimum needed to turn a loft into a usable room. This generally just means adding windows and making very slight tweaks to the loft itself, such as adding easier sources of light and certain safety features.
This doesn’t always mean that the loft is legally a room, so you can’t have a VELUX conversion done to turn the extra space into a bedroom. However, this is a very cheap and effective way to deal with a loft that you can’t use for anything.
This doesn’t tend to change the shape of the loft itself, so you won’t usually need planning permission. The exceptions can be dormer windows, since a dormer window is a large enough tweak to make it closer to a dormer conversion that may require permission to construct.
L-shaped conversions are meant to be built over an existing ground floor extension, such as a kitchen extension that was added long after the original house was already built. These essentially provide a second floor over the new extension.
These conversions can take a lot of planning work to get right, since they need to be constructed on the second floor (or, in some cases, higher). This means thinking in three dimensions, rather than just planning out a general floorplan.
Planning permission can also be very complex for these conversions, since there are a lot of differences between individual L-shaped lofts. Beyond that, there can be a lot of unexpected costs associated with a loft like this.
While this might sound like a lot of work, remember that we’re here to help. If you want your property to have an L-shaped loft, then we can take care of the tough parts of the project, using our services to simplify your end of the work and make it much easier to get the results that you want.
Wrap-around loft conversions are some of the largest that we can construct, providing a huge amount of extra space on top of the usual benefits of a conversion project. They also tend to have greater head height limits, and can easily be split into more than one room as needed.
These loft options are very versatile and can be used to replace parts of your roof without altering others, all while providing a lot of space for day-to-day use. The added floor space makes this an ideal option for homeowners seeking more space in general.
Of course, these lofts require a lot of planning. Like all loft conversions, it helps to have the support of a company like us, especially if you aren’t sure how to begin the planning process yourself.
A modular loft is a strange case, since it doesn’t really count as a typical loft option. These are pre-fabricated conversions constructed off-site, installed in place of your home’s original roof. This makes them incredibly complex and expensive, but can also make them a very unique roofing option.
In most cases, the original roof is cut away and discarded, leaving the property open. Then, the new loft option is lifted into place and installed over it, essentially replacing the entire house roof with a prefab piece.
This takes a lot of planning and time to set up, and is mostly used in niche situations, but it can also be a great alternative to more complex projects if you have our help. We can handle the bulk of the work, helping you get the best architectural drawings possible for a modular loft design.
Roof light conversions are some of the simplest we can offer, and are sometimes even easier than VELUX conversions. These involve simply replacing parts of the roof with skylights, also known as roof lights, to allow more natural lighting in.
There is still quite a lot of creativity on offer with these conversions. Roof lights can be installed in multiple different ways and styles, all tailor-made to suit each individual home. Thanks to this, a plan is still often a good idea, especially if that lighting needs to serve a functional purpose.
Whether you want the lighting as part of a longer-term conversion or just want a new source of natural light, let us know what kind of ideas you had in mind. Roof lights can be installed almost anywhere, from horizontal roof areas and vertical wall sections to pitched roof sides.
An internal loft conversion is by far the simplest form of a serious loft conversion project. They require almost no building work, only rarely need permission from a local planning authority, and can be quite flexible as long as you don’t need to extend the roof structure out any further.
These are mostly focused on opening up the internal space of your loft, making sure that you’re using the existing roof structure to its fullest extent. This means that it isn’t technically a loft extension, since you’re simply opening up the unused space.
These can sometimes cross over with roof lights and VELUX conversions, since the three are basically the same in concept. The largest difference is in how the overall space gets used, and how much work is done to legally turn the loft into a room.
Loft conversions aren’t simple one-and-one projects, where you can sketch out a design and then have it built within the next few days. Even the simplest lofts need you to consider how the design will fit together, and how it will interact with the space around it.
For example, factors like ceiling height can be important if you want to turn a loft into a new room, and you might be legally obligated to install electrical lighting instead of just roof lights. These might not be immediate concerns, but they’re extremely important for loft spaces.
Stairs are also a very major issue, since a space needs to be stair-accessible to be considered a legal room in most cases. This means that a ladder-accessible loft might need some more in-depth conversion work done later on.
The design process isn’t just about the physical plan, but how you can make it into a real-life area. Our loft designs include some careful thought about how the space will work in terms of design and suitability as a room, making sure to keep all necessary details in the plan from the very beginning.
We can help talk you through the major design considerations that can get in the way of a loft conversion project, making sure that you understand what might be necessary for the new design. Loft stairs, emergency exits, floor strength reinforcements, fire doors and suitable lighting are all important parts of the project.
Different types of loft conversion cost different amounts, and loft conversion costs can vary quite significantly. It can also be very hard to tell the estimated price of a loft conversion through architectural plans alone, especially plans that are still in the early stages.
There are a lot of things that can increase the cost of a loft project, too. While trying to increase space is obviously going to bump the costs up, so will things like modifying an existing staircase or changing the architecture of the roof’s interior.
Every change you make to your home costs money, and some are more expensive than others. No matter how far you plan ahead, there will be unexpected costs that can get in the way of your project, and you need to be prepared for that.
