We asked our UK-wide community of architects and designers on Design for Me – How much does a ‘typical’ loft conversion cost?
Image above by Ayca, architectural designer on Design for Me. See her full profile here.
As you can see, the estimates below vary significantly, which illustrates just how subjective this question is! However, if you are looking for a very simple starting point, we hope this is helpful for to you to estimate where your project might fit within this range. This will largely be down to the location, size, complexity and level of finish you are looking for.
Obviously, there are many factors at play to establish your loft conversion cost and we’d recommend getting quotes for your particular project parameters. For more specific advice, you can post your project here to get advice from loft conversion architects near you (and it’s completely free).
Survey results
*Please note that these figures below are from 2021. We recently did another survey in 2022 of architects on Design for Me and found that costs have increased by approximately 30% in the last year.*
| LOCATION OF ARCHITECT/ ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNER SURVEYED | From recent experience, how much would you estimate the construction cost for a ‘typical’ loft conversion to be? |
| BRISTOL | £18,000 |
| BROMLEY | £60,000 |
| CORNWALL | £30,000 |
| CROYDON | £70,000 – 90,000 |
| FIFE | £80,000 |
| GLASGOW | £50,000 |
| HAMPSHIRE | £40,000 |
| HAMPSHIRE | £50,000 |
| LONDON | £35,000 |
| LONDON | £40,000 |
| LONDON | £45,000 |
| LONDON | £50,000 |
| LONDON | £65,000 |
| LONDON | £75,000 |
| LONDON | £100,000 – £120,000 |
| LONDON | £20,000 – £30,000 (more if has bathrooms etc) |
| LONDON | £40,000 – £60,000 |
| LONDON | £40,000 – £70,000 |
| LONDON | £40,000 – £80,000 |
| LONDON | £50,000 – £60,000 |
| LONDON | £60,000 – £100,000 |
| LONDON | £60,000 – £80,000 |
| LONDON | £65,000 approximately |
| LONDON | £90,000 – 120,000 |
| LONDON | £30,000 – 50,000 |
| LONDON | From £60,000 – £100,000 depending on the size of the roof space converted |
| MANCHESTER | £45,000 |
| ST ALBANS | £40,000 – £60,000 |
| STAFFORDSHIRE | £20,000 |
| STAFFORDSHIRE | £25,000 |
| SURREY | £40,000 |
| UNKNOWN | £30,000 – £40,000 |
| WILTSHIRE | £60,000 – £80,000 |
| WINCHESTER | £60,000 – £100,000 |
| YORKSHIRE | £35,000 |
| YORKSHIRE | £40,000 – £60,000 |
Other project expenses
Architect’s fees
For the smallest projects, we found that the percentage of architect’s fees (full services) would typically be around 10-15%. It may not be necessary to get ‘full services’ from an architect but paying for some initial concept designs or planning submission can be invaluable.
Other consultants, services and fees
= from £1,000 – £3,000+
These would not include costs associated with party wall award(s).
Managing or reducing your project costs
1. It pays to get professional advice from a good architect. They can help you realise the main ambitions for your loft conversion whilst helping control your costs. They will work with you to make sure you get the most out of your budget by recommending where your money is best spent and where costs would be unnecessary or could be minimised.
2. Make sure you get 3-5 quotes from recommended builders (your architect can help compile a tender list for you) to get a firm idea of the costs before starting work.
Your architect can also help you with your building contract to prevent any nasty surprises down the line. They can also inspect the builder’s work to ensure it’s being carried out in accordance with the agreed design and specifications.
3. Shop around. Designers and contractors are sometimes able to access trade discounts.
Finding the right architect…
Who are we?
Design for Me is a free platform to help you quickly find the right design professional for your home project. My name is Emily Barnes and as a residential architect myself, I started Design for Me after finding that talented and innovative smaller firms and individuals, who are perfectly placed to design new homes, extensions and renovations, can often get buried under the online profiles of large commercial companies.
Before Design for Me, the right architect was very difficult to find!
Once you register your project, we’ll match it with 100s of top architects or interior designers in your area and beyond, and you can see who may be available and eager to work on your project straight away.
- quickly see who’s interested in your job
- create a shortlist
- invite up to three for a no-obligation consultation
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Here at Design for Me we match you with the right design professional, from thousands all over the UK. Get quotes & arrange up to three no obligation consultations. And it’s all completely free! Find out more here or get started below…
