--- title: "Loft Conversions in Reading & Berkshire | Dormer & Velux | Philbert Construction" description: "Velux, dormer and hip-to-gable loft conversions across Reading, Caversham & Newbury — structure, staircase, insulation and Building Control sign-off. Free written quote in 48hrs." lang: en-GB json-ld: | [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": [ "LocalBusiness", "GeneralContractor", "HomeAndConstructionBusiness" ], "@id": "/#business", "name": "Philbert Construction Ltd", "alternateName": "Philbert Construction", "url": "/", "telephone": "+447446909887", "email": "philbertconstruction@gmail.com", "priceRange": "££", "currenciesAccepted": "GBP", "paymentAccepted": "Cash, BACS, Bank Transfer", "taxID": "11797167", "foundingDate": "2008", "slogan": "Built right. Built once.", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "14 Willow Road", "addressLocality": "Tadley", "addressRegion": "England", "postalCode": "RG26 4LU", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": 51.3534, "longitude": -1.13 }, "openingHoursSpecification": [ { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": [ "Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday" ], "opens": "08:00", "closes": "17:30" }, { "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification", "dayOfWeek": "Sunday", "opens": "08:00", "closes": "16:00" } ], "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/", "https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/", "https://share.google/CA6AB9Ab8vi8dnKLu" ], "areaServed": [ { "@type": "City", "name": "Reading" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Newbury" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Basingstoke" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Thatcham" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Caversham" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Pangbourne" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Bucklebury" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Goring" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Oxford" } ], "hasOfferCatalog": { "@type": "OfferCatalog", "name": "Construction Services", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Brickwork", "url": "/services/brickwork" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Extensions", "url": "/services/extensions" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Structural Alterations", "url": "/services/structural-alterations" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Patios", "url": "/services/patios" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Groundworks", "url": "/services/groundworks" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Driveways", "url": "/services/driveways" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Roofing", "url": "/services/roofing" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Loft Conversions", "url": "/services/loft-conversions" } }, { "@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": { "@type": "Service", "name": "Fencing", "url": "/services/fencing" } } ] }, "aggregateRating": { "@type": "AggregateRating", "ratingValue": "4.9", "reviewCount": "27", "bestRating": "5", "worstRating": "1" }, "image": "/__l5e/assets-v1/9663fdd5-38cd-4a8a-b5f8-32de46e05ec8/philbert-icon-512.png", "logo": "/__l5e/assets-v1/9663fdd5-38cd-4a8a-b5f8-32de46e05ec8/philbert-icon-512.png" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "/#website", "url": "/", "name": "Philbert Construction Ltd", "publisher": { "@id": "/#business" }, "inLanguage": "en-GB", "potentialAction": { "@type": "SearchAction", "target": "/our-work?q={search_term_string}", "query-input": "required name=search_term_string" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Loft Conversions", "item": "/services/loft-conversions" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Service", "name": "Loft Conversions in Reading & Berkshire", "serviceType": "Loft Conversions", "url": "/services/loft-conversions", "image": "/assets/hero-loft-conversions-DuI2yKqb.jpg", "provider": { "@type": "GeneralContractor", "@id": "/#business", "name": "Philbert Construction Ltd", "telephone": "+447446909887", "email": "philbertconstruction@gmail.com", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "14 Willow Road", "addressLocality": "Tadley", "postalCode": "RG26 4LU", "addressCountry": "GB" } }, "areaServed": [ { "@type": "City", "name": "Reading" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Newbury" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Basingstoke" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Thatcham" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Caversham" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Pangbourne" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Bucklebury" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Goring" }, { "@type": "City", "name": "Oxford" } ], "description": "Velux, dormer and hip-to-gable loft conversions taken from first survey to Building Control sign-off — new floor structure, staircase, insulation, roof windows and a finished room you can actually move into.", "offers": { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "url": "/contact" } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much does a loft conversion cost in Reading?