Dormer loft conversions
Dormer conversions are ideal for when the existing loft space is limited or is of insufficient size for the proposed conversion.
What is a dormer conversion?
A dormer is a window set vertically projecting from a sloping roof. They transform your loft into a far more usable area by letting a good source of light and ventilation and by increasing the amount of headroom. If an additional bathroom is proposed along with the rooms, the increased height created by the dormer provides additional height above the fittings.
Gable fronted dormers
A gable fronted dormer is the most common type of dormer and has a simple pitched roof of two sloping planes, supported by a frame that rises vertically to form a triangular section below the roofline, i.e. a gable. It is also known as a dog-house dormer (due to its similar shape).
Hipped dormers
A hipped dormer has a roof composed of three sloping planes that rise from each side of the dormer frame and converge at the ridge -parallel to the hip roof.
Flat roof dormer
On flat roof dormers, the roof of this dormer is a single flat plane approximately horizontal (although usually slightly inclined to allow rain water to run off).
Our flat roof dormers are built with supporting posts leaving your existing roof intact and waterproof. The flat roof is covered with a first layer of melted felt on to the roof deck, the side cheeks of the dormer are then built and made waterproof so your roof can be removed. At this stage you will be able to decide the size and design of the dormer windows.
The external finish of the dormer will match your existing roof (slates or tiles). We have fitted many Juliet Balcony?s with sliding doors or French doors opening inwards with toughened glass.
Hip to Gable roofs on semi detached or detached houses
Where relevant we build a hip-to-gable loft conversion which normally provides significantly more usable floor space.
The work involves replacing an existing roof hip with a gable end wall. Our gable walls are built using 100mm x 50mm treated timbers on the inner wall then 12.5mm structural ply-wood fixed to the cavity side with breathable roofing felt on top. The external gable wall is built of 100mm block work (not timber) then rendered or dash-finished to match your existing walls as closely as possible.
Some other loft converters build a timber gable wall and dormer cheek together as one flat surface and often finish with slates. However, our gables are built as with triangular shape to look traditional and more pleasing to the eye with the dormer set back slightly from the edge of the roof so you do not lose any space from the inside of the conversion.
