LONDON LOFT CONVERSIONS
- Dormer, hip-to-gable, mansard, L-shaped and Velux conversions
- Planning, party wall and building regs handled for you
- Fixed-price quote, one accountable project team
- Design & build under one roof
- Fixed-price quotes, no surprises
- Planning & building-regs handled
- FMB & TrustMark accredited
Loft Conversions London turn unused roof space into a usable extra bedroom, en-suite or home office without extending your home's footprint. UpKeep designs and builds dormer, hip-to-gable, mansard, L-shaped and Velux conversions under one roof - handling drawings, structural steelwork, planning or permitted-development checks, party wall notices and building control sign-off. You get one accountable team, a fixed-price quote agreed in writing, and a clean, certificated handover.
A loft conversion is a big build - we take the stress out of it
You are trusting someone with a major, disruptive project. UpKeep answers the four things that keep homeowners up at night with one accountable team, a fixed price and the paperwork handled. More about UpKeep UK.
Free site survey - fixed-price quote - FMB & TrustMark accredited
Worried it will overrun
Dates that slip and builders who go quiet. We give you a clear programme, one project manager and regular updates, so you always know where your loft conversion stands.
Scared the cost will creep
Quotes that balloon once the scaffold is up. Your scope is agreed in writing and the price is fixed before we start, so there are no surprise extras mid-build.
Confused by planning and building regs
Permitted development, party wall, building control. We check your rights or run the application, serve party wall notices and manage building control to completion.
Too many people, no one accountable
Separate architects, engineers and trades. Design, structural engineering and every trade sit under one roof, so one team owns the job from drawings to handover.
Loft conversion specialists who own the whole job
From feasibility and drawings to steelwork, staircase and final decoration, one team delivers your loft conversion end to end.
A transparent, fixed-price quote with the scope written down, so a dormer or mansard conversion stays on budget with no mid-project surprises.
We confirm permitted development or run the planning application, serve party wall notices and see building regs through to the completion certificate.
Real experience with the city's Victorian and Edwardian terraces, where rear dormers and L-shaped dormers do the most work.
A final walkthrough, snagging cleared, before-and-after photos and your building control certificate handed over - the paperwork that protects mortgage, insurance and resale.
Loft conversions we build across London
The right conversion depends on your roof and what you want to gain. Here is what each type does, who it suits and the usual planning position.
Rear dormer
A box projection off the rear roof slope that adds real headroom and floor space, ideal for one bedroom and an en-suite. Best for London terraces.
Usually permitted development when rear-facing and within the limitsL-shaped dormer
Two connected dormers that follow a terrace's rear outrigger, fitting a bedroom and a bathroom. Best for Victorian and Edwardian terraces.
Usually permitted development within the limitsHip-to-gable
Rebuilds a sloping hip end into a vertical gable wall to unlock width, often paired with a rear dormer. Best for semi-detached and end-of-terrace homes with a hipped roof.
Permitted development or full planning - we check firstMansard
A near-vertical rear wall with a flat roof that creates the most space. Best for period terraces wanting maximum room.
Almost always needs full planning permission and a party wall agreementVelux / rooflight
Rooflights set into the existing slope with no change to the roofline, where head height already allows. Best for budget projects and conservation areas.
Usually permitted developmentNot sure which suits your roof?
Tell us about your home at a free site survey and we will recommend the right type honestly.
Book a Free Site SurveyPlanning and building regulations - what's involved
Permitted development vs full planning. Many rear dormer and Velux conversions fall under permitted development, while mansards, front-facing dormers, flats and homes in conservation areas usually need full planning permission. We confirm your position before any commitment.
Party wall notices. In a terrace or semi you will usually need to serve notice on the neighbours you share a wall with - we handle this as part of the project.
Building regs always apply. Even when you do not need planning, building control still does - covering fire escape and a protected staircase, insulation and structural steelwork. We see it through to the completion certificate.
