Dormer, hip to gable and rooflight lofts for Birmingham semis and terraces, built by a local team from Bromsgrove.
Most homes in Birmingham have usable space sitting above the bedrooms. A loft conversion turns it into a bedroom with an ensuite, an office or a playroom without giving up any garden, and it usually adds more value per pound than any other project.
We are based in Bromsgrove, a short drive up the A38, and convert lofts across the city, from Northfield, Selly Oak and Kings Heath through to Harborne, Erdington and Sutton Coldfield. Paul, who runs MTR, has 24 years of building experience and runs every job himself, from the first survey to building control sign off.
Every conversion starts with a free survey and a written quote that lists the shell price and the finish options separately, so you can see exactly where the money goes. You pay in stages as the work is done, never before it starts.
The classic Birmingham semi has a hipped roof. A hip to gable conversion squares off the sloping side and a rear dormer gives you full headroom across the back. It is the most popular loft we price.
Terraces in Selly Oak, Moseley, Kings Heath and Bournbrook usually take a rear dormer, often L shaped over the back addition, which can fit two bedrooms and a shower room.
Where the roof is already tall enough, rooflights in the existing slopes are the simplest and cheapest option. No change to the roof shape and often no planning application.
A mansard rebuilds the rear slope almost vertical for the most space. It nearly always needs full planning permission, so it suits houses where the extra room justifies the extra time.
Bungalows across south Birmingham convert well. Dormers front and back can turn a two bedroom bungalow into a four bedroom house.
Many lofts fall under permitted development, which means no planning application. The limits are 40 cubic metres of extra roof space for a terraced house and 50 for a semi or detached house, no dormer facing the road, and materials that match the existing roof. We measure the volume at the survey so you know where you stand.
Permitted development does not apply in a conservation area or where an Article 4 direction removes it. Birmingham has 29 conservation areas, including Kings Norton, Moseley and Bournville, and the Bournville Village Trust has its own consent process on top of the council. We check your address before we draw anything.
Every loft needs building regulations approval whether or not it needs planning. That covers the steels and new floor joists, a protected escape route down the stairs, fire doors, insulation and the staircase itself. We handle the application and book the inspections.
If you share a wall with a neighbour, the Party Wall Act applies to the steel beams that sit in it. We explain the notice process at the survey and build the timing into the programme.
As a rough guide, a rooflight loft starts around £25,000 to £40,000, a rear dormer around £45,000 to £65,000 and a hip to gable with dormer around £55,000 to £75,000, before VAT and fees. Our loft conversion cost guide breaks it down, and the survey gives you a fixed figure.
Often not. Most rear dormers and hip to gable lofts fit within permitted development, unless you are in a conservation area or an Article 4 area. We confirm it at the survey and can apply for a Lawful Development Certificate for peace of mind.
Most take 6 to 10 weeks on site. Drawings, building control and any party wall notices usually take a few weeks before that.
Yes. Most of the work happens from scaffolding and through the roof, and we only open up into the house near the end when the new staircase goes in.
Measure from the top of a ceiling joist to the underside of the ridge. Around 2.2 metres or more usually works for a dormer or hip to gable. If it is lower, we will tell you honestly at the survey.
Tell us what you have in mind and we will book a free visit. Your itemised quote comes back within 3 to 5 working days.