uPVC Dormer Windows in Cornwall
From the first measured survey to the completion certificate, we run upvc dormer windows projects in Cornwall as a single, managed piece of work.
uPVC Dormer Windows — indicative geometry
uPVC Dormer Windows for Cornwall homes
Most of the dormer work we take on around Cornwall is on granite and rendered cottages, Victorian villas and post-war bungalows, where the ridge height and the position of the existing purlins set the limits.
Modern multi-chamber uPVC gives excellent U-values, needs no decoration and shrugs off the weather exposure a dormer takes on all four sides. Foiled finishes — anthracite grey, black, cream, woodgrain — have largely killed the old objection that uPVC only comes in white. On a rear dormer that nobody sees from the street, it is the sensible default.
Key specification
| Frame | 70mm or 80mm multi-chamber, steel reinforced |
|---|---|
| U-value | 1.2 W/m²K typical, 0.8 with triple |
| Finishes | White, foiled woodgrain, anthracite, black, cream |
| Opening styles | Casement, tilt-and-turn, top-hung, fixed |
Planning and building control in Cornwall
Rear dormers on houses often sit inside permitted development, but the volume allowance is consumed by any previous loft or rear extension — so we check the planning history for the address before we say yes.
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 Cornwall use us
We would rather tell you at survey that your ridge height will not take what you want than take a deposit and find out in week three.
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 Cornwall
FAQs
uPVC Dormer Windows in Cornwall — FAQs
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.
Can a dormer include an en-suite?
Very often, yes — a full-width or L-shaped dormer usually has enough floor area for a bedroom plus a shower room. The practical constraints are getting soil and waste down to an existing stack, and whether the head height over the shower tray works. Both are settled at survey.
What happens to my existing loft insulation?
It comes out. Insulation at ceiling-joist level is in the wrong place once the loft is a room — the thermal line moves up to the new roof and dormer build-up. We remove and dispose of the old quilt and insulate the new envelope, which is also what makes the room comfortable to use in August.
How long does a dormer take to build?
A single box or flat roof dormer is typically three to five weeks on site. A full-width rear dormer runs five to eight weeks, and an L-shaped dormer on a terrace with an outrigger is closer to seven to ten. A complete dormer loft conversion including the staircase, services and finishes is usually eight to twelve weeks from scaffold up to sign-off.
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.
Find out what your roof will take
A free measured survey in Cornwall tells you what is achievable, what it needs, and what it costs — before you commit to anything.