Taking the lid off the space above.
Mansard Loft Conversions London
Loft conversions are a popular and practical way to create more space in your home. A loft conversion can be a good way to avoid moving if space is the main factor. And as well as extra space, they add value to the house, both in terms of utility and sale price when you eventually do move.
There are numerous ways to alter a loft, including dormer loft conversions , L-shaped loft conversions, and hip to gable loft conversions. In this article, however, we explore another option, the Mansard loft conversion.
What’s a Mansard loft conversion?
What’s a Mansard roof?
At its simplest, a conventional pitched roof is two sloping rectangular surfaces which meet at the top to form a ridge line. It’s shaped like a Toblerone chocolate box, with triangles at each end which form the gables.
A Mansard roof takes this basic shape and uses two surfaces on each side instead of one. The lower surface is steeply pitched, usually at least 72 degrees from the horizontal, providing significantly increased volume within the loft space. The same principal can be applied to hipped roofs, so there will be up to eight surfaces instead of three or four.
This is a style often seen in continental Europe; Mansard roofs are named after the seventeenth century French architect Francois Mansart. They are also popular in London and other cities, where they are an efficient way of using the very highest level of a building in built-up urban environments.
Why does a Mansard roof work well as loft conversion in London?
Mansard roofs work especially well for loft conversions because the lower sections of roof are often not far off vertical. This creates much more additional headroom than other conversions; the new rooms will have less of an attic feeling and the extra headroom also provides more useable floor area.
Most often, Mansard loft conversions will keep the original roof line, so the upper slopes of the roof meet along a ridge. However, it’s also possible to incorporate a flat roof. This is especially useful on smaller properties which are not so deep, as it allows for more useable headroom. In both cases, you will not usually be permitted to change the height of the roof.
Mansard loft conversions in London are very versatile. They can be adapted to fit most types of building and roofing style. Windows are usually dormer windows – they’ll be fairly shallow because the pitch of the new roof is quite steep – although skylights (Velux or similar) can also be used. You can also include Juliet style balconies with French windows, for additional light and a real feeling of being up among the roof tops.
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Is your home suitable for a Mansard loft conversion?
Mansard loft conversions in London will suit most house styles, including mid-terrace properties so long as the look is in keeping with the rest of the street. Often they are at the rear of the house, although they can also be carried out on both front and back elevations, subject to Planning or other local regulations. In London it’s not uncommon to see all or most of the houses in one street with Mansard conversions.
What is a typical Mansard loft conversion cost?
Mansard loft conversions require extensive work on the structure of your roof. Inevitably they cost more than a simple conversion based on Velux windows with no structural changes.
Actual costs vary depending on many factors, including the size of your home, the number of dormer windows, and whether the conversion work is on the front, back or both elevations. For a detached house creating a Mansard roof on all four sides, cost will naturally be higher still.
In the London area, a Mansard loft conversion cost will start in the region of £40,000, although this is a guideline only. Good design, prudent choice of materials and thoughtful use of existing timbers, for example, will help keep costs down.
Why choose a Mansard loft conversion?
The main reason to choose a Mansard loft conversion is the high proportion of extra headroom and consequently more usable floor space. However, it may also be that on your property it will just look better than other loft conversion types. The flip side of this is that Mansard loft conversions are generally more expensive than other forms (see below) so your budget might influence your choice.
Ultimately the decision will be quite personal, but a real advantage of a Mansard loft conversion is the extra floor space. With a small house, this means you’re getting maximum benefit from the conversion, rather like adding an entire new floor.
With larger properties, you may well be able to incorporate more than one room – it is not unusual to find two extra bedrooms and a bathroom as a result of choosing a Mansard loft conversion on a larger house; this is significantly more than when compared to a typical dormer or hip to gable conversion.
Will a Mansard loft conversion need Planning Permission?
Converting your existing roof to a new Mansard form involves changing the structure of your home, so Planning Permission will be required in nearly all cases. It is unusual for a Mansard loft conversion to come within the definition of Permitted Development.
In managing your Application for Planning Permission it will be best to use the services of a specialist professional firm, one which can support you with architectural design work and the Planning Application. They will be best placed to navigate local Planning Policies and they will understand how local Planning Officers implement those policies in practice.
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Why choose a Mansard loft conversion?
The main reason to choose a Mansard loft conversion is the high proportion of extra headroom and consequently more usable floor space. However, it may also be that on your property it will just look better than other loft conversion types. The flip side of this is that Mansard loft conversions are generally more expensive than other forms (see below) so your budget might influence your choice.
Ultimately the decision will be quite personal, but a real advantage of a Mansard loft conversion is the extra floor space. With a small house, this means you’re getting maximum benefit from the conversion, rather like adding an entire new floor.
With larger properties, you may well be able to incorporate more than one room – it is not unusual to find two extra bedrooms and a bathroom as a result of choosing a Mansard loft conversion on a larger house; this is significantly more than when compared to a typical dormer or hip to gable conversion.
We do Mansard loft conversion all over London. Areas include (but are not limited to): Barking & Dagenham, Barnet, Bexley, Enfield, Greenwich, Hammersmith & Fulham, Havering, Romford, Thurrock, Twickenham, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth, Walthamstow, Richmond, Bromley, High Wycombe, Harrow, and Ealing.
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Mansard loft conversion FAQs
Technically, most properties are able to benefit from a mansard loft conversion. Mansards are usually constructed with walls that are at about a 70-degree angle, so they are not entirely vertical like a box dormer.
There are a number of reasons why we would think a mansard loft conversion is better, but this is dependent on the context we are working in. For example, depending on where the property is located and what the site conditions/restrictions are, your local authority may recommend this design follow a pattern of development in the area. Also, a mansard loft is less bulky and prominent than a box dormer.
Think of practicality – because the mansard walls are at a slight angle (about 70 degrees) the positioning of some of the furnishings such as full-height wardrobes may be limited. But essentially, they do provide adequate head-height and ultimately more space.
A hip-to-gable loft conversion would typically take 3 months to complete.