Dormer Loft ConversionsBuilding dormer loft conversions is the most common kind of loft conversion in the UK as, in the majority of cases, as there is insufficient space to build a new room in the existing roof space. But, by building a dormer, space for the new room and the staircase can be easily created. But what exactly is a dormer? In the dictionary it is defined as ‘a window for a room within the roof space that is built out at right angles to the main roof and has its own gable.’ Which pretty much covers all the bases really. Dormer loft conversions are of course essential on roofs that have a very shallow pitch which includes the vast majority of houses built since the 1960s. There are many different types of dormer but the most common are the box and full width versions.
I’m sure we’ve all seen the ugly box dormers that sprang up during the 1980s and it can’t be denied that these kind of structures can look an absolute eyesore. Nowadays, this type of dormer can usually only be built on the rear of the roof though with modern building techniques and materials a much more sympathetic design can be created. Thos style of dormer does what its name promises – it covers the full width of a roof. Because the gable or party walls need to be built up to accommodate the sides of the dormer they can blend in with the existing building quite nicely despite their size. Of course, both of the above dormers will massively increase the space available in the roof but there are things you need to consider when thinking about one of these structures. The first, as already mentioned, is that these structures are usually only permitted on the rear of the existing roof despite the new permitted development rules. Secondly, and most obviously, is that they place a significant load of the rafters and floor joists which needs to be calculated by a structural engineer during the initial design stage.
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