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "It varies enormously with conversion type, roof structure, staircase position and whether you're adding a bathroom, so published figures would be misleading. We survey the loft and give you a free, itemised written quote, usually within 48 hours." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Many rooflight and rear dormer conversions fall under permitted development, subject to volume limits and how the property has been extended before. Front dormers, conservation areas, listed buildings and flats normally do need permission. We check before you commit." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do I need Building Regulations approval?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Always. A habitable loft room requires structural, fire safety, insulation and staircase compliance. We handle the application, attend the inspections and hand you the completion certificate at the end." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How much head height do I need?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "As a rule of thumb, around 2.2–2.4m from the top of the existing ceiling joists to the underside of the ridge gives a workable room once the new floor and insulation are in. Below that, a dormer or a lowered ceiling below may be the only route — we'll measure and tell you straight." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "How long does a loft conversion take?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Typically six to ten weeks on site depending on type. A rooflight conversion is at the shorter end, a hip-to-gable with dormer and en-suite at the longer. Design and approvals beforehand usually add four to eight weeks." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can I stay in the house during the work?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, in almost every case. Most structural work is reached from the scaffold and we seal and protect the internal route. The noisiest phase — floor structure and the staircase opening — is a few days rather than weeks." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Will a loft conversion count as an extra bedroom?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Only if it's properly converted and signed off: fixed staircase, compliant head height, fire protection and a Building Control completion certificate. A boarded attic with a ladder does not count, and surveyors will say so." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Can you convert a modern trussed roof?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, but it's a bigger structural job. The trusses have to be replaced with new engineer-designed floor and roof support before any members are cut. We'll price it honestly and tell you if the numbers don't stack up." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "Do you guarantee the work?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "We don't issue formal written guarantees, but we stand behind everything we build and we're fully insured. Your Building Control completion certificate and statutory rights are unaffected — and if something isn't right, call us and we'll come and look." } } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Services", "item": "/services" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Loft Conversions", "item": "/services/loft-conversions" } ] } ] --- [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) Tadley, RG26 4LU Mon–Sat 8:00–17:30 · Sun 8:00–16:00 [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) [![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png)](/) [About](/about) [Services](/services) [Areas](/service-areas) [Our Work](/our-work) [Reviews](/reviews) [Contact](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887)[Request Estimate](/contact) 1. [Home](/) 2. [Services](/services) 3. Loft Conversions ![Loft Conversions project in Reading — Philbert Construction Ltd](/assets/hero-loft-conversions-DuI2yKqb.jpg) Loft Conversions · Reading & Berkshire # Loft Conversions Designed & Built End-to-End Across Reading & Berkshire Velux, dormer and hip-to-gable loft conversions taken from first survey to Building Control sign-off — new floor structure, staircase, insulation, roof windows and a finished room you can actually move into. [Get a Free Written Quote](/contact) [07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) 5.0 average from verified Google reviews Fully insured · 18 years building in Berkshire 18 years Building