What’s it about?

A hip-to-gable loft conversion involves replacing an existing roof hip with a gable end wall. The hip in question is the sloping side of the roof, thus called the “hipped” side. By changing the hip to a gable, it allows you to achieve a considerable amount of extra space in your loft compared to converting your loft with the hip still in place.  If you can imagine your roof with three slopes, the hip is the slope which falls to the side of your property. Hip-to-gables are found on most semi-detached properties and many end of terrace properties. The photo below shows a converted hip to gable.

How is it done?

The building process is often found to be the most difficult of all the loft conversion processes. As the conversion requires altering a major part of the roof it is likely that you will have to apply for planning permission to achieve the full hip-to-gable effect. However, in October 2008 the law changed regarding the permissible area by which you are allowed to extend the roof.  Please click here for more details.

Although a hip-to-gable conversion is very complex you can rest assured that Marble Construction are complete specialists and will build a hip-to-gable in approximately 6-8 weeks. The time will vary depending on the width of your property and the complexity of the roof structure.

A hip-to-gable can be finished in a few different ways to suit the property. A hip-to-gable can be finished in either facing brickwork, blockwork and render, blockwork and pebble dash, hanging tiles, slates or cedar cladding. You will not have to make this decision until your plans are drawn. Our customer Mrs Davies who has recently had a hip-to-gable conversion said “Marble Construction have done a wonderful job. Everything was very straightforward and before I knew it the conversion was completed within 5 weeks”.

Are there any eco upgrades?

There are many different eco upgrades that you can choose which will benefit your home. One of Marble Construction’s suppliers, Jewsons, offer a wide range of eco products, some of which can be used in hip-to-gable constructions. One of these is called Smartroof®. Smartroof specialise in roofing panels and they are generally quicker to connect, which in turn speeds up the build process.

There are many benefits with using Smartroof panels.

• thermal efficiency – as the panels work very well as heat insulators your left will be kept cool in the summer and warm in the winter
• time – working in partnership with Smartroof, we can build your roof from their factory and convert your loft within a couple of days rather than weeks which is the normal time frame for a loft conversion.
• money – comparing  Smartroof with a traditional roofing method there is not a great deal of difference in price

How much will it cost?

A hip-to-gable conversion is often built with a rear dormer attached which maximizes the total space when converting your loft. Hip-to-gable rear dormers would usually cost in the region of around £35,000 to £38,000 but this is subject to the fixtures and final finishes required for every individual customer.

Marble Construction offer a second package which allows customers to get involved with converting their loft. This package offers all of the structual work to be completed as well as the outside work, such as windows, veluxes, tiling, fascias and soffits. In fact everything from the outside will be completed allowing you to finish the inside of your loft at your own speed. Internal finishes that will need to be completed by yourself are the insulation and plasterboard, electrics and plumbing (1st and 2nd fix), plastering and flooring. This package can often save up to 20% – 35% of the full package price. This allows the practically minded homeowner to benefit from converting their loft to a hip-to-gable, whatever their individual budget. We at Marble Construction feel that customer satisfaction is very important and will explain the different loft options available at our free design survey.

For more information on lofts, please see our main page on loft conversions.

If you would like a free quotation please do not hesitate to call us now on 0844 813 1111 or alternatively call Stuart on 07525 650011.