Extension & Loft Conversion Design Bournemouth
Planning an extension or converting your loft? We've got you covered.
What We Design
For an extension, that's the foundations, the beam over the opening into your existing house, the roof structure, and any steel needed to pick up a floor above. For a loft conversion, that's whatever the project needs to actually work.
- Checking what your existing ceiling joists can carry
- Designing the new floor structure, usually supported on steels
- Dormer framing and stair openings
- Connections between the new and existing structure
You bring us in once your architect's drawings exist, before your builder starts pricing the job.
What We Need From You
To design your extension or loft conversion, send us the following.
- Existing and proposed architectural drawings
- Photographs of the relevant walls and roof space
- Details of what you're planning to change
- Any previous structural information you already have
Site Visits
Lofts in Bournemouth's older housing usually need a visit, since the original ceiling joists were rarely built to carry a floor and we need to see what's actually up there. We'll recommend a visit where any of the following apply.
- The property is an older or converted building
- The loft has an unusual roof shape or previous alterations
- You're near a protected tree, and root protection may affect the foundations
- You'd simply rather have an engineer confirm everything in person
Modern extensions on straightforward housing can often be designed from good photos and drawings alone.
What You Receive
Your full structural pack includes the following.
- Foundation design — sized for your ground conditions, not a standard depth assumed to work everywhere
- Beam and steel sizes — for the opening into your existing house, and any floor picking up weight above
- Roof structure details — for extensions and dormer conversions
- Structural drawings — clear layouts your builder and Building Control can both work from
- Building Control submission — a full pack ready to go with your application
Building Control Approval in BCP
Planning permission and Building Control approval are separate processes. Many Bournemouth extensions and loft conversions fall under permitted development for planning purposes, but Building Control approval for the structure is always required regardless.
BCP Council, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, reviews the structural calculations and won't issue a completion certificate without them, and that certificate matters when you come to sell.
Our Process
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1
Send drawings and photos.
Existing and proposed, if you have both.
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2
Confirm the scope.
We tell you the fixed fee for the full structural package before anything starts.
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3
We visit if the building needs it.
Older housing and loft conversions usually do.
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4
Pack delivery.
Calculations and drawings ready for your builder and BCP Council.
Extending Near Trees or on Sandy Ground
Much of Bournemouth sits on sandy ground, which behaves differently from the clay soil that a lot of standard foundation guidance assumes.
- We check the actual ground your project sits on rather than assuming a standard depth
- Mature or protected trees nearby, particularly around areas like Talbot Woods and Queen's Park, can add a root protection zone to the design
- Tell us what's growing within about 15 metres of your project and we'll factor it in from the start
Loft Conversions in Older Bournemouth Houses
Bournemouth's Victorian and Edwardian houses convert well, but nearly all of them share the same starting problem.
- Original ceiling joists were built for plaster, not a floor
- The new floor typically needs to hang off steels rather than rest on the old joists
- In a narrow staircase, getting those steels into the loft in sections is part of the planning