Overview
Loft conversions are six-figure jobs, and the quote needs to look like one
A loft conversion is one of the bigger jobs a domestic specialist quotes. Structural calcs, building regs, party wall agreements, steel beam, dormer or hip-to-gable, staircase, electrics, plumbing, plastering, decoration. The customer is comparing your quote to two or three others and the spec varies between them. A quote that just lists 'loft conversion' as one line at a five-figure number is a quote the customer can't compare. They go with the contractor whose quote they can read, and that's usually not the cheapest.
QuoteGenio gives loft conversion specialists room to put the whole spec on the page. Structural calcs and drawings as their own line, building regs application separately, steel and labour for the install, staircase, dormer build, electrics first-fix and second-fix, plumbing for the new bathroom, plastering, decoration, and an explicit allowance for unknowns. Take a 10 to 20 percent deposit on acceptance, raise progress invoices at each stage against the same record, and hold retention until the building regs sign-off. Customers ringing three contractors thank the one who quoted properly.
Who it is for
Who uses QuoteGenio
Built for every kind of loft conversion business, from solo dormer specialists to small loft-only construction teams.
The problem
The quoting headaches every loft conversion specialist knows
Loft work is structural-heavy, building-control-heavy, and finishing-heavy. Without a structured proposal that itemises steels, party-wall, building control, and finishing trades, the structural surprises always absorb into the headline price.
Structural variations mid-job
Once the loft floor is up, the existing rafters and ceiling joists often need more steel and reinforcement than the survey suggested. Without provisional sums, the variations eat the margin.
Verbal building-control quote
Building Control approval and inspections are a fixed cost the customer expects to see itemised. Bundling them into the headline price loses transparency.
Slow proposals lose competitive bids
Loft customers usually get 3 to 4 quotes. The first detailed proposal with structural, BC, party-wall, and finishing all listed usually wins.
The fix
QuoteGenio makes it simple
A clean workflow for loft conversions. Quote design, structural, building control, party-wall, finishing, and commissioning as separate lines. Send via WhatsApp. Convert to deposit and milestone invoices on accept.
The payoff
What you get with QuoteGenio
The everyday wins that add up across a year of quoting and invoicing.
Built for loft work
Line items for structural design, steels and reinforcement, building control fees, party-wall agreements, plumbing and electrical first-fix, plasterboard, finishing, and commissioning.
Works from the survey
Send a loft proposal from the existing loft hatch, push a variation quote from the scaffold. Branded PDF on every send.
Quote in under 15 minutes
Build templates for typical conversions: rear dormer, hip-to-gable, full mansard, rooflight studio. Each new survey is a few tweaks from sent.
Track milestones and finals
See which deposits, structural milestone payments, finishing milestones, and finals are still outstanding on each conversion.
Built for your trade
Quoting calibrated to how loft conversion specialists actually work
Pick your trade in Settings and the entire quote flow switches to fit. Line item presets, compliance fields, on-the-quote calculators, and per-m² / after-hours pricing all change to match your industry.
Trade-specific line items
Quick add picker pre-fills the common items your trade quotes. Skip the blank rows.
Brand-specific catalogues
Pylontech, Hikvision, Canadian Solar, Sunsynk and others pre-named. Pick the brand, the description writes itself.
Compliance fields built in
IOPSA, ECASA, PIRB, PSIRA, NHBRC, SAQCC. Set once. Every quote prints them under FROM.
Registration expiry alerts
Dashboard notification 60 days before your PSIRA, CoC or any dated registration lapses.
Per-m² / hour / day billing
Unit selector on every line item: m², hr, linear m, days. Stop doing the maths externally.
After-hours and emergency
1.5× and 2× multipliers as a one-tap toggle. Customer sees the breakdown on the quote.
Quote-flow calculators
Solar size, battery backup, cable run cost. Compute on the spot, drop straight onto the quote.
Staged payments
Deposit on acceptance + balance on completion as two separate amounts on the quote PDF.
Scope-of-work checklist
Structured Included / Not included lists. Client acceptance = signing the scope.
Site-survey mode
Log a location per line item: camera positions, fixtures by room, sensors by zone.
Regional rate hints
Pricing ranges per item per currency shown as you quote.
Free on every plan
All of the above included on the free plan. Premium is for capacity, not the trade tooling.
Why QuoteGenio
Why Loft Conversion Specialists choose QuoteGenio
The tools that matter most when you are quoting on-site, under pressure, and between jobs.
Quote from your phone
Most Loft Conversion Specialists build and send quotes directly from the job site. No laptop, no office, no delays.
Win more jobs, faster
The first professional quote a client receives usually wins. Respond in minutes, not hours.
