Sash Dormer Windows in Edinburgh and the Lothians
From the first measured survey to the completion certificate, we run sash dormer windows projects in Edinburgh and the Lothians as a single, managed piece of work.
Sash Dormer Windows — indicative geometry
Sash Dormer Windows for Edinburgh and the Lothians homes
Because Edinburgh and the Lothians is largely Victorian and Edwardian terraces, interwar semi-detached houses and post-war bungalows, the roof pitches and span widths we meet are fairly predictable, and that makes feasibility a quick conversation rather than a guess.
Dormers on Victorian and Georgian houses were sashes, and a casement in the same hole reads wrong from the pavement immediately. Spiral-balance or traditional cord-and-weight sashes are both available at dormer sizes, in timber or in slim heritage uPVC with run-through horns and putty-line profiles.
Key specification
| Operation | Spiral balance or cord and weight |
|---|---|
| Materials | Timber or heritage uPVC |
| Detailing | Run-through horns, putty-line, astragal bars |
| Glazing | Slim heritage units, 12–14mm |
Planning and building control in Edinburgh and the Lothians
Getting the consent route right at the start saves months. We establish whether it is permitted development, a lawful development certificate or a full application on the first visit.
Building regulations approval is separate and always required. We submit the application, book the inspections around the programme and hand you the completion certificate at the end — the document a buyer's surveyor will ask to see.
Why homeowners in Edinburgh and the Lothians use us
The completion certificate is part of the deliverable, not an afterthought. It is the document that makes the space count when you come to sell.
Book the survey, get the fixed written price, and decide in your own time. Nothing about that process commits you to anything.
Other dormer work in Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Bungalow Dormer Conversions in Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Dormer Window Replacement in Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Aluminium Dormer Windows in Edinburgh and the Lothians
- GRP Fibreglass Dormer Roofing in Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Flat Roof Dormers in Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Hipped Roof Dormers in Edinburgh and the Lothians
- L-Shaped Dormers in Edinburgh and the Lothians
- Cat Slide Dormers in Edinburgh and the Lothians
FAQs
Sash Dormer Windows in Edinburgh and the Lothians — FAQs
Can you build a dormer on a bungalow?
Usually yes, and bungalows often give the best results because the spans are wide and there are no party walls. The deciding factor is ridge height: you generally want at least 2.6m from the top of the ceiling joists to the underside of the ridge. We measure this at survey before committing to anything.
Can I put a dormer on the front of my house?
Front-facing dormers are not covered by permitted development and always need a full planning application. Approval depends heavily on the street scene — planners look at whether other dormers already exist on the road, and at proportion, position and materials. Hipped and pitched forms are approved far more often than flat boxes on a front elevation.
Do you handle the planning application?
Yes. We prepare measured drawings, elevations and sections, submit the application or the lawful development certificate, and deal with the case officer's queries. On conservation and listed work we also put together the heritage justification the application needs.
What is the difference between a dormer and a Velux?
A rooflight sits flush in the roof slope and gives you light without any extra height — you still have a sloping ceiling. A dormer projects out from the roof and creates vertical walls with a level ceiling behind them, so you gain genuinely usable standing space and floor area, not just daylight.
Do you work on listed buildings and in conservation areas?
Yes. That work is detail-led: matching sightlines, glazing bar widths, cill projections and cheek finishes to what survives, and specifying timber, lead and natural slate rather than modern equivalents. We prepare the drawings and heritage statement for listed building consent alongside the planning application.
Find out what your roof will take
A free measured survey in Edinburgh and the Lothians tells you what is achievable, what it needs, and what it costs — before you commit to anything.