Loft conversion in Wimbledon by Bluebird Spaces
    Wimbledon SW19

    Loft Conversions in Wimbledon

    Rear dormer, L-shaped, hip-to-gable and mansard loft conversions across Wimbledon, South Wimbledon, Wimbledon Park and towards Raynes Park. Free site visit, then a fixed-price quote.

    Our fixed-price quote is based on the agreed written scope. Client-requested changes and unforeseen work are priced and approved separately before proceeding.

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    Why Wimbledon Homeowners Convert Their Loft

    Wimbledon covers Victorian and Edwardian terraces around South Wimbledon and Wimbledon Park, inter-war semis towards Raynes Park, and larger houses around the Village. The roof shape decides which type of loft you can build, and Merton (or, for parts of SW19, Wandsworth) decides which type you're allowed to build.

    At a free site visit we check the roof structure, head height, stair position and planning route before anything is designed, then give you an itemised fixed-price quote.

    Our fixed-price quote is based on the agreed written scope. Client-requested changes and unforeseen work are priced and approved separately before proceeding.

    Conversion Types

    Rear Dormer

    A box-shaped extension on the rear roof slope with a near-vertical back wall. This is the standard loft for a mid-terrace in SW19, with full head height across most of the room: enough for a double bedroom and often a shower room.

    L-Shaped Dormer

    A rear dormer on the main roof joined to a second dormer over the two-storey back addition. It gives the most space on a Victorian terrace, typically a bedroom plus a separate bathroom, but has the most impact on neighbours, so councils look hard at its size.

    Mansard

    The rear slope is rebuilt at a steep angle, close to vertical, with a flat or shallow roof above. It gives a lot of space but changes the roof the most, so it's the type most likely to need full planning permission.

    Hip-to-Gable

    On a semi-detached or end-of-terrace house with a hipped side roof, the hip is built up into a vertical gable wall, which extends the ridge. It's usually combined with a rear dormer, and it's the typical loft on the inter-war semis towards Raynes Park.

    Velux / Rooflight

    The roof stays as it is and rooflights go into the slopes. It's the simplest option, but it only works where there's already enough head height under the ridge.

    Planning in Wimbledon

    Outside conservation areas, Merton houses follow the national Class B rules: up to 40 cubic metres of extra roof space on a terrace or 50 on other houses, nothing higher than the existing ridge, and no dormers on a front slope facing the road. In conservation areas such as Wimbledon North, Wimbledon Village and Wimbledon West, roof extensions such as dormers need a householder application. Flats have no householder permitted development rights.

    Why Bluebird Spaces

    Loft conversions across South West London
    Full project management from design through to completion
    One point of contact throughout the build
    Itemised fixed-price quote on agreed scope after a site visit
    FMB members
    Nearby completed projects to look at

    Loft conversion prices in Wimbledon

    We publish one typical band, for the rear dormer with an en-suite that most terraces get. Other loft types are priced at the site visit, because roof structure, stair position and planning route vary so much.

    TypeTypical build price (ex VAT)Notes
    Rear dormer with en-suite£80,000–£90,000Our typical loft conversion.
    L-shaped dormerPriced at site visitMain roof dormer joined to a dormer over the back addition.
    Hip-to-gable (usually with a rear dormer)Priced at site visitFor semi-detached and end-of-terrace houses with a hipped roof.
    MansardPriced at site visitRebuilds the rear slope; the type most likely to need planning.
    Rooflight (Velux-style)Priced at site visitOnly works where there is already enough head height.

    Typical project build prices, excluding VAT and professional fees (design, structural engineer, Building Control, party wall and planning fees). Prices are the same across every borough we cover; access and logistics (parking, skips, scaffold, restricted access) can affect the final price. Your fixed quote follows a site visit.

    Our fixed-price quote is based on the agreed written scope. Client-requested changes and unforeseen work are priced and approved separately before proceeding.

    Merton Article 4: the John Innes areas

    Merton's conservation areas page says that in the John Innes Merton Park and Wilton Crescent conservation areas you need planning permission for the changes set out in four Article 4 Directions (1986, 1990 and two from July 2007). Where a loft conversion changes the roof form there, permission is needed. The council's John Innes design guide says "any dormer should be located on the rear roof slope, set back from the eaves and should not project above the ridge line", and suggests lead or tile/slate hanging as suitable materials.

    The council's "Conservation Areas Article 4s" map, linked from its conservation areas page, shows which addresses are covered. Our Wimbledon and Merton planning guide has the detail, including the CIL form that larger schemes need before work starts.