across Berkshire Fully insured Cover on every project Written quotes Itemised within 48 hours Free quotes No-obligation, in writing Same-day Response on enquiries Recent work ## A look at projects across Berkshire. [View all](/our-work) ![Block paving driveway with front wall](/__l5e/assets-v1/72e7228c-b78f-43b8-850f-2304bcf536fe/480080872_1086022363324893_8599073537129495081_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway of a large house](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb4ab9c9-51e5-4a6b-a445-d0e9026edb7e/480105703_1085140566746406_9031678587810065028_n.jpg) driveways ![Block paving driveway with curved lawn](/__l5e/assets-v1/0f5e5563-edd0-49d5-b89a-abba5e6dc846/480238940_1086022796658183_436938064635199783_n.jpg) driveways ![block paving driveway in front of brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/8f388a53-600c-4737-b1d9-0ec2e6801c7b/480393816_1086022319991564_2781699704335370881_n.jpg) driveways ![New house extension with modern bifold doors](/__l5e/assets-v1/1fd646cb-8a90-4dcb-886d-cdc311c87b4e/480854993_3895339790780895_7526137736934487079_n.jpg) extensions ![Completed brick house extension with large windows](/__l5e/assets-v1/206467b5-e6d8-4393-a30a-fe0bb44c25e1/481151972_1094648239128972_1070400166830768780_n.jpg) extensions ![Gravel driveway in front of large red brick house](/__l5e/assets-v1/f5c5e444-8c94-474c-8e60-42c03a0a6b65/481240993_3895339984114209_3698667434209698521_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house with gravel driveway and wooden porch](/__l5e/assets-v1/f97318c3-8249-4dbd-ba70-8dbe4b48bcf1/481267970_3895340080780866_8552531333452770995_n.jpg) driveways ![New build house showing lawn, gravel driveway, and fences](/__l5e/assets-v1/8821b9d2-48dc-4d22-8d5a-7393c51f9ff0/482268556_3904298196551721_2009600277385838606_n.jpg) landscaping ![tarmac driveway with brick and flint wall and gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/b9a2f0c2-c584-49f7-a0bd-8bd510af5749/483876245_1105897564670706_4172320846332780299_n.jpg) driveways ![tarmac driveway with brick pillars and wooden gates](/__l5e/assets-v1/65ee1340-caae-443b-8e0d-ce52e2fb62bb/484586705_1105897558004040_8849210585312474729_n.jpg) driveways ![new brick and flint wall with wooden gate and tarmac drive](/__l5e/assets-v1/bb23a941-2348-44d9-a65b-e3e68556a7a2/484615654_1105897551337374_805596375624489868_n.jpg) brickwork ![new build house under construction](/__l5e/assets-v1/e096a49c-7b10-4bac-a465-0b4abc022643/484648283_1106418277951968_5046185084479331938_n.jpg) extensions ![Newly built house, modern rendering.](/__l5e/assets-v1/ebdb8edb-a9ea-4d64-8675-aa11efc4b1cd/484698262_3912002745781266_8739382140586069315_n.jpg) extensions [View all work](/our-work) What we do ## Loft Conversions done properly — the first time. What it is A loft conversion turns unused roof space into a habitable bedroom, office or bathroom. The work covers structural floor joists and steels, a compliant staircase, dormer or rooflight openings, insulation to current Part L standards, fire protection to Part B, electrics, plumbing, plastering and decoration. Who it's for Growing families in Reading, Caversham and Newbury who need a fourth bedroom without moving; homeowners wanting a proper home office rather than a corner of the spare room; anyone whose garden is too small or too valuable to lose to a ground-floor extension. When you need it When you need more space and the ground floor footprint is used up; when there's roughly 2.2–2.4m of head height at the ridge; when a rear extension would swallow most of the garden; or when you're already re-roofing and can combine scaffolding and roof work in one programme. Why a specialist matters A loft is the cheapest square metre you'll ever add to a house, because the roof, walls and foundations already exist. Done properly it adds a genuinely usable room and, on most Berkshire semis and detacheds, real resale value. Done badly it's a boarded attic with a ladder that no surveyor will count as a bedroom. The cost of waiting ## A loft 'conversion' that skips the structure and the paperwork isn't a bedroom — it's an expensive storage room. ### What happens if it's ignored - Existing ceiling joists are sized to hold plasterboard, not people. Loading them with a floor, furniture and a bed causes cracked ceilings below and, in bad cases, structural deflection. - Without Building Regulations approval there's no completion certificate — and that's the document a buyer's solicitor asks for. Missing it can stall or collapse a sale. - Fire safety is where DIY conversions fail hardest: no protected escape route, no fire doors, no mains-linked alarms. It's the room people sleep in and it's furthest from the front door. - A staircase that misses headroom and pitch rules can't be signed off, and often can't be fixed without rebuilding the landing below. - Under-insulating between rafters gives you a room that's