Our experts are good at working out the expected budgets for a project, as well as setting aside enough money to make emergency corrections or changes if something goes wrong. Feel free to contact our specialists if you need a full breakdown of how much our previous clients have spent on similar projects to your own.
While a loft design can cost a lot depending on the scale and scope of what you’re making, the planning stage is a little different. The wide range of services we offer means that we can adjust how we operate to match the client’s needs and budget.
For example, if you just want an architecture plan made by an architect, then you wouldn’t have to pay much for an architecture drawing. However, if you want help from that architect on an ongoing basis, then we can work out exactly what you would need and move forward from there.
Because of this, every single project we take on is bespoke. Some clients want to pay a small amount for an architect to draw their plan, then move on. Others understand that our architecture expertise covers areas they can’t handle on their own, making us a more constant part of their project.
Before you start the project, it’s a good idea to contact a group like us for advice. Not all projects need direct overseeing from a third party, but it often helps to have experienced architects and loft converters standing by to help you with each step of the process.
| Planning Cost Aspect | Estimated Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Architectural Drawings | £1,000 – £3,000 |
| Structural Engineer | £500 – £1,500 |
| Planning Application Fee | Varies by location, typically £200 – £500 |
| Building Regulations Fee | Varies by location, typically £300 – £600 |
| Party Wall Surveyor | £500 – £1,500 |
| Additional Consultations | Varies based on professional fees |
| Contingency | 5% – 10% of total conversion cost |
Planning permission requirements usually apply to conversions that make a major change to the house’s shape or silhouette, or modify the overall look of the property in a way that impacts others.
For example, a large en suite bathroom loft conversion made of two dormers that sticks out over the garden would probably need planning permission.
This means making an official application with your plans, getting permission from a building control officer and getting overall building regulations approval.
Under the party wall agreement, it can also mean giving your neighbours and other nearby homeowners a chance to object to certain parts of the design – even things like a lack of sound insulation.
It’s important to note that your conversion can fall under permitted development rights. Permitted development rights cover things that don’t make major changes to your home, such as internal loft conversions.
If your property falls under permitted development rights, then planning permission isn’t usually necessary. However, only the simplest conversions fall under permitted development rights, and they might still need to be checked by an approved inspector or local authority to make sure that they follow development rules.
Remember that parts of a project can fall under permitted development while others don’t. Not every conversion is a single unified project.
Not all homes handle the same conversions as well as one another. Some conversions or home extension options only apply to particular designs, too. If you are looking for more of an interior design, make sure you check out our partner company Ideal Interior Designs.
Bungalows can benefit heavily from the added habitable space and head height of a conversion, and easier access makes some conversions cheaper. Fewer building regulations may apply, too.
Detached houses are standalone and can accept any conversion that falls under permitted development rules, or that gets approval under normal building regulations.
Semi-detached homes can get any kind of loft conversion on all sides – except the one connecting it to another home. For example, you may not be able to get a certain master bedroom loft conversion on the side facing your neighbour.
Terraced houses are restrictive, since you usually only have two sides of the roof to work with. However, even a modern trussed roof design can be converted for more space.
Sound insulation and approval from either your local authority or a party wall surveyor may be much more important in this case, since your home directly connects to at least one other person’s.
Listed buildings – or buildings in a conservation area – often have a building notice and restrictions on what you can do to the property.
Anything that takes the property too far from its roots or alters the outstanding natural beauty of the area violates the conservation area’s limits, so you may need to rely on internal changes. A sprinkler system may be fine, whereas having the principal elevation of your roof change may not be.
All changes need building regulations approval and require planning permission, as well as approval from your local council and major structural calculations (if the building itself is quite old or made using outdated techniques).
Having a proper lot conversion building regulations drawing allow local authorities to check if you need building regulations approval, showing them every detail of the architect plans.
These will definitely be needed if your property is in a conservation area. Conservation area owners are subject to heavy restrictions, and breaking the aesthetic “rules” of conservation areas isn’t allowed even if you own the house there. concerns or questions you might have.
Having an architect on standby for planning purposes is an important part of any construction project. Without an architect, even something as simple as one or two dormers can become a nightmare to plan.
Drawing the basic plans for a conversion requires at least some architect knowledge. If you’re completely stuck, get a professional’s help – poorly-planned conversions often don’t earn a completion certificate, and that’s if they even get constructed in the first place.
Neighbours have a chance to object to plans and designs if they would get in the way of their own properties, or if they would have a significant impact on the value of surrounding homes.
Conversions take as long as they take – while most are between 4 and 8 weeks, larger-scale changes can take longer than that, especially if they require a lot of specialist work.
We can take a look at your existing home to see if it’s suitable for conversion work. Note that conservation areas often have more restrictions, so not all conversions are an option.
If you want to know more about the work that we can do – or more specific details, like how to get a completion certificate or lawful development certificate – then feel free to contact us directly. Our experts are always happy to help with any
Conversions like this can be a great addition to any home, but they have to be planned correctly. Even one mistake can completely change the way that lofts are designed, and it’s easy to get carried away thinking about the furniture and aesthetics instead of the practical work.
Having experts like us on standby to help can make the entire process much easier. The sooner you get us on board, the sooner you can get your finished home addition.
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