Planning & Building Control Regulations

UK Planning laws were relaxed in October 2008, so most loft conversions will be considered part of your property’s Permitted Development Rights – therefore, most loft conversions or garage conversions will only need Building Regulations Approval.

For more information regarding your ‘Permitted Development Rights’ visit the Interactive House Planning Portal for loft conversions. If Planning Permission is required it takes up to 6-8 weeks to gain approvals. If you are unsure whether your property has its ‘Permitted Development Rights’ intact check with you local Council, they can advise you accordingly. If your property is located in a Trust Area it is also required to obtain Trustee consent which can take up to 6-8 weeks.

Building Regulations are concerned with the structural safety of the build. They are responsible for the checking and approval of plans prior to construction. Building Inspectors will visit during construction at various stages to check that the build is completed to the correct specification -these take approximately 6 weeks to obtain.

The whole process, from survey to Building Regulations approvals should take no longer than 8 – 12 weeks. Once all relevant approvals are gained, we will agree with you a start date for work to commence (if planning permission is required, could take up to an additional 6- 8 weeks).

We have almost two decades’ experience and have completed thousands of conversions, creating spacious rooms out of previous unused storage spaces around the UK. You can trust that you are in good hands. “But I have a Trussed Roof!” – No problem so long as you have a minimum height of 2.3 metres from the floor to the ridge (Highest point), we can create a loft conversion to suit your individual needs. Combined with our excellent standards of construction, our expert design service ensures your loft conversion or garage conversion adds real value to your home, not just floor space. Our architectural design service is available individually or as part of our complete managed service, it includes:

Detailed survey (free of charge)
Outline plans & location plans
Existing & proposed elevations
New room layouts
Sectional drawings detailing achievable headroom
Staircase location – design & calculations
Specification for building to current regulations
Floor joist / steel structure layout & details
Sectional details
Structural calculations
Building control application
Planning application (where relevant)
Liaison with Building Control & Local Authorities
Communication & briefing of any amendments
Competitive quote for complete project