Loft Conversion - recommendations in ED please

[Ginster]

Can anyone give a recommendation for a loft conversion person/company please?

We are buying somewhere in ED and want to get cracking as soon as the purchase is completed - we would like to get someone to design/quote in the next 2 weeks or so if possible.

Thanks!

[petrapetra]

We used Econoloft - very happy with their work, they quoted substantially cheaper than any other company we had round.

Only negative thing I would say: we did want a different lay-out than they initially did plans for (we wanted the bathroom somewhere else), and I don't know, if I should have pushed more for actually different plans, but I didn't - and we just positioned the bathroom somewhere else (after talking with the plumber). In retrospect, I wish we had had more plans drawn up by the architect - even if it might have cost more. But as I said, probably my fault for not being pushy enough.

but all in all, yes, I would definitely recommend Econoloft.

[MaiMai]

Hi, do you know if you have to get planning permission from the council to get a loft conversion done?

Thanks.

[PML Construction Ltd]

Hi all,

We are a roofing/building company that operate in your area and carry out a wide variety of building works. I can inform you that if you required a fixed stair case and dormer window to your loft conversion then yes you would require planning permission for fire regs and structural calculations however people do have lofts done without these that don't require planning but cant really be classed as living space.

[dulwichjulie]

hi ginster

i would like to recommend scl property services they are a fantastic team and great with their prices

Please call steve hall on 07967783836 or e-mail [email protected]

i would say cheapest around and probably the best too

thanks for reading

jules

[Jeremy]

Actually, you do *not* need planning permission for a loft conversion (as long as it's a house rather than a flat). Building regs, yes - but not planning permission, because it falls under permitted development.

[red devil]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> Actually, you do *not* need planning permission

> for a loft conversion (as long as it's a house

> rather than a flat). Building regs, yes - but not

> planning permission, because it falls under

> permitted development.

You do need PP if it falls outside the limits of PD...

[Jeremy]

Yep, the dormer extension must be within 40 cubic metres. But you're not going to exceed that in an ED terrace house. There are other criteria too... but unless you're doing anything exotic, you won't need planning permission.

[red devil]

The OP wasn't specific about what they were buying i.e house or top floor flat.

A flat will need PP regardless.

If it's a house, there are plenty of different types of house in the area, other than terrace.

PD is not just about volume limits.

Putting a dormer on the front elevation is hardly exotic, yet falls outwith PD rights.

As does building anything higher than the existing highest point of the roof. If the existing loftspace has insufficient headroom you're stymied under PD...

[Jeremy]

Not really in the mood to get drawn into this pedantry. Yes of course there are certain exceptions in the minority of cases.

PML Construction posted advice which was incorrect. I corrected it. End of.

[red devil]

Your advice was misleading. I corrected it. End of.

[Ginster]

Thanks all.

It's an end of terrace 3 bed, looking to make the current "loft room" into a proper conversion for a 4th bed and en-suite.

I already thought regs and planning were a complicated - now even more so! ;o)

[damzel]

We had our loft converted by Outlook Lofts at the beginning of the year. Couldn't recommend them highly enough - they were like a well oiled machine - pm me if you want more details. 3 other houses up our street have used them now too as they were so impressed with ours. The scaffolding was up and down a darn sight quicker than another local company who were doing 3 on the other side of the street at the same time too!

[klikker22]

Hi there, I just posted this recommendation for our builder on another thread: http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,952391,963528#msg-963528

He did a great job on our loft - really happy with it - and as per my comment in the other post, his quote was more affordable than most of the London-based companies. We also got a quote from Econoloft which was similar price, but we weren't so impressed with the quality (they did our neighbour's loft - we managed to get another c.20cm head height than them due to the way the build was done). Econoloft also tried to persuade us that we needed to build a bathroom on the back mid-level roof of the house and told us there was no way to put a loo on the front street side due to the fall/angle required for the sewage pipe (unless we opted for a saniflow mascerator, which we were really not keen on). But we managed to get a nice small ensuite on the front side of the house in the loft, and therefore have a garden view and juliette balcony at the back) by dropping the waste pipe down through the front bedroom and hall. It does mean that you have to have a boxed in pipe in your hallway, but we felt the compromise was worth it to have the back view in the loft.

PM me if you want to see photos or have a look at it.

[fixated]

hi there,

I do a fair bit of planning in southwark and you dont need planning consent as long as you're not in a conservation area or listed building... also if you want to put in a dormer window which is generally a good idea to give you more useable space then if it;s under 40 cubic M for a terraced house (50 for detached) then you dont need planning consent. Velux windows are generally not a prob but you cant create any balconies. Creating a sep flat requires planning consent and I would advise getting building control on board to. None of this is a major problem so if you need any advise feel free to give me a buzz. [email protected]

[buffys]

Hello,

Going back to the original request. We are in the same position and just starting to look into loft conversion companies. Spencer from Loft Life came over last night and was very helpful (07956605516). Found out about him through the East Dulwich Forum. I tried to contact Outlook a couple of times following recommendations on the forum, got a call back saying they would be in touch and then nothing. Also had a recommendation for Dulwich Lofts so going to speak to them too.

Hope this helps!

[Hawley]

Slightly nosey enquiry - apologies - but what's a ballpark figure for a loft conversion, all in? ?30K?

[duffy10]

I'm having a loft conversion built right now with Classic Lofts. It's going very well, better than i expected. Would certainly recommend them.

[Jeremy]

Hawley Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Slightly nosey enquiry - apologies - but what's a

> ballpark figure for a loft conversion, all in?

> ?30K?

By the time you include a shower suite, tiles, decorating, carpets, building control inspection, and any "extras" your builder throws in, 40K would be about right.

[fergju]

Hi

I am moving to ED in a few weeks and will be doing a loft conversion on our new terrace house. We already have a builder we have worked with before but I would be grateful if anyone could give me a recommendation for having the drawings / calculations drawn up to submit to Southwark. Also how long does it take roughly for Southwark to approve the plans?

Many Thanks

[David.S]

Fergju

I'm an architect living in East Dulwich and have just finshed a loft conversion and have other various projects on site locally. Would be happy to have a look at what you require and give you a quote for planning/ building regulations/ construction drawings. Generally even if you fall within permitted developement you should submit drawings to the council to obtain a Certificate of Lawful Development

David

[meduza]

I used classic lofts initially they were really promising, then the builders came....the whole loft took 8 months to complete and was a catalogue of disasters. Every job they did needed to be redone .. I would most certainly not recommend them!,

[esme]

New Zealand Lofts (local company based in East Dulwich) http://www.newzealandloftslondon.com/

020 8299 4093 Michael

[EDulwichLover]

About a year and a half ago my neighbour had her loft converted and under her recommendation, I too decided to convert my loft with Classic Lofts. After the first initial meeting with Huw the surveyor it took around 7 weeks for the build to be completed, we were so happy with the quality of the work we also had our loft decorated by Classic. I cannot recommend them highly enough, everything has been completed to a high standard and I haven?t had any problems at all since completion.

I had a great level of contact with the Classic crew, someone was always on site checking up on progress, I had phone calls from their office to tell me what was happening that day and who I could expect at my house which was refreshing considering my experience with building firms in the past resulted in me phoning and phoning, and the person wasn?t in or ?promised? to see me that day and didn?t show up!! All in all, I couldn?t be happier and would be happy to show my loft to anyone that is thinking of going with Classic Lofts.

[CharlieD]

Another recommendation for classic, a great loft extension, we got two extra bedrooms and a shower room? I think since us at least a further four lofts on our street by them!