Quick Vote on Flats - Conversion or Purpose Build?

goldbyron

Just a quick poll really - if you were buying a two bedroom flat (in this case its North East London) - would you opt for a conversion or purpose and why?

Fire_Fox

Whichever is higher spec/ better build quality/ better layout: skimping on bathrooms, heating systems, lighting, sound insulation really get to you after a while of living in the place. I'd also look very carefully at the service charges and management company: initially these may be set artificially low to attract buyers, companies like Peverel/ Solitaire get numerous complaints about shoddy service.

This website covers the legislation surrounding leasehold/ right to manage/ service charge disputes in plain English: http://www.lease-advice.org/publications/

ILW

I used to have a conversion which was originally converted ages ago. The flat was fine but there was no soundproofing.I could here the downstairs neighbour snoring and using the toilet and vice versa. Check it out before buying. One advantage though was that if they turned their heating up I could turn mine off.

clutton_2

purpose built because of modern sound insulation building regs...

flats in converted houses, especially older ones, can have no sound insulation between floors at all, and it can drive you mad especially if upstaisrs has laminate flooring

princeofpounds

Totally depends on quality of conversion or build.

Conversion can be much nicer as rooms are a human size and properties generally less identikit. But often they have been converted badly, particularly with regards to sound insulation and dealing with 'quirks'. So a well fitted and insulated conversion would be top of the list.

Purpose built typically have better soundproofing if modern and more rational layouts, but are often ugly or have rooms fit for a hamster. A dwarf one at that. They also skimp in terms of nice windows (just have those open downwards things that don't ventilate anything) and simply things like plug sockets and light fittings. So a large, well-appointed purpose-built comes second.

Frankly after that you are just talking varying degrees of bad.

clutton_2

if you look at newbuild - do open the windows.. there were blocks in the north west which had no opening windows at all due to an entire building "ventilatioln-heating-system" - but in the summer it was like a furnace....

pinkshoes

I wouldn't touch a conversion with a bargepole! I've had many friends who have lived in them, and the noise can be horrendous. You can hear them wee, and what they're watching on TV.

With new builds, check the sound proofing. Some are very good, and some are rather poor.

PasturesNew

Purpose built doesn't mean it's built well. I just moved out of a purpose built flat and the soundproofing was way under anything that could be deemed normal/reasonable. It was a Barratts build from the mid 1980s.

olly300

PasturesNew wrote: »

Purpose built doesn't mean it's built well. I just moved out of a purpose built flat and the soundproofing was way under anything that could be deemed normal/reasonable. It was a Barratts build from the mid 1980s.

There lies the problem. Anything that was planned/converted in the 80s and 90s tends to have poor sound insulation.

Though another problem with newer properties is the plaster board walls between rooms so you can hear people you live with or visitors go to toilet.

boliston

I'd definitely go with purpose built but newer rather than old. As others have mentioned it's a bit of a lottery when sort of materials have been used but newer blocks seem to have concrete floor-plates rather than chipboard so you are less likely to be kept awake if the neighbour above you decides to throw an all night party. I'd also imagine that if there was a fire it would take longer to spread between floors.

LandyAndy

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=2126595&page=3