Compare home insurance deals
Check Which? insurance ratings and compare deals using the service provided by Confused.com
Get a quoteBy clicking a retailer link you consent to third-party cookies that track your onward journey. If you make a purchase, Which? will receive an affiliate commission, which supports our mission to be the UK's consumer champion.
Most loft conversions can be carried out without planning permission, but you'll still need to satisfy building regulations.
In this guide, we tell you how to work out whether you need planning permission or not, what building regulations to consider, how party wall agreements work, and any other permissions you may need in place before you start.
Be inspired to make home improvements. Sign up for our Home newsletter – it's free monthly
Most homes will come with an allowance for permitted development (PD), which means you can go ahead with your conversion without planning permission.
You shouldn't need planning permission for a loft conversion if your proposed conversion satisfies the following conditions:
If you're unsure, or think you might need planning permission, an initial discussion with an architect or builder should be able to confirm this.
Read our guide to loft conversion costs to discover how much you can expect to spend
If your roof space isn't tall enough, or you live in a conservation area, national park, area of outstanding national beauty or similar, the issue of planning permission for a loft conversion may be more complicated.
You can ask a builder, architect or surveyor to visit your home and check this out for you, but there are a couple of assessments you can carry out yourself prior to this. Read Can my loft be converted? to find out more.
Another great way to get a sense of whether your loft can be converted is by seeing whether any similar properties on your street have had theirs converted already. If you do spot examples, it's more likely to be a possibility.
Regardless of whether or not you need planning permission, your loft conversion has to meet building regulations.
These are in place to make sure any work done is structurally sound, the new room is fire-safe and that sound is reasonably insulated between the loft and the rooms below.
The specific regulations that apply will depend on the type of conversion you have.
As a starting point, the elements covered by building regulation include:
This isn't the complete list – there are plenty more things to be taken into consideration when planning your conversion.
You can find further information by visiting the Planning Portal, or by speaking with your builder, architect or local building control.
See how to plan a loft conversion for further advice on making sure your conversion runs smoothly
If the work you're planning is going to affect the wall that joins your house to your neighbour's, you'll need to have a party wall agreement. This is an agreement between you and your neighbour that aims to ensure the work done is fair and won't endanger your neighbour's property.
You'll need to give a Party Wall Notice – a summary of your proposed work and copies of your plans – to your adjoining neighbours. You can find free templates for these online, or get help from your builder or architect. It's then up to your neighbour to sign the agreement.
If they are concerned, they may request an independent party wall surveyor to approve the work. You can recommend a surveyor, but it's ultimately up to them to decide who they use, and you're obliged to pay for their services.
The surveyor will come and inspect the plans and may request further documentation before signing off the work to go ahead or asking for any reasonable amendments to be made.
You can find out more about the Party Wall Act 1966 and what it covers by visiting the government planning website.
Read more about party wall agreements and how to keep the peace with neighbours during building work
If you think you have bats living in your loft, you'll need to have a bat survey, which can cost £300-£400.
Bats are a protected species and, if your loft is home to a roost of them, you may need to obtain a mitigation licence to carry out the work.
Check Which? insurance ratings and compare deals using the service provided by Confused.com
Get a quote