Loft conversions in West Bromwich

Before your loft conversion in West Bromwich

Sandwell Council is the planning authority for West Bromwich. 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.

The new staircase usually needs 2 metres of headroom, with a little leeway allowed for loft conversions.
Roof lights can usually go in without planning permission as long as they don't project more than 150 mm from the roof slope.
Mains-powered, interlinked smoke alarms on every floor are part of a compliant loft conversion.

Postcode districts: B70, B71
Planning and building control: Sandwell Council
From our West Bromwich base: Our home town

Which option fits your home?

Mansard conversion

The rear roof slope is rebuilt almost vertically, at around 70 degrees, with a flat top and windows set into it. It gives the most space but changes the roof shape significantly, so it normally needs a planning application. It can suit terraces where a dormer would be too limited, and it's the most expensive of the common types.

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.

Guide prices for West Bromwich

Prices in West Bromwich 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. A free survey turns this guide into a fixed, itemised price.

Your questions answered

Will I lose space on the landing?

Usually very little, because the new staircase normally sits above the existing one. Sometimes part of a box room or a cupboard is used to fit the stair in, especially where head height is tight. We show you exactly where the stair lands on the drawings before you agree to anything, because its position decides how both floors work.

Do you cover West Bromwich?

Yes. Our registered office is in West Bromwich (B70, B71), so it's our home patch. Call 0800 088 6248 or send the form on this page to book a free survey.

How much does a loft conversion cost in the West Midlands?

Guide prices run from about £22,000 for a simple roof-light conversion to around £72,000 for a large hip-to-gable or mansard, including VAT where it applies. A rear dormer with a double bedroom and shower room on a three-bed semi typically costs £42,000–£52,000. Flooring, decorating and fitted wardrobes are extra. Your fixed price for the agreed specification follows the free survey.

Does Sandwell Council need to approve my loft conversion?

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

Also covering nearby

Other home improvements in West Bromwich

Tell us roughly what you'd like up there and we'll come and check whether it fits, with no obligation.