unusable in July and freezing in January — with condensation and mould inside the roof build-up. ### Mistakes we fix every month - Boarding out an attic and calling it a bedroom — surveyors and agents won't, and the room won't appear in the habitable floor area. - Fitting a loft ladder instead of a fixed staircase, which immediately fails Building Regulations for a habitable room. - Ignoring water tanks, soil vent pipes and chimney breasts at design stage, then losing half the usable floor to them. - Building a rear dormer without checking permitted development volume allowances, or on a property where those rights have been removed. - Insulating hard against the underside of the tiles with no ventilation gap — a guaranteed condensation and timber-rot problem within a few years. Our process ## A clear five-step system from first call to final handover. 1. Step 1 ### Survey & Feasibility We measure ridge height, roof pitch, joist sizes and the landing below, then tell you honestly which conversion type your roof will take — or if it won't take one at all. 2. Step 2 ### Design, Structure & Approvals Architectural drawings and structural calculations for beams and floor joists, then a Building Regulations application, plus planning where a dormer needs it. 3. Step 3 ### Written Quote & Programme An itemised fixed-price quote within 48 hours covering structure, staircase, windows, insulation, electrics, plumbing, plaster and finishes — and what's excluded. 4. Step 4 ### Structural Stage Scaffold up, steels in, new floor structure installed off the loadbearing walls, dormer framed or rooflights fitted, roof made watertight before anything else starts. 5. Step 5 ### Staircase & First Fix The new staircase goes in, followed by insulation, electrics, plumbing, fire-rated plasterboard and the protected escape route detailing. 6. Step 6 ### Finish, Sign-Off & Handover Skim, second fix, decoration, then Building Control final inspection and your completion certificate. Snags fixed before we leave site. What you get ## Specific outcomes — not vague promises. ### Space without losing garden You gain a full room inside the footprint you already own — no lost lawn, no lost parking, no lost light to the ground floor. ### Fully signed off Structural calcs, Part B fire protection, Part L insulation and a Building Control completion certificate you can hand to a buyer's solicitor. ### Warm in winter, usable in summer Insulation specified to current standards with a ventilated void above it, so the roof breathes and the room stays comfortable year round. ### One team, start to finish Structure, joinery, staircase, plastering and decorating handled by our own crew — no gaps between trades, no chasing subcontractors. ### Typically 6–10 weeks on site A Velux conversion sits at the shorter end, a rear dormer with en-suite at the longer. You get a week-by-week programme with the quote. ### You stay living at home Access via the scaffold and a dust-sealed internal route where possible, so the house stays liveable while the loft is built. The detail ## Materials, methods and variations for loft conversions in Reading. Most Berkshire housing stock converts well. 1930s Reading and Caversham semis usually have a cut-purlin roof with generous head height and take a rear dormer comfortably. Post-1970s estates in Thatcham, Tadley and Newbury often have trussed rafter roofs, which need the trusses removing and a new floor and roof structure engineered in — possible, but a bigger structural job. Here's what we install and how. ### Materials we work with Steel beams (RSJs/UBs) New floor beams bearing onto loadbearing masonry with padstones, sized by a structural engineer and independently checked. New floor joists Engineered or C24 timber joists sitting on the new steels, deliberately kept clear of the existing ceiling joists so ceilings below don't crack. Rooflights (Velux or similar) Centre-pivot or top-hung units in the roof plane, flashed into the tile or slate covering — the cheapest way to get light, and on many roofs no planning application. Dormers Flat-roof rear dormers or pitched front dormers framed in treated timber, insulated, then finished in tile hanging, cladding or EPDM/GRP roofing. Insulation PIR board between and under rafters with a maintained ventilation gap above, meeting current Part L U-values without stealing head height unnecessarily. Staircases Made to measure to match the existing flight — softwood, oak or painted MDF — set out to meet headroom, pitch, going and rise regulations. Fire protection Fire-rated plasterboard to the new floor and stairwell, FD30 doors to habitable rooms off the escape route, and mains-linked interlinked smoke alarms. ### Methods & techniques Velux / rooflight conversion The simplest and least disruptive option where head height allows — no change to the roof shape, usually permitted development, quickest programme. Rear dormer conversion A