Knocking down semi-detached house - is it possible?

Woolsery

Bendy_House said:

Fair do's, but by 'up' I don't necessarily mean bigger, but just the opportunity to perhaps have 'detached' and not be adjacent to a garage or a building plot. More 'sideways'...

A very rare chance to get more than the market value for their current place.

 I'm just being devil's advocate. The OP should certainly investigate what their house is worth to the builder and consider any offer carefully, but they alone know what might work for them.

Thrugelmir

thuyoongi_ said:

Section62 said:

thuyoongi_ said:

Would it be possible for the developers to knock down their house & keep mine intact?

Yes, but it would impose limits on what development they can do and increase the cost of their project.  Buying you out has greater benefit to them than just simply acquiring the additional land.

thuyoongi_ said:

also, do I have any “rights” in possibly asking them not to build their project (apartments I assume) too close to my property? I am not too keen on having apartments right next to my house, I wouldn’t mind if there’s a small sizeable gap etc

You can ask, but they don't have to agree.

The bigger issue you have is if they demolish the other half of the buliding then the developer will need to convert your currently interior party wall into an external wall.  Legislation will protect your interests if the need arises.  Building back with a structure in contact with your house would be better in some respects from the developer's POV.

Your rights here - other than party wall issues - would be to object to the planning consent application.  The planning authority will need to consider your objection, but they won't necessarily agree with you.

Given all the noise and disruption during the project, and the possible reduction in value of your property being only half of an ex-semi, I would seriously consider any sensible offer the developer makes to buy you out.

Selling is not an option for me/us because most of my family (who live in the house) are against this - they don’t mind the noise and disruption of the construction site & all the other cons 

What if the offer made was well in excess of the market value of the property? 

GDB2222

I’m trying to imagine what this shiny new development is going to look like, with half a semi 'bolted' onto the side. A bit of a design nightmare, I’d have thought. 

It’s rare enough that I could only find one example. In Australia.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2044543/homeowners-baffled-as-other-half-of-their-semi-detached-house-is-demolished-and-turned-into-five-floor-block-of-flats/

daveyjp

Thrugelmir said:

thuyoongi_ said:

Section62 said:

thuyoongi_ said:

Would it be possible for the developers to knock down their house & keep mine intact?

Yes, but it would impose limits on what development they can do and increase the cost of their project.  Buying you out has greater benefit to them than just simply acquiring the additional land.

thuyoongi_ said:

also, do I have any “rights” in possibly asking them not to build their project (apartments I assume) too close to my property? I am not too keen on having apartments right next to my house, I wouldn’t mind if there’s a small sizeable gap etc

You can ask, but they don't have to agree.

The bigger issue you have is if they demolish the other half of the buliding then the developer will need to convert your currently interior party wall into an external wall.  Legislation will protect your interests if the need arises.  Building back with a structure in contact with your house would be better in some respects from the developer's POV.

Your rights here - other than party wall issues - would be to object to the planning consent application.  The planning authority will need to consider your objection, but they won't necessarily agree with you.

Given all the noise and disruption during the project, and the possible reduction in value of your property being only half of an ex-semi, I would seriously consider any sensible offer the developer makes to buy you out.

Selling is not an option for me/us because most of my family (who live in the house) are against this - they don’t mind the noise and disruption of the construction site & all the other cons 

What if the offer made was well in excess of the market value of the property? 

Comsidering the potential marriage value I hope it is substantially more than the property value.

twopenny

GDB I know Aussie building rules are lax compared to ours but that is a nightmare.

I think there is more to this story and would love to know what it is.

Interesting question though. I have some land behind my place and permission was turned down because of access.

Next to the potential access is a semi with an elderly gent living there. I did wonder whether it was possible for developers to buy it and knock his half down so being able to build behind us so reading with interest.

Thrugelmir

GDB2222 said:

I’m trying to imagine what this shiny new development is going to look like, with half a semi 'bolted' onto the side. A bit of a design nightmare, I’d have thought. 

