Frequently asked questions (FAQ's)

We are happy to arrange for one of our experienced staff to visit your property to provide you with a free, personalised, no obligation quotation. Call us now on 0203 405 3480 to book. 

This depends on what type of loft conversion you choose as there are several options available depending on your property style and size, and whether or not you are in a conservation area.  We are happy to visit your property to advise which loft conversion option/s are suitable for your property and provide you with a free, personalised, no obligation quotation, so call 0203 405 3480 now to book. 

There are eight different possibilities of loft conversion:

• dormer and I-shaped dormer loft conversion
• mansard and I-shaped mansard loft conversion
• double mansard loft conversion
• velux loft conversion
• hip-to-gable and I-shaped hip-to-gable loft conversion
• loft conversion with full back addition
• loft conversion with pod room
• loft conversion with roof terrace.

 For further information on the different types of loft conversions, click on the link below:

http://www.yourloftconversionlondon.co.uk/loft-conversion/

Depending on the complexity of your intended project, we aim to email your free, personalised, no obligation quotation to you by the end of the same business week. 

We generally suggest you require a minimum of 2.3m in between the top of the ceiling joists and the apex or ridge (the highest point of your roof) to do a loft conversion. If you have this, a normal loft conversion should be possible or at least you have the space required! If you’re not sure of the height of your existing loft space but live in a terraced property, have a look at your neighbouring properties to see if others in your terrace/road have done it.

If you don’t think you have the minimum height required, there are other options available, for example lowering the ceilings in the rooms below, raising the ridge in the loft room or other clever ideas we have developed over the years. So it’s still worth arranging for one of our experienced staff to visit your property.

Yes, you need written authority from your Freeholder before you undertake any work, to prevent any potentially expensive issues arising down the track.

We provide a personalised quotation, which highlights exactly what is and isn’t included. The quotation also incorporates a payment schedule, which clearly sets out what payments are due and at what stages in the process they will be required. 

At nuspace we offer a complete design and build service. This includes the preparation of your plans, applying for planning permission (where necessary), preparing structural/construction drawings, handling relevant local council building regulations and completing your build. Its what we call a fully managed service.

We have a team of in house architects, engineers and surveyors all with years of experience waiting to put your plans into practice so your project is built exactly as you want it. 

Once you have paid your deposit and we have received your signed order form/quotation, one of our architectural technicians will visit your home to prepare your plans.  The initial drawings will then be prepared and you will be invited into the office within the next 10 days to 2 weeks to review and discuss your project in person.

You should allow approximately 2-3 weeks for this stage of the process to allow for adjustments to be made and your plans to be finalised.  Once you have agreed the design we will submit it to your local authority for planning or permitted development (PD) approval. 

Permitted Development, also known as Lawful Development, relates to legislation introduced by the government in 1995, which states home owners can make certain types of minor changes to their house without needing to apply for planning permission. It is important to bear in mind however, that permitted development rights do not apply to flats, maisonettes or other non-residential buildings.

Additionally, in some designated areas of the country, permitted development rights are restricted for example, properties that lie in a Conservation Area, a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty or the Norfolk or Suffolk Broads. If your property is within one of these areas you may require planning permission for certain types of work which may not require an application in other areas. There is also different criteria for listed buildings.

The planning process generally takes between eight and ten weeks from the date of validation of the application.  We can usually get a good indication of the intended decision mid-way through the process, and therefore, if necessary, amend anything that the council would like to see changed to ensure your permission is granted first time round.

Although local planners all over London are not averse to allowing loft conversions, it is important to work within the generally accepted guidelines and to be aware of any restrictions commonly imposed by specific councils. Our Architects have successfully gained permissions all over London and have amassed many years of experience dealing with the different councils, so can usually obtain approval without any problems or delays. 

Once your plans have been submitted to the council, it’s best to get started on your party wall agreements. These need to be arranged with any neighbours you share a wall with, as the steel beams for your new loft will cut into the wall you share. If you do not share a wall with a neighbouring property, i.e. if your property is detached, the Party Wall Act will not apply to the work you are doing.

Two (2) months before you intend to start work on your project you need to let your neighbour/s know in writing of your intentions. If the neighbouring property is divided into flats, a notice needs to be served on the freeholder as well as any leaseholders.

Party Wall Agreements can be done by simply asking your neighbours to sign a letter allowing you to progress with your project, however this is not always possible.

If your neighbours will sign your notice giving permission for you to do the work, you do not need to do anything further. If on the other hand they don’t agree, they will need to engage a Party Wall Surveyor to act on their behalf. If this happens, you will also need to appoint a surveyor to act for you. As you are responsible for paying for both the surveyors, it is sensible (where possible) to agree to use the same company to keep your costs down.

As the party wall process can take up to two (2) months if you have a difficult neighbour, it is best to get this process started as soon as possible. 

The order of works is generally long the following lines:

• A prestart meeting is arranged for you to meet your Site Foreman and Project Manager
• Scaffolding goes into position and an opening is made in the front of the roof
• The steel is delivered to site and either craned into position or winched into position onto the new padstones (concrete bearing positions)
• New floor structure goes into position with timbers spanning from the new steel
• The rear roof is opened up and the dormer/mansard structure is built
• Once the new roof is on and the loft is made weather-proof we can start with the interior including first fix electrics and plumbing
• The loft is insulated and plaster boarded
• The installation of the staircase will happen at approximately week four or five. There will have been little disruption to the house up until this point
• External windows and doors can now be put into position
• Second fix electrics, plumbing, plastering is done
• External guttering is fitted
• The bathroom suite (if applicable) is installed
• Your loft room is then finished and ready for final decoration

We are a family-run company that has been in the business of converting lofts for more than 10 years. We are proud to have many happy clients who readily recommend our services to friends and family and as we all know, word of mouth and what our clients have to say about us is far more important than anything we can say about ourselves, so we are pleased to be able to share some of their comments with you on our review page. To read these, simply click on the link:

http://www.yourloftconversionlondon.co.uk/reviews/