London Loft Conversion Blog

Company News

Things to consider before deciding on a loft conversion in London

Thursday, December 24th, 2009

These are some of the things to be taken into consideration before drawing up plans:

•    Is the roof a traditional design with rafters, or does the property have a trussed, prefabricated roof? The latter causes a few more problems as the trusses obscure the central roof area, so they need to be cut away to open up a living space.
•    Is there sufficient head height? Again, if the roof falls below the minimum required height this can be remedied, but it will affect the amount of work that needs to be done. It can sometimes be easier to replace the entire roof rather than trying to design a room around the space there is available.
•    Are the floor joists strong enough to support a floor? Loft conversions in London properties often require the installation of new joists, as lofts are not designed to be used as permanent living quarters. Joists are usually a standard 4” X 2”, whereas they need to be 6” or 8” by 2” to support a floor.
•    Can a permanent stairway be installed? A loft conversion in London must have a permanent staircase with sufficient clearance, and without dog-legs or awkward angles which will make furniture impossible to install.
•    Can suitable windows be installed? Velux or dormers are the norm, although we at Landmark Lofts also install Mansard loft conversions.

Here at Landmark Lofts, we are specialists in building loft conversions in London properties of all shapes, ages and sizes. To find out how we can help you, feel free to book a consultation.

How To Make Loft Conversions In London Hassle Free

Friday, November 27th, 2009

When we at Landmark Lofts undertake loft conversions in London, we want everything to be as quick and non-intrusive as possible for the home owner. All Landmark Lofts loft extensions are completed mostly from the outside, meaning total security and peace of mind for the occupants.

Once building plans have been approved and party wall awards agreed, the construction work begins. First of all, scaffolding is erected to the front, rear and sometimes the side of your home. Access is gained to the roof via a small access hole, and the supporting steels lifted in.  In the case of extended lofts, e.g. dormer loft conversions, the timber framing is erected externally, and then clad and roofed.

Following this, the insulation is put in place and the stairs installed. This is the noisiest part of the process, but ensuring everything is done from the loft side keeps disruption to a minimum.

The next stage of a loft conversion in London is the stud partitioning sections. Whilst the new rooms are being created, electricity, plumbing etc. is installed. The doors, windows and such like are put in place and the plasterwork completed. After this, the area is cleaned by the site team and prepared for decoration.

This is a very simple explanation of how loft conversions in London are built. To find out more about the whole process and how we can help you to professionally manage your project, contact us today.

Our new head of project management!

Monday, September 7th, 2009

We are delighted to announce that David Willis FRICS will be taking over at the helm of our loft conversion project management team after Ian Burden has unfortunately had to step down from the position for family reasons.

As a fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) with over thirty years experience in the industry, and a former district surveyor at a south-west London Borough, David has the experience and passion to deliver a first class project management service to our clients. Some of our clients will already have met David in his role as project manager for their own loft conversion and will know that his can-do professional approach and good sense of humour are a refreshing change when it comes to project management in the loft conversion industry.

We remain the only loft conversion company in London to guarantee that your project will be managed by a chartered building surveyor. Why is this important? Well, as members of RICS, our project managers have at least ten years experience and hold professional qualifications in property and construction. This means they know the best way to manage and build your loft conversion to achieve maximum space and the best quality.

RICS members are also bound by a tight code of conduct and hold a minimum of £1m of professional indemnity insurance that will reassure you of our commitment to quality loft conversion projects. RICS is recognised as the gold-standard of property professionals worldwide, so why settle for anyone less than the best to manage your loft conversion?

Guaranteed project management by a chartered building surveyor