    Hip-to-gable lofts on Wimbledon semis

    Many of the inter-war semis between Wimbledon and Raynes Park have hipped roofs, where the side of the roof slopes down rather than ending in a vertical wall. A hip-to-gable conversion builds that slope up into a gable, extending the ridge so the stair can come up under full head height. It's usually paired with a rear dormer.

    Outside a conservation area, a hip-to-gable plus rear dormer can work under the 50 cubic metre allowance for semi-detached houses, as long as nothing rises above the existing ridge, materials look similar to the house and side-facing windows are obscure-glazed and fixed shut below 1.7m. Unlike a dormer, a hip-to-gable doesn't need the 0.2m set-back from the eaves. Any earlier roof extension counts towards the allowance.

    Lawful Development Certificates in Merton

    Most owners confirm a permitted development loft with a Lawful Development Certificate, which costs £274 from April 2026 (a householder application is £548). In our London Planning Datahub pull of 2 October 2026, Merton refused 10 of the 225 proposed-use certificates it decided in the year, about 4%, and 4 of 112 loft-related ones. That's a much lower rate than Wandsworth, Lambeth or Kingston, but a certificate is still only as good as the drawings. Our guide to loft Lawful Development Certificates covers the rules that trip applications up.

    Wimbledon lofts we've built

    Our Wimbledon whole-house renovation included a loft conversion with a shower room alongside a rear extension and full refurbishment. Our Southfields dormer loft conversion included structural steelwork, dormer construction, upgraded insulation and rooflights. Our Richmond loft conversion created about 500 sq ft for a principal bedroom suite with an en-suite and walk-in wardrobe.

    Our Work Near Wimbledon

    Projects we have built in and around Wimbledon. Each one links to the full write-up with photos.

    “We chose Ben/Tom/Milen and team over recommended builders from friends after meeting them in person. They were knowledgeable and explained each part the process/works in terms that I could understand and clearly explained any terminology. This helped build trust at the outset and their pricing…”
    Jane Farrelly-Ward, Richmond · see the project

    How a loft conversion with us runs

    1. Step 1

      Free site visit

      We visit, measure up and assess the existing structure, access and any party wall implications, then explain the practical next steps. No obligation.

    2. Step 2

      Fixed-price quote

      An itemised quote for the build, excluding VAT and professional fees (design, structural engineer, Building Control, party wall and planning fees), which are quoted separately.

    3. Step 3

      Approvals

      Working with your architect, the drawings are developed and submitted for planning if required, and party wall notices are served to neighbours if needed. We plan the start date around them.

    4. Step 4

      Build

      The programme is set out before work starts. If you change the scope, we price the change and agree it with you first.

    5. Step 5

      Handover

      Final inspection, a snagging walk-through with you, and keys handed over.

    Federation of Master Builders members

    Bluebird Spaces is a member of the Federation of Master Builders.

    View our FMB profile

    Talk to us about your Wimbledon project

    Call us, or send the enquiry form and we'll arrange a free site visit.

    Common Questions

    Not always. Outside conservation areas, a loft within the national permitted development limits (40 cubic metres on a terrace, 50 on a semi or detached house, no front dormers, nothing above the ridge) doesn't need permission, and a Lawful Development Certificate confirms it. In conservation areas such as Wimbledon North, Wimbledon Village or John Innes Merton Park, a dormer needs a householder application.

    A loft conversion takes around 13-15 weeks as a realistic target; larger or complex schemes take longer; written programme after survey and design. Allow time before that for design, any planning decision and party wall notices.

    Most of Wimbledon is in Merton, but parts of Wimbledon Park and Southfields are in Wandsworth, which has different rules for roofs. We confirm the council from its own map before design starts.

    Often, if the house isn't in a conservation area or covered by an Article 4 Direction. The work, plus any rear dormer and earlier roof extensions, must stay within 50 cubic metres for a semi and no higher than the existing ridge. A Lawful Development Certificate (£274 from April 2026) confirms it.

    In our London Planning Datahub pull of 2 October 2026, Merton refused 4 of the 112 loft-related proposed-use certificates it decided in the year, about 4%. Councils code decisions differently, so treat this as indicative.

    A typical loft conversion with us, a rear dormer with an en-suite, costs about £80,000–£90,000 to build, excluding VAT and professional fees. Prices are the same across the boroughs we cover, though access and logistics can affect the final figure. You get a fixed quote after a site visit.

    Wimbledon coverage and nearby work

    We cover Wimbledon, South Wimbledon, Wimbledon Park, Merton Park and Raynes Park (SW19 and SW20). Our Wimbledon project included a loft conversion with a shower room, and our Southfields dormer loft is a short way up the road in SW18.

    Get Started

    Ready to talk about your project?

    Free site visit, then a fixed-price quote. No deposit upfront.