CLR Lofts Ltd: A Small, Hands-On Loft Conversion Team in Bristol

Search for CLR Lofts online and the same two names keep coming up, review after review: Charlie and Sam. Not a call centre, not a rotating cast of subcontractors, but two people homeowners across Bristol and South Gloucestershire have come to know by name over the course of a project. CLR Lofts Ltd is a small, family-run outfit based in Kingswood, and after more than ten years converting lofts and taking on general carpentry work across Bristol and Bath, that personal, name-on-first-name-terms way of working has become the thing customers mention most.

Ten Years of Loft Conversions, Built on Word of Mouth

CLR Lofts has spent over a decade working on loft conversions across Bristol, Bath and the surrounding areas, alongside a wide range of general building and carpentry work. Rather than growing into a large company with layers of management, the business has stayed close to its roots: a small, multi-skilled team who handle a job from the first conversation through to the final tidy-up, and who are just as likely to be found fitting a wardrobe or repairing a roof as constructing a full dormer extension.

That approach shows up clearly in how the business is found online. Alongside its own website, CLR Lofts is active on Facebook, Instagram and Nextdoor, where past customers regularly recommend Charlie and the team directly to neighbours asking for carpentry or building recommendations in local community groups, a level of organic, person-to-person referral that’s difficult for larger companies to replicate.

Five Ways to Convert a Bristol Loft

CLR Lofts talks homeowners through the full range of loft conversion options rather than pushing a single standard product, matching the conversion type to the property, the budget and the amount of space required.

Dormer Conversions

The most requested option, a dormer conversion adds a box-shaped structure to the existing roof with walls set at 90 degrees to the floor, maximising headroom throughout. It works with most property types and can be positioned to the side, rear or front of a house, and the extra height it creates is often what makes room for a bathroom or en-suite within the new space. CLR builds these using a timber and steel frame, with the option of block and brick gables, finished with a flat rubber or GRP roof carrying a 20 year non-leaking guarantee, and tiles matched to the existing roof for a seamless look.

Hip to Gable Conversions

For semi-detached, detached and end-terrace properties with a hipped roof, CLR extends the sloping hip side out to the ridge and converts it into a vertical gable wall, opening up considerably more interior space. Detached properties with a hip on both sides can even have a double hip to gable conversion, maximising the available space further still.

Velux Conversions

Where a loft already has the headroom needed, a Velux conversion works within the existing structure, adding roof windows to bring in natural light without extending the roofline at all. It’s the quickest and most cost-effective option on the list, provided the existing space is sufficient.

L-Shaped Dormer Conversions

By joining two dormers together at right angles, an L-shaped conversion creates the largest amount of usable space of any of CLR’s standard conversions, often adding a footprint comparable to an entire first floor. It suits Victorian terraces and semi-detached homes with enough existing roof space to support two dormers working together.

Bungalow Loft Conversions

Bungalows offer a different set of advantages: solid internal walls that simplify the structural work, generally easier site access, and enough roof space to fit multiple rooms plus a bathroom or en-suite. CLR treats bungalow conversions as their own category, recognising that the potential for extra square footage in these properties is often underused.

A Managed Process With No Surprises

Every CLR loft conversion starts with an in-person consultation, followed by a written quotation and information pack setting out what’s involved. An architect is brought in to produce detailed plans and structural calculations, and a payment plan and contract are agreed upfront to protect both sides. From there, customers receive a detailed schedule of works so they know exactly what’s happening and in what order, while CLR handles building regulations on the household’s behalf, including applying for a letter of lawful development, and manages any planning permission application in the rare cases it’s required. Prices are fixed unless extras are added, and any additional costs are always flagged before they’re incurred, with regular updates by phone and email throughout the build.

Beyond Lofts: A Genuinely Multi-Skilled Team

Because CLR’s team covers general carpentry as well as loft conversions, many customers use them for a wider range of jobs once a loft project is finished, or instead of one, including full and partial renovations, extensions, garage conversions, and outdoor builds such as summer houses. Smaller jobs are just as welcome: re-roofing and roof repairs, fitting doors and architrave, laminate flooring and skirting, wall panelling, and custom fitted wardrobes and shelving all feature regularly in customer feedback. One reviewer specifically praised the team for fitting a stud partition wall to split a large bedroom into two, while another called on Charlie out of hours on a weekend to fix a roof issue that couldn’t wait, a level of responsiveness that’s become part of the company’s reputation locally.

What Bristol Customers Are Saying

Feedback for CLR Lofts is consistent in tone across every platform it appears on, whether that’s the company’s own site, Checkatrade, or local community recommendations on Nextdoor and Bark. Customers repeatedly describe Charlie and Sam as efficient, tidy and easy to have in the house for weeks at a time, with more than one review highlighting the team’s honesty directly, including one homeowner who had an old £20 note found under the floorboards handed straight back to them. A customer who had a dormer loft conversion built with a main bedroom, en-suite and office described the result as transforming the entire house, while another praised the team for keeping disruption to a minimum during major structural work and staying in constant contact throughout. Reviews also mention Lauren and James as part of the wider team on larger projects, reflecting a business that scales up when a job needs it while keeping the same small, familiar faces at the centre of every project.

Areas Covered

Based in Kingswood, CLR Lofts covers Bristol, Bath and the wider South Gloucestershire area, with completed projects on record in Downend and across the city’s suburbs, and a willingness to travel further afield for the right job.

Get a Quote

Homeowners considering a loft conversion, or any general building and carpentry work, can get in touch with CLR Lofts directly for a quote, with most enquiries followed up by an in-person visit. For anyone who’d rather deal with the same two or three familiar faces from first phone call to final fix, rather than a large team of strangers, CLR Lofts offers a genuinely personal alternative among Bristol’s loft conversion specialists.

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