Quote to invoice in one click
When the job is accepted, convert to an invoice instantly. No retyping, no double entry.
Pricing guide
Typical Loft Conversion Specialists job pricing
A rough guide to what loft conversion specialists charge for common projects. Pricing varies by conversion type (rooflight, dormer, hip-to-gable, mansard), property type (terrace, semi, detached), specification (basic vs ensuite), and local building costs. Mansard and full-house conversions sit at the top of these ranges.
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rooflight / Velux conversion (no dormer, smallest) | $ 28,000 - $ 48,000 |
| Rear dormer conversion (typical 3-bed semi) | $ 48,000 - $ 85,000 |
| Hip-to-gable + dormer (end-terrace) | $ 65,000 - $ 110,000 |
| Full mansard conversion (Victorian terrace) | $ 95,000 - $ 180,000 |
| Architectural design + structural calc | $ 1,800 - $ 4,800 |
| Building Control fees (pass-through) | $ 580 - $ 1,800 |
| Party-wall agreement (per neighbour) | $ 850 - $ 2,400 |
Pricing shown in USD as a rough benchmark. Rates vary significantly by country, region, currency, and market.
Call-out fees
Building Control and party-wall agreements are often where verbal quotes lose money. Quote BC fees as a pass-through line at the local authority's published rate, and party-wall as a per-neighbour line with the surveyor fee passed through. State this clearly so the customer sees the breakdown and accepts the third-party costs in writing.
Hourly vs fixed pricing
Use fixed pricing for the conversion shell where the design and structural scope are known. Use hourly pricing only for variation work where hidden structural defects are uncovered. Always quote architectural design and structural calculations as their own paid lines pre-build.
See it in action
Example quote breakdown
Here's what a clean loft conversion proposal looks like. Design, structural, shell, plumbing, electrical, finishing, and pass-through fees each visible on the proposal. Customers accept faster when they see the building-control and party-wall costs broken out from your build fee.
Try it yourself
Job size
Region
Sample quote
Rear dormer loft conversion, 3-bed semi, 1 bedroom + ensuite
Architectural design + structural calc
Steels, beams, and structural reinforcement
Construction shell (dormer build, roof, walls)
Plumbing first + second fix (ensuite)
Electrical first + second fix (whole loft)
Plastering, decorating, flooring
Building Control fees (pass-through)
Party-wall agreement (1 neighbour)
| Description | Qty | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural design + structural calc | 1 | $ 2,800 | $ 2,800 |
| Steels, beams, and structural reinforcement | 1 | $ 8,500 | $ 8,500 |
| Construction shell (dormer build, roof, walls) | 1 | $ 28,000 | $ 28,000 |
| Plumbing first + second fix (ensuite) | 1 | $ 4,200 | $ 4,200 |
| Electrical first + second fix (whole loft) | 1 | $ 3,800 | $ 3,800 |
| Plastering, decorating, flooring | 1 | $ 6,800 | $ 6,800 |
| Building Control fees (pass-through) | 1 | $ 1,200 | $ 1,200 |
| Party-wall agreement (1 neighbour) | 1 | $ 1,400 | $ 1,400 |
| Subtotal | $ 56,700 | ||
| Tax (10%) | $ 5,670 | ||
| Total incl. tax | $ 62,370 | ||
Totals recalculate as you change the controls above. Tax rate inferred from the sample quote.
Items often forgotten
Architectural design hours, structural calculations, party-wall agreements per additional neighbour, scaffolding hire on rear-access jobs, skip hire and waste removal, and asbestos surveys on pre-2000 properties. Add these as standard or provisional lines.
Peer snapshot
How Loft Conversion Specialists actually use QuoteGenio
Indicative activity for Loft Conversion Specialists on the platform. Use it as a benchmark for how often to quote and how fast to respond.
25
Quotes sent per month
59%
Average quote acceptance
3 min
Median time to send quote
$ 62,370
Typical quote value
Figures are indicative platform averages for this trade segment.
Start quoting Loft Conversion Specialist jobs like this, free
Build your first quote in under 2 minutes. No credit card, no setup fee, no contract.
Avoid these
Common quoting mistakes
We talk to a lot of loft conversion specialists. The same BC, party-wall, and provisional-sum mistakes come up project after project. Fix these and your build margin will reflect the structural complexity of every conversion.
Mistake: Building control absorbed into the build fee
Better: Quote BC fees as a pass-through line at the local authority's rate. Customers accept third-party fees easier when they see them separately.
Mistake: No provisional sum for hidden structural
Better: Add a provisional sum for unforeseen rafter or ceiling joist reinforcement. Once exposed during strip-out, raise variation quotes in writing.