Loft conversion planning on the Planning Portal · gov.uk permitted development
Is a loft conversion right for you?
Three things decide it: your head height and roof structure, what you want to gain, and the roof type. As a rough guide, where head height already allows a Velux conversion is the simplest and least disruptive; where you need real floor space and headroom, a dormer, hip-to-gable or mansard does the work.
Not every loft suits a full conversion - a shallow roof or low ridge can make it impractical. We will tell you honestly at the free survey, before any commitment, so you do not spend on drawings for a project that will not work. For a fuller guide, read our London loft extensions guide.
How UpKeep deliver your loft conversion
We visit, check head height and roof structure, and talk through what you want to gain, options and budget.
Architectural drawings and a written specification, with a transparent fixed-price quotation and the scope agreed in writing.
We confirm permitted development or submit the planning application, serve party wall notices to neighbours and prepare structural calculations for building control.
One project manager and vetted in-house trades install the steelwork, dormer or roof alteration, new staircase, insulation, electrics and plastering, with the site kept tidy, safe and weather-tight.
Final walkthrough, snagging cleared and the building control completion certificate issued.
Workmanship guarantee, a before-and-after photo record and a team you can still reach.
Free site survey - fixed-price quote - FMB & TrustMark accredited
What's included in your loft conversion
Every trade your conversion needs sits inside one accountable team - design, structure, services and finishes.
Get a fixed-price quote for your London loft conversion
Free site survey - fixed-price quote - FMB & TrustMark accredited
A loft conversion is one of the most effective ways to add a proper bedroom, en-suite or home office to a London home - if it is planned properly from the first survey. Below is how UpKeep approaches the build, the planning behind it and whether it is the right move for you.
What a loft conversion involves
At its simplest, a loft conversion makes habitable the space already under your roof. In practice it pulls together architectural design, structural steelwork, a new protected staircase, insulation, electrics, plumbing and finishing - which is exactly why a single accountable team matters. As a London-based design-and-build team, UpKeep keeps every one of those trades under one roof, so the drawings, the steelwork and the decoration are all the responsibility of the same people.
Choosing the right type for your roof
The conversion type follows the roof, not the other way round. A dormer loft conversion adds headroom and floor space off the rear slope and suits most terraces; an L-shaped dormer follows the rear outrigger common on Victorian and Edwardian terraces; a hip to gable loft conversion squares off a hipped roof to unlock width on semis and end-of-terrace homes; a mansard loft conversion rebuilds the rear roof for maximum space; and a Velux loft conversion keeps the roofline and suits lofts that already have the head height. We assess all of this at the survey - and for a deeper comparison of options, costs and timelines, see our guide to London loft extensions.
Planning permission vs permitted development
Many rear dormer and Velux conversions are covered by permitted development, meaning a full planning application is not needed - but there are real exceptions. Flats always need full planning, and homes in a conservation area or under an Article 4 direction lose some permitted development rights. Front-facing dormers and most mansards need consent too. We check your exact position before any drawings are commissioned, and run the planning application for you when one is required. We never promise that approval is guaranteed - what we promise is that the application is prepared and managed properly.
Party wall agreements
A party wall is the wall you share with a neighbour. If you live in a terraced or semi-detached home, building into the loft usually means serving a party wall notice on the neighbours you share a wall with, under the Party Wall Act. It sounds daunting; in practice we manage the notices and the process as part of the project. You can read the legal background on gov.uk's Party Wall Act guidance.
Building regulations and your completion certificate
Building regulations always apply to a habitable loft - even when you do not need planning permission. Building control checks the protected staircase and fire escape route, insulation, and the structural steelwork (the RSJs - rolled steel joists - that carry the new floor and roof loads). We prepare the structural calculations, build to the approved details and see it through building control to the completion certificate - the document that protects your mortgage, insurance and future sale. For the official detail, see gov.uk building regulations and LABC.
