Tape measure stretched across weathered timber purlin in a loft space
Surveyor's torch beam catching floating dust motes in a dark attic
Close-up of weathered oak roof rafters with visible grain and age
Finished loft bedroom with dormer window light pouring across oak flooring
Surveyor's hand pressing against a ridge board checking structural integrity
Handwritten structural notes on a clipboard with pencil markings
Bright airy converted loft space with exposed beams and Velux windows
Architectural drawings spread on a table with a mug of tea beside them
Warm sunlit loft study with timber flooring and sloped ceiling window

Loft Inspection Specialists

Your loft already
knows the answer.

One qualified voice. Before the architects. Before the builders. Before a penny is spent.

Book Your Loft Inspection

90-minute visit · Report within 48 hours

Bright converted loft room in a Victorian terrace with exposed A-frame timber and large Velux windows flooding the space with natural light
Victorian Terrace · SE22
East Dulwich, London1890s Victorian terrace

What they feared

"Three builders told us three different things. One said the ridge was too low, another said the party wall would block everything. We nearly gave up."

What the inspection revealed

The ridge height at its apex measured 2.4m — well above the 2.2m threshold for comfortable habitable space. The party wall was brick-built and structurally independent. The rafter sizing was original 4×2 softwood, adequate for a simple room-in-the-roof with modest reinforcement. No structural objections to conversion.

What they built

A full dormer loft bedroom with en-suite

Completed ten months after inspection. 28 square metres of additional living space. Party wall agreement straightforward — the report gave their solicitor exactly what she needed.

"The report made us feel like we finally had an adult in the room. We went into every builder conversation after that knowing what we needed."

Sophie & Marcus T., East Dulwich

2.2m

The ridge height that changes everything.

Most loft conversions require a minimum of 2.2 metres from the floor joists to the ridge. Victorian and Edwardian terraces were built tall — many comfortably exceed this. Knowing your number before you brief anyone is the single most valuable thing you can do.

New Malden, Surrey1934 semi-detached

What they feared

"The builder said the rafters were 'too thin' and we'd need a full structural engineer's report before he'd quote. He wanted £800 for the report. We wanted to know if it was even worth it."

What the inspection revealed

The rafters were 3×2 softwood at 400mm centres — typical of the period and within acceptable range for a loft conversion using a structural ridge beam and steel hangers. No engineer's report was required at this stage. The existing chimney stack would need minor underpinning but presented no structural obstacle.

What they built

A home office with a south-facing dormer

The owner used the Joists report to get three accurate comparable quotes. The range was £38,000–£44,000 — a fraction of the wild variance before the inspection. Work began four months later.

"We saved at least £2,000 in unnecessary preliminary costs and three months of anxiety."

David K., New Malden

Book Your Loft Inspection
Surveyor inspecting timber rafters in a 1930s semi-detached loft space with a torch, checking structural integrity of the roof frame
1930s Semi · KT3
PD

Most loft conversions don't need planning permission.

Under Permitted Development rights, a loft conversion adding up to 50 cubic metres to a detached house (40m³ for a terrace or semi) typically requires no planning application — only Building Regulations approval. Your inspection report documents whether your proposed conversion falls within PD limits.

Finished loft conversion in a 1930s semi with warm timber flooring, fitted bookshelves under the eaves, and dormer window overlooking a garden
Edwardian Semi · N8
Crouch End, London1908 Edwardian semi-detached

What they feared

"Our architect kept asking us questions we couldn't answer. What size are the purlins? Is there a party wall agreement in place? We felt completely out of our depth."

What the inspection revealed

The purlins were 6×2 softwood in sound condition with no sign of beetle or rot. The party wall had been formally agreed by the previous owner in 1998 — we found the documentation in the deeds. The architect received a full structural schedule with all dimensions, load calculations, and a photographic record of every key junction.

What they built

A studio and reading room under the eaves

The inspection report became the first page of the architect's brief. It saved an estimated six weeks of back-and-forth and gave the project a confident foundation from day one.

"Our architect said she wished every client arrived with a Joists report. She's now recommending us to her other clients before they brief her."

Priya & James O., Crouch End

Book Your Loft Inspection
48hr

A written report you can hand to anyone.

Your Joists inspection report is a formal document — not a phone call, not a verbal opinion. It carries the surveyor's RICS registration, your property address, measurement data, photographic evidence, and a plain-English structural verdict. Builders, architects, mortgage lenders, and solicitors all recognise and respect it.

The process

Four steps from curiosity
to certainty.

Most homeowners spend months and thousands of pounds getting conflicting opinions from builders who want the job. A Joists inspection happens before any of that — so you walk into every conversation knowing the structural truth.

01

Book online in 2 minutes

Choose a morning that suits you. No call required. You'll get a confirmation with what to expect and how to prepare the hatch.

02

90-minute loft inspection

Your surveyor arrives, opens the hatch, and spends time up there with a torch, a tape, and twenty years of knowing what matters. You're welcome to listen from the ladder.

03

Written report within 48 hours

A plain-English document covering ridge height, rafter sizing, purlin positions, party wall obligations, and a clear structural verdict. No jargon. No hedging.

04

Brief architects with confidence

Walk into every subsequent conversation — with your architect, your builder, your planning officer — knowing exactly what the structure can carry.

Ready when you are

Stop guessing.
Find out what your loft can hold.

A qualified structural surveyor. A torch, a tape, and the knowledge to read what the timber is telling you. One honest report.

Book Your Loft Inspection

90-minute visit, written report within 48 hours, no obligation.

Covering London, Surrey, Kent, Essex, and the Home Counties

RICS

Registered surveyor

Fully qualified, insured, and regulated

48hr

Written report turnaround

Plain English, no hedging

£295

Fixed inspection fee

No surprises. No retainers.