Mistake: Verbal party-wall arrangement
Better: Quote party-wall agreement per neighbour as its own line with surveyor fee. Some councils require this before work starts; without it on the quote, the customer thinks it is your problem.
Mistake: Architectural design unpaid
Better: Quote architectural design + structural calculation as a paid line ($ 1,800 to $ 4,800). It is real design time and must be billed even on prospects who don't proceed.
Mistake: No deposit on the conversion
Better: Take 30 percent deposit on signing, with milestone payments at structural complete, first fix complete, and final completion. State the schedule clearly.
Mistake: Verbal warranty terms
Better: State the structural warranty (typically 10 years) and the finishing workmanship warranty (typically 2 years) on the proposal.
Mistake: No expiry on the quote
Better: Set a 30 day validity. Material prices and your team capacity move; old quotes can bind you to outdated build costs.
Mistake: No follow-up after sending the quote
Better: Most quotes that don't close, don't close because nobody followed up. Send a polite check-in 48 hours after the quote lands, and a second nudge at day 7. Two of every three accepted quotes get there because someone followed up.
Step by step
How to quote loft conversion work
Always survey the loft and roof structure before quoting. A 60 to 90 minute survey tells you the existing roof type (truss, cut, hipped), the rafter and ceiling joist sizes, the head height available, the staircase position, and any structural movement or damp issues. Quote based on what you saw rather than guessing from a phone description; loft surveys uncover surprises in 80 percent of properties.
Itemise architectural design, structural steels, build shell, plumbing, electrical, plastering, finishing, building control, and party-wall as separate lines. State the conversion type (rooflight, dormer, hip-to-gable, mansard) on the description. Add provisional sums for hidden structural reinforcement and any asbestos surveys required on pre-2000 properties. Customers see the structure of the project and accept the third-party costs in writing.
Take milestone payments. Loft conversions run 8 to 16 weeks. Quote 30 percent deposit on signing, 30 percent at structural complete (steels and dormer shell up), 30 percent at first fix complete, and 10 percent at final completion. State the milestone schedule clearly. This protects cash flow on a longer build and gives the customer clear progress markers.
Send via WhatsApp or email and follow up. Loft customers usually need to share the proposal with architects, surveyors, or mortgage advisors. The branded PDF makes that easy. Share via public link, follow up after a week, and once accepted invoice the deposit and order materials. Set a 30 day validity to protect against material and BC fee moves.
FAQ
Common questions from loft conversion specialists
Everything you need to know before getting started.
Yes. Architectural design + structural calculation is real pre-build time ($ 1,800 to $ 4,800) and must be billed even on prospects who don't proceed. Some specialists offer it free as a marketing tool but most charge it as a paid pre-build line.
Yes. Once your proposal is ready, share the public link via WhatsApp. The customer opens a branded PDF on their phone, accepts online, and you have a time-stamped acceptance on file.
Quote them as a pass-through line at the local authority's published rate. Customers accept third-party fees easier when they see them separately from your build fee.
Yes. Quote per neighbour as a separate line with the surveyor fee passed through. Some councils require this before work starts and it must be visible on the proposal.
Add a provisional sum line for unforeseen rafter or ceiling joist reinforcement. Once exposed during strip-out, raise variation quotes in writing for the customer to accept before continuing.
Yes. The free plan gives you 5 quotes and 2 invoices per month with no credit card. Upgrade to Premium for unlimited quotes during busy seasons.
Yes. 30 percent deposit on signing, with milestone payments at structural complete, first fix complete, and final completion. State the schedule on the proposal so the customer agrees in writing.
Yes. Quote rooflight, dormer, hip-to-gable, and mansard options on the same proposal where the property suits multiple options. Customers value the comparison and you get the bigger conversion.
If you are tax registered, yes. Some jurisdictions have reduced VAT on listed buildings; check local rules. Show tax as its own line on the proposal.
30 days. Material prices and your team capacity move with seasons. State the validity on the proposal so old quotes do not bind you to outdated build costs.
Still have questions? We would rather answer them now than after you have signed up.
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Reviews
Trusted by tradespeople
Real feedback from people who quote for a living.
"Roofs are not cheap. Having itemised quotes with labour and materials split helps clients trust my pricing. My acceptance rate has gone up noticeably."
Marco Davids
Roofer · Cape Town
"My quotes look a lot more professional now. Clients take them seriously and I spend less time formatting documents."
Megan Daniels
Interior Designer · Birmingham
"Quoting per square metre used to take me forever. I have templates set up now that cover lawn, pavers, and planting separately. Cuts my admin in half."
Nathan Walsh
Landscaper · Melbourne
Guides
Guides for Loft Conversion Specialists
Practical advice to help you quote better, get paid faster, and grow your business.
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