"A loft conversion only works if it is planned properly from the first survey. Get the staircase position and head height right early and you end up with a proper double bedroom, not a box room. Our job is to take the planning, the party wall and the building regs off your plate, give you one fixed price, and hand back a finished, certificated room."
Drahim, UpKeep UKIs a loft conversion worth it?
For most London homeowners, yes - a well-designed conversion adds the kind of space buyers actively look for, and it does so without touching your garden or footprint. Here is how it compares to the alternative.
Loft conversion vs moving house
A loft conversion adds a bedroom and en-suite without losing the garden, and it keeps your postcode, school catchment and community intact. Once stamp duty, agent and legal fees are taken into account, staying and converting is often more cost-effective than moving up to a larger home - and you end up improving the property you already own. Our piece on how timely refurbishments boost property value covers the thinking. If your needs are really on the ground floor, a ground-floor or rear extension may suit you better, and we can advise on that instead.
Living in your home during the build
One of the biggest worries is whether you can stay put. In most cases you can. The bulk of the early work - scaffolding, the dormer or roof alteration, steelwork and weatherproofing - is carried out from outside and through the roof, so the rest of the house stays usable. The new staircase is cut in later in the programme, once the loft is largely complete, which keeps disruption to the lower floors short. Throughout, we keep the site tidy, safe and weather-tight. If you are combining the loft with wider works, a full property refurbishment can be sequenced alongside it, and if the roof itself needs attention we also handle re-roofing and roof repairs. Landlords preparing a property to let can pair the conversion with our landlord property upkeep service, and you can see a recent build on our South Woodford conversion project.
UpKeep is a family-run London design-and-build team, based in South Woodford in East London and working across London and the UK. To talk through your roof, book a free site survey or call us on 020 3148 8884.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a loft conversion take?
A Velux conversion is the quickest and a mansard the most involved, so timing depends on the type and your roof. After the survey we give you a clear programme rather than a fixed promise. The loft is made weather-tight early and your home stays usable throughout.
Can I stay in my home during the loft conversion?
Yes, in most cases. Much of the early work is carried out from outside and through the roof, and the new staircase is cut in later in the build. We keep the site tidy, safe and weather-tight so you can live in the rest of the house.
How do your fixed-price quotes work?
We carry out a free site survey, prepare drawings and a written specification, then give you a transparent fixed-price quotation with the scope agreed in writing. Payments are staged against milestones, so there are no surprise extras mid-build.
Who manages the project?
One dedicated project manager runs your loft conversion from start to finish, with vetted in-house trades and a single point of contact, plus regular updates so you always know what is happening.
Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion?
Many rear dormer and Velux conversions fall under permitted development, while front dormers, mansards, flats and homes in conservation areas or Article 4 areas usually need full planning permission. We check your rights and handle the application if one is needed. See gov.uk permitted development and the Planning Portal.
Will I need a party wall agreement?
If you live in a terraced or semi-detached home, you will usually need to serve notice on the neighbours you share a wall with under the Party Wall Act. We manage the notices as part of the project. See gov.uk Party Wall Act.
Will the conversion meet building regulations and get a completion certificate?
Yes. Building regulations always apply to a habitable loft, even under permitted development, covering the protected staircase and fire escape, insulation and structural work. We see it through building control and hand you the completion certificate. See gov.uk building regulations or LABC.
What is included in a loft conversion quote?
Your fixed price covers the design and drawings, structural calculations and steelwork, the new staircase, insulation, electrics, plastering, decoration and building control sign-off - all set out in writing so you know exactly what is included before work starts.
Will a loft conversion add value to my home?
A well-designed loft conversion that adds a proper bedroom, and ideally an en-suite, is one of the most sought-after improvements with London buyers and can be more cost-effective than moving once stamp duty and moving fees are taken into account.
Which areas do you cover?
UpKeep is a London-based design-and-build team working across London and the UK, with our base in South Woodford in East London. Tell us your postcode and we will confirm coverage.