Advice? Loft Conversion in a Top Floor Flat

mynameisdave

geoffgeoff wrote: »

Ideally I'd like it as a bedroom, but I fear it may not be big enough once (if) a staircase goes in. Realistically it would be a box room/study.

Well to be honest my question is irrelevant if its freehold. I too was assuming it would be lesehold.

geoffgeoff

sooz wrote: »

Do you have a tyneside flat?

No I don't!?

sooz

Well what sort of flat is it then?
Do you have your own entrance & stairs, or have a communal stairway?
If the latter, you may well also have to include into your costs to upgrade the fire protection of the lower floors. This could involve, as I've recently had to, changing the other flats front doors to a fire proof doors with intumescent strips & a self closers. In the whole stairway we also had to install emergency lighting and hard wired smoke alarms.

geoffgeoff

sooz wrote: »

Well what sort of flat is it then?
Do you have your own entrance & stairs, or have a communal stairway?
If the latter, you may well also have to include into your costs to upgrade the fire protection of the lower floors. This could involve, as I've recently had to, changing the other flats front doors to a fire proof doors with intumescent strips & a self closers. In the whole stairway we also had to install emergency lighting and hard wired smoke alarms.

It's a block of 5 flats in a converted terraced town house (converted years and years ago). 4 flats over 4 floors (1 flat on each floor) + a basement flat. Basement has private entrance. All others share communal entrance, stairs and lift.

What you describe is what I fear! And it's this requirement that I don't truly understand. Why does putting a staircase in my flat require me to somehow change all my neighbours flat doors to fire doors!? If this is a requirement, shouldn't we all have to do it anyway??

kmmr

geoffgeoff wrote: »

What you describe is what I fear! And it's this requirement that I don't truly understand. Why does putting a staircase in my flat require me to somehow change all my neighbours flat doors to fire doors!? If this is a requirement, shouldn't we all have to do it anyway??

Because when you do work, there are lots of little things you have to think about! The easiest bit is the actual loft conversion.

The legal reason is probably because when you make changes you have to do them to the legal standard of the time, but you don't need to keep updating things if you aren't doing anything.

Anyway, how much are 3 extra fire doors? A few hundred each, plus a few hundred to wire in some smoke detectors. Building work is stressful, expensive and all about planning, so if these little things put you off them perhaps think twice about it all! Remember, you will be making your neighbours lives a bit of a nightmare while the work is going on, so you can keep them sweet with new doors and a bit work in the communal areas.

If the communal area needs some work anyway, you could ask them if they would mind doing this to coincide with your work, and offer to arrange it all etc. Then they will split the costs - assuming this is detailled in the management company rules.

geoffgeoff

Thanks again kmmr, this is how it has all been panning out in my head too, so nice to hear it from someone else. One neighbour in particular is a bit of an awkward customer who is sure to try and put a spanner in the works so maybe I need to sit down and really think this through!

My other option is to just put a decent loft hatch in with a good quality wooden ladder, do you think I could get away with that?

kmmr

No idea about the hatch! You can always do anything, just up to you if you tell anyone what you have done. Might even be fine legally, but you never know.

Don't try to second guess neighbours too much. I thought mine would object, so was very cautious in my planning application, but when they finally found out (it was rented, so I hadn't spoken to the owners) they were very supportive! I could have asked for a larger extension if I had spoken to them.

As landlords, they were keen on anything that increased the value in the street, as well as setting a precedent for extensions. Just saying, don't assume everyone will be anti - some people are helpful and understanding!