FTB - lowered ceilings in victorian conversion

Norman_Castle

Doozergirl said:

When was it converted?

 Based on the op I'd suspect 20 years ago when the house was converted into flats.

kacy89

Thank you all for your responses. 
I haven't asked the LL anything really. All I've done so far is ask the estate agent why the ceilings might have been lowered, and he suggested to install spotlights, but I highly doubt it. I'm also a bit nervous as to why the place is being sold below market price. I wonder if since the owner is selling after 20 years there might be some major works required. It is a shame since the place is in a great location, but it seems like a big risk. 

Doozergirl

You haven't given us a eeason why it mkacy89 said:

Thank you all for your responses. 
I haven't asked the LL anything really. All I've done so far is ask the estate agent why the ceilings might have been lowered, and he suggested to install spotlights, but I highly doubt it. I'm also a bit nervous as to why the place is being sold below market price. I wonder if since the owner is selling after 20 years there might be some major works required. It is a shame since the place is in a great location, but it seems like a big risk. 

You haven't given us a reason why it might be a risk?  

The ceilings aren't a risk.  It's just a quicker and cheaper way of working.  Victorian joists wouldn't cope with everything required to go inbetween them.  

scottishblondie

The ceilings in our 1920s conversion have all been lowered.  Mostly it's not too noticeable, as there is still good height.  We have just (in the last 2 weeks) had the ceiling raised back up in one room, as it had been dropped by about 1m and was actually sitting below the top of the window.  In our case it was hiding a multitude of sins. 

First off the old chimney flue was still sticking down, even though it no longer existed in the flat above and the rest of the chimney breast had been removed.  The old lath and plaster ceiling was totally gone - it was just open to the underside of the upper flat's floor.  Fortunately there were no pipes or anything, just a cable to the ceiling light.  There was, however, nothing there to insulate against sound transmission - in fact the frame the plasterboard was on was suspended from the joists above.  

Our builder was pretty horrified by it.  Had it not been so ridiculously low we would have left it alone, but I'm now glad we went through the pain as it looks loads better and is now properly insulated.  It did turn into a much bigger and messier job than expected, though.  For 30cm, I would leave well enough alone unless there are other concerns that would require taking it down.  To replace it with a properly insulated and constructed ceiling would probably eat most of the 30cm anyway.

kacy89

Yes, good point. I guess a risk in purchasing. I don't think the ceilings will fall down, but the property is at the maximum of my budget and I am really looking for period features such as high ceiling and big windows. The lowered ceiling does put me off a bit, and then I wonder if works do come up will I be able to afford them. So I guess that is the risk. 

Doozergirl said: You haven't given us a reason why it mkacy89 said:

Thank you all for your responses. 
I haven't asked the LL anything really. All I've done so far is ask the estate agent why the ceilings might have been lowered, and he suggested to install spotlights, but I highly doubt it. I'm also a bit nervous as to why the place is being sold below market price. I wonder if since the owner is selling after 20 years there might be some major works required. It is a shame since the place is in a great location, but it seems like a big risk. 

You haven't given us a reason why it might be a risk?  

The ceilings aren't a risk.  It's just a quicker and cheaper way of working.  Victorian joists wouldn't cope with everything required to go in between them.  

UnderOffer

kacy89 said:

Thank you all for your responses. 
I haven't asked the LL anything really. All I've done so far is ask the estate agent why the ceilings might have been lowered, and he suggested to install spotlights, but I highly doubt it. I'm also a bit nervous as to why the place is being sold below market price. I wonder if since the owner is selling after 20 years there might be some major works required. It is a shame since the place is in a great location, but it seems like a big risk. 

Have you asked the EA why the vendor is selling? Not that you will necessarily hear the truth, do you think their is noise or neighbour issues? 20 years is a long time to have owned the place. 

Norman_Castle

scottishblondie said:

  There was, however, nothing there to insulate against sound transmission - in fact the frame the plasterboard was on was suspended from the joists above.  

Our builder was pretty horrified by it.  Had it not been so ridiculously low we would have left it alone, but I'm now glad we went through the pain as it looks loads better and is now properly insulated.

What insulation did you use and has it made a difference to the amount of noise through the ceiling?

Davesnave

UnderOffer said:

kacy89 said:

Thank you all for your responses. 
I haven't asked the LL anything really. All I've done so far is ask the estate agent why the ceilings might have been lowered, and he suggested to install spotlights, but I highly doubt it. I'm also a bit nervous as to why the place is being sold below market price. I wonder if since the owner is selling after 20 years there might be some major works required. It is a shame since the place is in a great location, but it seems like a big risk. 

Have you asked the EA why the vendor is selling? Not that you will necessarily hear the truth, do you think their is noise or neighbour issues? 20 years is a long time to have owned the place. 

After 20 years they might be ready to cash in on a 1 bed in an urban location to buy something not so restrictive elsewhere, but we simply don't know again. 'Below market price;' is that the market before small flats became less popular due to lockdown? It could be realism and a desire to be somewhere else quickly, or it could be matters like you suggest.

Either way, due diligence via survey and staking out the area should follow if still keen, including that chat to neighbours, if possible, though not so easy just now!

princeofpounds

As it's only really been mentioned once, I'll reinforce that it's probably up to the freeholder to decide if you can make structural alterations like this. Also, check the lease carefully to see what is demised to you; sometimes ceilings and joists are, sometimes not.

As for the technical side - you would probably need to open up the ceiling, with an experienced builder who knows their regs, to judge what you can actually do.

davidmcn

Davesnave said:

UnderOffer said:

kacy89 said:

Thank you all for your responses. 
I haven't asked the LL anything really. All I've done so far is ask the estate agent why the ceilings might have been lowered, and he suggested to install spotlights, but I highly doubt it. I'm also a bit nervous as to why the place is being sold below market price. I wonder if since the owner is selling after 20 years there might be some major works required. It is a shame since the place is in a great location, but it seems like a big risk. 

Have you asked the EA why the vendor is selling? Not that you will necessarily hear the truth, do you think their is noise or neighbour issues? 20 years is a long time to have owned the place. 

'Below market price;' is that the market before small flats became less popular due to lockdown? It could be realism and a desire to be somewhere else quickly, or it could be matters like you suggest.

Or something completely unrelated to the structure e.g. the terms of the lease.