box dormer across the rear roof slope creating full standing height and floor area — the most common way to fit a double bedroom plus en-suite. Hip-to-gable conversion For end-terrace, semi and detached homes with a hipped roof: the hip is built up into a vertical gable, adding substantial usable volume, often combined with a rear dormer. Trussed roof restructuring On modern truss roofs we install the new floor and roof support structure before cutting any truss members out, so the roof is never left unsupported. Party wall handling For semis and terraces we identify Party Wall Act notifiable work early so notices are served in good time rather than holding up the programme. Building Control liaison We book and attend every inspection — floor structure, insulation, fire and final — and hand you the completion certificate at the end. ### Common variations & situations - Velux / rooflight loft bedrooms - Rear box dormer conversions with en-suite - Hip-to-gable conversions on semis and end-terraces - L-shaped dormers on Victorian and Edwardian back-additions - Loft home offices and studios - Loft bathrooms and en-suites with new soil and waste runs - Staircase installation and landing reconfiguration - Combined re-roof and loft conversion projects - Insulation and fire upgrades to existing unsigned-off loft rooms ### Residential vs commercial Loft conversions are almost entirely residential, and they're judged on the details you live with daily — head height where you actually stand, a staircase that feels like part of the house, and even, crack-free ceilings below. The occasional commercial equivalent is converting roof space above shops and offices in Reading and Newbury, where fire compartmentation and escape routes drive the whole design. Common questions ## What homeowners in Reading ask before booking. ### How much does a loft conversion cost in Reading? ### Do I need planning permission for a loft conversion? ### Do I need Building Regulations approval? ### How much head height do I need? ### How long does a loft conversion take? ### Can I stay in the house during the work? ### Will a loft conversion count as an extra bedroom? ### Can you convert a modern trussed roof? ### Do you guarantee the work? Related services ### Often booked alongside loft conversions - [Extensions — Single & double-storey extensions designed and built end-to-end. ](/services/extensions) - [Structural Alterations — Steel beams, knock-throughs and load-bearing changes — engineered and signed off. ](/services/structural-alterations) - [Roofing — New roofs, re-roofs and repairs — pitched and flat. ](/services/roofing) [See all services](/services) Areas we cover for loft conversions ### Local loft conversions crews near you - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Thatcham](/service-areas/thatcham) [All service areas](/service-areas) Ready when you are ## Get a fixed written quote for your loft conversions — within 48 hours. No high-pressure sales. No vague day rates. Just an itemised quote from a builder who's been on the tools for 18 years. [Request Free Estimate](/contact) [Call 07446 909887](tel:+447446909887) Fully insured 18 years on the tools Quote within 48 hours Or [return home](/) · [see recent work](/our-work) · [read reviews](/reviews) ![Philbert Construction Ltd](/__l5e/assets-v1/8a31a984-8c57-44b3-9cc5-724bddcefdc8/philbert-logo.png) A family-run construction company based in Tadley. 18 years of brickwork, extensions, roofing and groundworks across Berkshire, Hampshire and Oxfordshire. [](https://www.facebook.com/philbertconstruction/)[](https://www.instagram.com/philbertconstruction/) #### Services - [Brickwork](/services/brickwork) - [Extensions](/services/extensions) - [Structural Alterations](/services/structural-alterations) - [Patios](/services/patios) - [Groundworks](/services/groundworks) - [Driveways](/services/driveways) - [Roofing](/services/roofing) - [Loft Conversions](/services/loft-conversions) - [Fencing](/services/fencing) #### Areas - [Reading](/service-areas/reading) - [Newbury](/service-areas/newbury) - [Basingstoke](/service-areas/basingstoke) - [Thatcham](/service-areas/thatcham) - [Caversham](/service-areas/caversham) - [Pangbourne](/service-areas/pangbourne) - [Bucklebury](/service-areas/bucklebury) - [Goring](/service-areas/goring) - [Oxford](/service-areas/oxford) #### Get in Touch - [07446 909887 ](tel:+447446909887) - [philbertconstruction@gmail.com](mailto:philbertconstruction@gmail.com) - 14 Willow Road, Tadley, England, RG26 4LU Opening Hours Mon–Sat · 08:00–17:30 Sunday · 08:00–16:00 © 2026 Philbert Construction Ltd. All rights reserved · Company No. 11797167 [Privacy](/privacy-policy)· [Terms](/terms-conditions)· [Cookies](/cookie-policy) [Call Now](tel:+447446909887) [Free Estimate](/contact) We use essential cookies to run this site, plus optional ones to measure how it's used. [Cookie policy](/cookie-policy) AcceptReject