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 take on a loft conversion throughout Crawley and the surrounding RH10 and RH11 postcodes, as well as in Horley, Horsham and East Grinstead. The guide range for this work in the South East is £33,500–£73,000 including VAT; where your project falls depends on its size, the materials you pick and how easy the site is to reach. A free survey turns that range into a fixed figure.
- Guide price
- £33,500–£73,000 inc VAT
- Time on site
- 6–10 weeks on site
- Postcodes
- RH10 and RH11
- Planning rules
- England
- Local area
- West Sussex
- Survey
- Free, with a written quote
What should you budget for a loft conversion in Crawley?
The costs listed here are typical for a loft conversion around Crawley and include VAT. They reflect labour and material costs in the South East, about 12% above the national guide, giving a range of £33,500–£73,000. Exact pricing depends on your home, so we only fix it once a free site survey is done.
| Type of job | What it usually involves | Guide in Crawley |
|---|---|---|
| Rooflight conversion | Rooflights in the existing slope, a new floor, staircase and insulation, where head height already works. | £22,500–£39,000 |
| Dormer conversion | A rear dormer adding headroom and floor space, often with a bedroom and shower room. | £36,000–£67,000 |
| Hip-to-gable or mansard | Larger structural changes to the roof for the maximum usable space. | £56,000–£95,000 |
What moves the price up or down:
- Floor area, existing head height and roof structure
- 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’s included?
- Structural calculations and steel beams where needed
- New floor joists strong enough for a habitable room
- 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
Building in Crawley
Chichester has Georgian brick streets, Downland villages use flint and brick, and Horsham stone slabs cover some older roofs. Worthing and Bognor Regis have interwar and post-war bungalows and semis, Crawley was planned as a post-war new town, and Wealden villages to the north feature tile-hanging and timber framing.
Bungalows commonly suit loft conversions and extensions; new-town homes often take window, roofline and cladding renewal. Flint and stone properties need lime repointing, and coastal homes may need external decorating more often.
With that background in mind, here is how we typically handle a loft conversion for homes in Crawley, from the first visit to the finished result.
Do you need permission in Crawley?
Because Crawley falls under England's rules, the guidance below is the version relevant to you. Before sending a price, we check your property's position with the council.
In England, many loft conversions are permitted development: up to 40 m³ of extra roof space on a terraced house and 50 m³ on a semi-detached or detached house, no dormer on the front roof slope facing a road, nothing higher than the existing roof, and similar-looking materials. Conservation areas, listed buildings and flats need planning permission.
Building Regulations approval is always needed for a loft conversion: floor strength, a proper staircase, insulation, fire-protected escape route and smoke alarms. The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 usually applies on attached houses.
Rules change and every property is different, so we check the planning history and constraints for your address before we quote.
How does the job run?
Free site survey
We begin by looking at the job in person. During the free survey we discuss options, materials and budget for a loft conversion, and photograph or measure anything the quote needs to reflect.
Price and scope agreed
Next you receive a written quote with a fixed price for the agreed specification. It lists what is included, what is not, and how payments are staged, so you can compare it properly.
Plan and prepare
Next comes planning the work itself. We set a start date that suits you, line up the right trades, and make sure any approvals for a loft conversion are in place before the first day on site.
Build and hand over
On site, the agreed plan is followed and any change is put in writing first. At completion we do a final clean, go through the snagging list with you and leave you with the relevant documents.
How we work
Frequently asked questions
Where will the new staircase go?
The new staircase usually sits above the existing stairs, rising from the landing so it uses space that is already circulation. Sometimes it needs to come from a small bedroom or box room, which reduces that room's size. Building regulations set rules on headroom, step size and handrails, with some flexibility for lofts. We look at options at the survey and show you how each affects the floor below.
Do I need planning permission in Crawley?
It depends on the work, the size of the project, your property type and whether the building is listed or in a conservation area. Crawley is in England, so England's rules apply. Many smaller jobs need no planning application, but some still need building control approval. We check what applies to your address before quoting.
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.
How long will a loft conversion take?
On a typical home, allow 6–10 weeks on site. Larger projects, older buildings and extra work found once things are opened up can extend that, while simpler jobs may be shorter. Your quote includes an estimate of time on site, and your point of contact keeps you updated on the programme as the work progresses.
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.
Near Crawley
We welcome enquiries from all RH10 and RH11 postcodes in Crawley, plus Horley, Horsham and East Grinstead. Each one gets the same survey at no charge and a written price fixed for the work described.