Conservatory on ground floor flat

lookstraightahead

Any potential issues on building a conservatory on the side of a flat? The flats have been converted from a house which is not a listed building and the developers hold the freehold until all flats are sold, and if we buy they are happy for us to go ahead. Without the conservatory the lounge is too small.

The flat comes with a patio and potential for us to have more garden.

Alan2020

I doubt you can just build it, it’s not a house.

sal_III

Check the lease terms, it will 99% require Freeholder permission. If the developer is holding the Freehold ask your solicitor if the sale can include a pre-approval for the conservatory.

Personally I have a strong aversion to flat conversion as they are botch jobs far too often.

need_an_answer

You would need to check the lease regarding any possible extensions that may or may not be permissible.

Although if you are looking to increase the size of the footprint of the property with a conservatory it does beg the question of why you don't just look for something with a large enough enclosed lounge in the first place.
If its too small now I'm not convinced the answer to the problem is a conservatory...and I'd probably be questioning that if it were a good idea why are the developers not putting it on to the property and selling it as a bigger footprint.
Developers ideally maximise usable space so its my thought that an extension in that manner wouldn't actually increase the value of the property in line with the expenditure to create it.

Whilst I love a conservatory,they can be cold in winter,hot in summer and some people just see them as a cheap add on that doesn't work for everyone as a usable addition of space.

If it were possible to put the conservatory on then the best way to look at it would be that you've improved the property for your own use rather than particularly adding value when it came to resale.

Doozergirl

It would need planning permission as well as freeholder consent.

There is no permitted development on flats.

Davesnave

Most people with houses have a conservatory as a permitted development option, but flats and maisonettes do not, so need planning permission for one.


Although a very well specified conservatory, may be more usable in winter than many people imagine, it won't add much value to the property. We have one attached to our living room and we use it a lot in winter, but we don't usually do so after dark. It's more of a large working space with good light at a dull time of year and we have a cheap-to-run wood burner that can cope with the extra load if its cold.


So tread warily. If you don't need the space all the time, it might work. Remember also that ventilation in summer is crucial.

sammyjammy

Won't the people in the flat above be able to watch you in your conservatory?:idea:

I don't understand why you would buy a flat with a lounge that is too small without being sure you could extend/add conservatory.

lookstraightahead

sammyjammy wrote: »

Won't the people in the flat above be able to watch you in your conservatory?:idea:

I don't understand why you would buy a flat with a lounge that is too small without being sure you could extend/add conservatory.

The flats are quite private and don't all face the same direction. Wouldn't buy unless we were sure but I'm wary that the developers/freeholders are agreeing.

lookstraightahead

Thanks all lots of food for thought. The flat is quite big - two big double bedrooms with en suites and walk in wardrobes but the lounge kitchen dining room is all one with patio doors onto the garden. But to me that area is too small. It's an old converted building which is why it's higgledy piggledy lay out wise.

hazyjo

Not sure how a small conservatory (presumably smaller than your existing lounge?) and a small lounge will solve the problem. Or are you talking about an open entrance from the lounge straight into the conservatory? You'll lose an awful lot of heat that way. I'd add an extension rather than conservatory (if permitted!).

Would it be cheaper to replace large furniture for small stuff? My lounge feels like a good size now, but when I viewed it the owner had this enormous sofa with a sticking out leg-rest bit (they prob have a name!) which you could literally have touched the other side of the room from! It felt tiny! (Same with the main bedroom. The bed and wardrobes were totally in the wrong place and it felt so cramped. Now it feels huge!

What are the dimensions?

There was a thread on here not that long back about someone who asked the freeholder if they could extend (actually it may have been a loft conversion) and they wanted a ridiculous amount of money for it. I forget, but think it was around £30k! (Don't quote me on it!)

eddddy

lookstraightahead wrote: »

the developers hold the freehold until all flats are sold, and if we buy they are happy for us to go ahead.

So you're buying the flat from the freeholders (developer)?

In that case, you would want consent for the conservatory, agreement to update the leaseplan and lease , agreement on legal fees etc, all included in your purchase contract.

Who will be responsible for the maintenance/repair of the conservatory - the leaseholder or freeholder? (If it's the freeholder, how will the costs be allocated?)


Also - if you buy the flat, then you can't get planning consent for the conservatory, what will you do?

Or do you think the developer will be prepared to wait and see if you can get planning consent, before exchanging contracts?