A loft conversion turns unused roof space into a habitable room such as a bedroom, bathroom or office, with a proper staircase, insulation, fire protection and natural light from rooflights or a dormer.
We arrange a loft conversion for homeowners in Wishaw and the wider Lanarkshire. The job is planned, priced and managed by us and carried out by tradespeople engaged under our contract, so there is one agreement and one contact. On a typical home the work takes 6–10 weeks on site, and guide pricing in Scotland is £29,000–£62,000, VAT included.
- Guide price
- £29,000–£62,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 6–10 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- ML2
- Planning rules
- Scotland
- Local area
- North Lanarkshire
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a loft conversion in Wishaw?
No two jobs cost exactly the same, but the ranges below give a fair picture of a loft conversion in Wishaw. Pricing for Scotland runs about 4% below the national guide, and the overall guide is £29,000–£62,000 with VAT included. We'll confirm your figure after surveying the property for free.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Wishaw |
|---|---|---|
| Rooflight conversion | Rooflights in the existing slope, a new floor, staircase and insulation, where head height already works. | £19,000–£33,500 |
| Dormer conversion | A rear dormer adding headroom and floor space, often with a bedroom and shower room. | £30,500–£58,000 |
| Hip-to-gable or mansard | Larger structural changes to the roof for the maximum usable space. | £48,000–£82,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Conversion type: rooflight, dormer, hip-to-gable or mansard
- Steelwork and any strengthening of walls below
- Adding a shower room or en-suite in the roof
- Staircase layout, fire doors and the level of finishes
What does the job include in Wishaw?
- New floor joists strong enough for a habitable room
- Staircase designed to fit your landing and meet regulations
- Insulation to walls, roof slope and floor
- Fire doors, mains-linked smoke alarms and a protected escape route
- Electrics, heating and plumbing by qualified trades, with certificates
- Plastering, internal doors and building control sign-off
What are homes like around Wishaw?
Lanarkshire mixes sandstone tenements and terraces in Hamilton, Motherwell, Airdrie and Coatbridge with former miners' rows and large post-war estates, many finished in roughcast. East Kilbride and Cumbernauld were developed as post-war new towns, and newer private estates surround most towns.
Wet and fairly cold, with frequent rain off the Atlantic; former coal workings underlie parts of the area.
None of this holds for every street in Wishaw, which is why we look at your actual house before pricing a loft conversion rather than assuming from its age alone.
Planning and building rules in Wishaw
Which rules apply depends on where you live. For Wishaw, the answer is Scotland, and the points below reflect that; we verify them with the council before quoting.
In Scotland, dormers are only permitted development in limited cases (for example, at least 10 m from the boundary the dormer faces, and not in conservation areas), so many loft conversions with dormers need planning permission. Rooflight-only conversions are often simpler.
A building warrant is required for a loft conversion in Scotland, covering structure, stairs, insulation and fire safety. There is no Party Wall Act.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
The four stages
Free site survey
A free survey comes first. It gives us what we need to price a loft conversion properly, including dimensions, existing materials and access for deliveries, and gives you the chance to ask anything you like.
Your fixed price
We put everything into a written, fixed-price quote: the specification, what's excluded, staged payments and the expected time on site. Take whatever time you need to decide; there's no pressure to commit.
Booking the work
Before anyone starts, we confirm the programme in writing, check whether consents are required and arrange deliveries. If a skip or scaffolding on the road needs a permit, we apply for it.
On site to finish
Our trades complete a loft conversion while your point of contact keeps you updated. When everything is finished, we clear the site, take away waste and go through the result with you before handover.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
Can I stay at home during the work?
In most cases, yes. Most people can live at home throughout, and we plan the work to keep disruption down by protecting floors, agreeing working hours and keeping access routes clear. Bigger jobs affecting kitchens, bathrooms or heating may mean a short spell with reduced facilities, and we talk this through with you at the survey.
What fire safety measures does a loft conversion need?
A loft conversion needs a safe way out in a fire, because the new room is high above the ground. This usually means a protected stair route down to an exit, with fire doors onto the stairway, mains-linked smoke alarms on each floor and sometimes an escape window. The exact approach depends on your house layout. Building control checks these measures before signing off the work.
Which postcodes in Wishaw do you cover?
We cover ML2, along with the rest of Lanarkshire. If your postcode is not listed, get in touch anyway: our coverage is UK-wide, and we can usually arrange a survey wherever you live. Enter your postcode in the guide-price tool or contact form and we will confirm.
Can we stay at home during a loft conversion?
Most people stay at home during a loft conversion, because much of the work happens from scaffolding outside and the roof is opened up from above. The most disruptive point is near the end, when we break through the ceiling to fit the new staircase, which usually takes a few days. We put up dust screens on the landing and plan noisy work for reasonable hours.
Is my loft suitable for conversion?
A loft is usually suitable for conversion if there is enough head height, a roof structure that can be adapted and space for a staircase. A common rule of thumb is at least 2.2m from the top of the ceiling joists to the underside of the ridge, though dormers and mansards can create height where it is short. Modern trussed roofs need more structural work. We check all of this at the survey.
Nearby towns
If your address falls within ML2, we cover it. The same goes for neighbouring Dalserf, Larkhall and Motherwell, which we include alongside Wishaw when arranging surveys and quotes.