Conservatory to Sunroom\Kitchen alteration - advice needed!

jbellj

Hello,

I'm looking to carry out an alteration on my conservatory and kitchen and as I've never done anything like this before I need some advice. For info we are in Scotland.

The plan is the following - we have a lean to conservatory that spans across the back of our house. I want to remove the old backdoor and window in the kitchen to create a large L-shaped kitchen\sunroom.

We will proably need raise the floor in the conservatory and probably the roof to give the building reg minimum of 2100mm floor to ceiling.

We'd also want to remove the plastic roof and replace it with a tiled or flat roof, possibly with a couple of velux windows installed.

So my question is, how do I start!
Do we contact the local planning department to see if it's ok?
Or do I get an architect in to do plans etc, then contact planning?

Also as an aside, do people think this will add value?
Currently the conservatory is too hot in summer and too cold in winter so we don't really like.

Doozergirl

In England, it wouldn't be a planning issue at all. It would involve building control quite heavily though.

I don't think you really need an architect either. You need a builder and subsequent advice from Building Control to check that the proposition is acceptable.

System

you will need to check with the planning department, you will probably also need a surveyor to confirm that the structure and foundations can be used with the weight of a new solid roof.
where is there a minimum height of 2100mm in the regs?

structural changes will require a building warrant so you'll have to get someone involved, architect or technician, depends on your preference. It would be worth getting a profesional out to have a look at it first as it might need a complete re-build then it's up to you whether to proceed - don't get anyone to do lots of drawings before getting that done, and speaking to the planning department

doozergirl: changing a conservatory into a kitchen/sunroom i.e. year round habitable space from a seasonal space could involve planning depending on the location, always best to confirm with them before starting, and in scotland you need a warrant before starting work rather than the building notice approach down south

jbellj

the_r_sole wrote:

where is there a minimum height of 2100mm in the regs?

A builder told me in passing we'd need this, I've no idea!

jbellj

So

1 - Contact local planning department to go over basics of plan?
2 - Architect\technician to do design and plans?
3 - Submit application planning department?

System

contact planning department to discuss your idea, get a surveyor/structural engineer to inspect the existing structure, technician/architect to do what ever drawings are needed, depends if you need planning permission and building warrant