Loft Conversion

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Willy
Posts: 236
Joined: 22 Feb 2007 15:07
Location: Sydenham

Loft Conversion

Post by Willy »

Has anyone used used any the companies below? Were they good (or bad)? Or can you recommend anyone else?

Absolute Lofts
Loft Life
South London Lofts
Classic Lofts
Top Flight Lofts
Raphael
Posts: 52
Joined: 7 Aug 2012 06:12
Location: Sydenham

Re: Loft Conversion

Post by Raphael »

Hi, I can recommend Brian Brooks in Sydenham. He 's totally professional, won't rip you off, and charges reasonable rates. And he loves nothing more than a loft conversion. His number is 07909-863980 and e-mail brianbservices@gmail.com.


Raphael
FHG
Posts: 2
Joined: 30 Apr 2014 13:19
Location: Forest Hill

Re: Loft Conversion

Post by FHG »

We used Loft Life and have mixed feelings about them. Overall, they did a good job but we had a couple of post completion leaks through the new flat roof and really had to battle with them to come back and sort it out. You also have to keep an eagle eye on them in terms of making unilateral decisions about finishes etc.

I know of someone else who had major issues with Loft Life, all related to the plumbing and boiler - ultimately had to get an independent gas engineer to come in and prepare a report (who questioned whether the plumber was even qualified...)
LoftLife customer
Posts: 1
Joined: 13 Apr 2018 11:09

Re: Loft Conversion

Post by LoftLife customer »

What started as a positive loft conversion is slowly turning into a roofing nightmare where loftlife are refusing to take responsibility for the damage caused on my roof. Attached are photos of the way loftlife left my roof and for those interested the problems I have faced.

Since Loftlife have been on our roof we have been left with FOUR separate leaks in the roof.

1. Labourer knocked an existing roof tile whilst using the roof as a walk way to transport materials during the build. One weekend during the build we heard dripping and subsequently a wet stain on our bedroom ceiling. This was corrected by the labourer on the Monday however we were left to redecorate.
2. Small leak next to roof dome in new extension. S Lester Roofing reluctantly came out and appear to have fixed this. Time will tell. We were left to redecorate.
3. Leak directly under runout in Master bedroom. S Lester Roofing reluctantly came out and appear to have fixed this. Time will tell. We were left to redecorate. [Since writing this has also leaked again so it wasn't fixed]
4. Leak directly under runout in spare bedroom (adjacent to master bedroom). Loftlife asking me to speak directly to S Lester Roofing who are accusing Loftlife of damaging the runout after he had re-laid it [Text from S Lester available] I paid £1000 for a new runout.

History

[www.lestersroofing.co.uk] (Loftlife’s contracted roofer) came to install a roof on our new Loft conversion as standard. While on the roof he advised that our existing roof was in a very bad state and we needed a complete overhaul at the expense of around £5-£7k. Although for £1k he could replace the ‘run out’ which in his opinion needed urgent attention. I pay £1k for this to be replaced and the top row of tiles to be re-laid. Image 3 attached was provided by S Lester Roofing when they came back to investigate leaks. S Lester Roofing had replaced/re-laid the top row of tiles.[Therefore this happened between him finishing the job and the build finishing while loftlife were the only people on the roof].

Shortly after S Lester Roofing finished the job and while scaffolding was still up I had a look at his work and questioned what had actually been done apart from some old tiles being relaid on the top row. ( I thought the agreement was new tiles on top row and a new run out. The runout looked no different. I spoke to the bathroom tiler Loftlife recommended who’s tells me he is also a roofer and he can take a look. He was also sceptical if any work had been carried out. I confronted Steve and was met by a barrel of abuse down the phone and the issue was left there. This was all during the build. Loft life then finished up their work and scaffolding came down approximately 3 weeks after this abusive phone call.

6-9 months after the build had finished a leak appeared in the master bedroom directly under the run out.

I call Steve.

After yet another abusive phone conversation and with the help of Spencer (at Loftlife), Steve sent his sons around (Fri 23rd Feb) to take a look at the leak and they identified the following;
• Tarpaulin covering a hole in the roof (Image 2 attached)
• Large hole in a tile (Image 1 attached)

No photos of the runout where provided by ‘S Lester Roofing’ apart from in image1 you can see green moss like area to the side of the roof tiles. This is the new runout. They did however provide photos of new tiles which they have used to replace the broken tiles which gives me some hope.

S Lester Roofing leave and I hope I have a fixed roof.

Just over a month later (Friday 30th March) a 2nd even larger leak in the next bedroom (photo attached) , again directly in line with the ‘new’ run out.

I get a second independent professional roofer to take a look (on Friday 30th March) and he identifies the runout as the cause of the leak and quotes quotes to replace it. He does not believe a whole new roof ids needed. He also questioned what work had been done on the run out. The same run out I paid £1000 for a year ago.

Additional photos of the roof unearth the following on Friday 30th March
• Discarded Scaffold board (Attached)
• Discarded Satellite dish. I dare not ask. (Attached)
• Along with very old tin cans and a lot of moss on the supposedly new run out. (Attached)


I contact Steve yet again and he stands by his word that he left the roof as a job well done and the last person/people on the roof (LoftLife) damaged his work after he had left, by storing building materials on the run out. (Text messages available on request).

Loftlife say it’s nothing to do with them and the agreement for a new run out was taken outside of the new loft extension contract. But they are not offering any plausible reason why my brand NEW run out is now leaking, the damage done on my roof as per the photographs and they stand by Steve Lester’s excellent workmanship which appears to offer no guarantee.

I keep getting batted between Loftlife and Steve and getting no where. Roofer blaming loftlife and loftlife somehow saying its nothing to do with them?
SallyBee
Posts: 3
Joined: 31 Jan 2019 22:01

Re: Loft Conversion

Post by SallyBee »

Hi, I've just moved in locally and wanted to get a loft conversion although a bit wary at the moment am I really looking at minimum of 30,000 for bedroom and bathroom? According to Visionary Lofts that seems to be the case as they say here: https://visionarylofts.co.uk/london-lof ... ion-costs/ but also they mention it's about 8-9 weeks for the loft conversions to be complete, have people found similar for thier loft conversions? Except for the ones that went very wrong? Also did the dust make it unlivable? Thanks for any help
Willy
Posts: 236
Joined: 22 Feb 2007 15:07
Location: Sydenham

Re: Loft Conversion

Post by Willy »

I wouldn't expect much for 30k, I have had 2 different lofts done now and they came in at £50k and £60k (this was because it involved removing the previous bodged one and redoing). Obviously it all depends on the finish and the size.
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