Loft conversions in Harborne

Before your loft conversion in Harborne

Birmingham City Council is the planning authority for Harborne. If your plans need permission, apply early: householder applications have an eight-week target for a decision. Building Regulations approval and inspections run alongside the build.

Permitted development allows up to 40 m³ of extra roof volume on a terraced house and 50 m³ on other houses.
A dormer on the roof slope facing the street, or one that rises above the ridge, needs a planning application.
On a semi or terrace, steel beams bearing on the shared wall need two months' party wall notice.

Postcode district: B17
Planning and building control: Birmingham City Council
From our West Bromwich base: 4 miles

Which option fits your home?

Roof-light conversion

The simplest option: the roof shape stays the same and roof windows are fitted into the slope. It works when there's already enough head height, keeps costs down, and is often permitted development because roof lights can project up to 150 mm from the roof plane. You do lose some usable floor area under the sloping ceilings.

Hip-to-gable conversion

On a semi or detached house with a sloping side roof, called a hip, the side slope is rebuilt as a vertical gable wall, making the loft much bigger. It's often combined with a rear dormer. The gable is usually brick or block to match, which adds scaffolding and masonry, but it often creates room for the stair above the existing one.

What does your loft conversion cost in Harborne?

Prices in Harborne match the rest of our area: £22,000–£72,000 depending on size and specification. A rear dormer with a double bedroom and shower room on a three-bed semi: usually £42,000–£52,000.

Guide prices for loft conversions
Option	Guide price	Good to know
Roof-light conversion	£22,000 – £32,000	One room, no change to the roof shape
Rear dormer	£38,000 – £55,000	Bedroom and shower room; a good fit for semis and terraces
Hip-to-gable with rear dormer	£48,000 – £68,000	Most usable space; semis and detached houses

Guide ranges include VAT where it applies. Your fixed price for the agreed specification follows a free survey at your Harborne address.

Loft conversions in Harborne: common questions

How long does a loft conversion take?

Most take 6–10 weeks on site, with roof-light conversions at the shorter end and hip-to-gable or mansard work at the longer end. Allow time beforehand for drawings, a lawful development certificate or planning decision, and party wall notices, which need two months on a semi or terrace. We plan the start date around those periods so nothing is left waiting.

Do you cover Harborne?

Yes. Harborne (B17) is about 4 miles from our West Bromwich base and inside the area we cover. Call 0800 088 6248 or send the form on this page to book a free survey.

Is my loft suitable for conversion?

Measure from the top of a ceiling joist to the underside of the ridge. Around 2.2 metres or more usually means a conversion is practical; less than that may still work with a dormer or lowered ceilings but costs more. Roof structure matters too, as older cut-timber roofs are simpler to convert than modern trussed roofs, which need more steel. We check all of this at the free survey.

Does Birmingham City Council need to approve my loft conversion?

Usually building control, and sometimes planning. Birmingham City Council is the planning authority for Harborne; Building Regulations approval comes from its building control team or a registered building control approver. We'll tell you which applies after the survey.

Nearby places we cover

Other home improvements in Harborne

Book a free loft survey in Harborne and we'll measure the head height and tell you which type of conversion fits.