I'd be more concerned that the other half simply falls into a state of disrepair over time. 

MalMonroe

twopenny said:

GDB *I know Aussie building rules are lax compared to ours but that is a nightmare.

I think there is more to this story and would love to know what it is.

Interesting question though. I have some land behind my place and permission was turned down because of access.

Next to the potential access is a semi with an elderly gent living there. I did wonder whether it was possible for developers to buy it and knock his half down so being able to build behind us so reading with interest.

*Do you? How do you know that? What is your source and how did you get the data? I'm genuinely interested to know.

I lived in Oz for five years, my then-partner was the managing director of a construction company and neither of us ever heard such a thing. UK building rules aren't all that great - I'm thinking Grenfell for starters.

ryan7

You are in a position of strength at the moment but should next door  sell and you hold out with a view of staying in the house, I would be concerned what relationship with the new neighbours may look like. 
Expect to be living on a building site for a long time. It will take its toll on you and your property will possibly drop in value. 

You need to put sentiment aside and look at this from a different perspective and, I think, consider selling whilst you can command a premium. 

MalMonroe

thuyoongi_ said:

I live in a semi-detached house. Next to my neighbours house (other part of the semi-detached) is a MOT garage. 

We recently got a letter from a property developer that they have purchased the MOT garage & would like to buy mine & my neighbour’s houses - to expand on their project. 

My neighbour is considering this offer but I do not want to sell. This is our childhood home, with a lot of sentimental value. Would it be possible for the developers to knock down their house & keep mine intact? 

& also, do I have any “rights” in possibly asking them not to build their project (apartments I assume) too close to my property? I am not too keen on having apartments right next to my house, I wouldn’t mind if there’s a small sizeable gap etc 

Any comments or advice would be appreciated!

Your council should have written to you to let you know that they have received a planning application from this developer. Have they?

The developer has to apply for planning permission and then the council writes to all affected parties and then all the affected parties contact the council to give their feedback within a certain timeframe. Only after that can said developer negotiate with the council and/or property owners like yourselves.

This developer is jumping the gun and should wait until the proper processes have been observed. That's what I'd tell this developer.  

On the other hand, and all sentiment aside, any property is only bricks and mortar and you could always haggle with the developer for an offer you can't refuse. They have to wait first though to see what happens when they apply to the council. They're trying to do it all the wrong way round to save themselves time and effort.

KeithP

MalMonroe said:

thuyoongi_ said:

I live in a semi-detached house. Next to my neighbours house (other part of the semi-detached) is a MOT garage. 

We recently got a letter from a property developer that they have purchased the MOT garage & would like to buy mine & my neighbour’s houses - to expand on their project. 

My neighbour is considering this offer but I do not want to sell. This is our childhood home, with a lot of sentimental value. Would it be possible for the developers to knock down their house & keep mine intact? 

& also, do I have any “rights” in possibly asking them not to build their project (apartments I assume) too close to my property? I am not too keen on having apartments right next to my house, I wouldn’t mind if there’s a small sizeable gap etc 

Any comments or advice would be appreciated!

Your council should have written to you to let you know that they have received a planning application from this developer. Have they?

The developer has to apply for planning permission and then the council writes to all affected parties and then all the affected parties contact the council to give their feedback within a certain timeframe. Only after that can said developer negotiate with the council and/or property owners like yourselves.

This developer is jumping the gun and should wait until the proper processes have been observed. That's what I'd tell this developer. 

I can see nothing wrong in anyone writing to anyone else asking if they might consider selling their home to them.

On the face of it this developer is being quite open and disclosing their prospective plans to the two semidetached house owners.

Of course they can do this before submitting a planning application to the local authority.

There simply is no point in the developer producing a planning application this early. Although having said that, the developer is running with a risk that having purchased the two semis, their planning application is refused. That's a commercial decision.