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If you are planning a Loft Conversion which includes the construction of a Rear Box Dormer then you will need to choose a material covering for the Flat Roof of that Dormer. There are lots of different products to choose from and different builders have their own preferences but generally they are one of three types of product. Here we try to give you a broad idea of what these are: Felt Flat Roofs for Dormers of Loft Conversions A Felt Flat Roof on the Dormer of your Loft

The paths of two flues as they passed through a chimney breast that was removed Sometimes it is necessary to remove a chimney breast in order to make a Loft Conversion feasible. Sometimes people remove them just to create more space. Whatever the reason there is no avoiding the fact that it is disruptive, dirty and potentially dangerous work. As ever good planning, preparation and communication are key to ensuring the job goes smoothly and disruption is kept to a minimum. We

During the course of designing your new Loft Conversion you will have to choose some windows to provide light and ventilation. In fact you may have to choose several different types of window. Vertical Windows or French Doors to go in the walls, Roof Windows for any sloping surfaces and possibly even Flat Roof Windows for the ceiling. There are of course lots of different manufacturers whose products can be specified but in general terms there are a few key decisions you ough

One of the questions homeowners often ask us is if we can provide any advice as to how people usually raise the money to pay for their building work and then, once they have it, what sort of payment terms they should expect to agree to with their builder. Perhaps unsurprisingly the very first thing we make clear in response is that we offer no financial advice whatsoever... to anyone... ever! We're not qualified to do it and it's not an area we want to get involved with. That

What is a Party Wall? Semi-detached and terraced houses generally share at least one wall with an adjoining owner(s). These shared walls are known as "Party Walls". Will having a Loft Conversion affect the Party Wall? Generally yes. In most cases the conversion of a loft space into a useable room involves carrying out some work on the Party Wall, if there is one. Who has ownership of the Party Wall? When carrying out building work involving a Party Wall you are obliged to act

Take a good look around most suburban areas in the southeast and you can find at least one example of an ugly loft conversion or extension spoiling the appearance of the street. As you might expect a planning system has developed over the years that aims to prevent the proliferation of such eyesores whilst at the same time continuing to encourage homeowners to spend money developing their homes. The key thing to understand about the planning system is that all development wor

A Loft Conversion nearly always involves the installation of a new Loft Staircase. Most homeowners simply want the new Loft Staircase to follow the style of the existing staircase as closely as possible. However, if there isn't an existing staircase to copy, or if you just don't like what you already have here are a few staircase styles you could consider. These aren't the only options but they are the most popular. If you have in mind a specialist staircase from a specific s

We're often asked if we can explain the "Stages of a Loft Conversion". Given that the exact sequence of events on site has to be specific to each project there is unfortunately no generic schedule that works in every case. That said the vast majority of Loft Conversions do follow a fairly similar routine which is more or less described by the images below. I hope they help you to feel better informed! In any case once we have drawn up your Loft Conversion Plans your contracto

Most Loft Conversions involve extending to the roof in order to create more usable space within the Loft. There are generally a few different options to consider for each house but if you are just looking for a few ideas here are the most common types of Loft Conversion: Rear Dormers with a Flat Roof A Rear Dormer with a Flat Roof is the most common type of Loft Conversion. As the name suggests it involves building a simple box on the back of the roof. A Flat Roof Dormer crea

What is a Gable? A Gable is the triangular part at the top of a wall where it meets the roof (the bit the bricklayer is making in the picture above). It may be that the walls of your house need to be built up to form a Gable as part of your Loft Conversion. If this is the case then there are a few options available to you as to how it can be done and which materials and finishes can be used. The illustrations below should help to explain further but please feel free to discus

Spiral Staircases are suitable for some Loft Conversions. Primarily Loft Conversions where the new Loft Staircase is not located over another Staircase.