raising roof and loft conversion in a bunglalow?

Nenen

Does anyone know the cost of raising the roof and converting the loft in a bungalow please?
We've just seen a detached 3 bed bungalow that we'd be interested in buying if we could a) get it for the right price and b) convert the loft into at least two bedrooms and a shower room.

It is traditionally built brick and tile, probably 35-45 years old.
The ground floor measures approximately 8.5 metres x 8.5 metres (28ft x 28 ft). It has a pitched roof but looking at it I would guess it is too shallow to take a full loft conversion and the roof would have to be raised to do this. There is a large 4 bed detached two storey house one side and another detached bungalow the other side. There are fields behind and two storey houses opposite.
If anyone has any info/advice on doing this, pros, cons, pitfalls and/or prices I'd be grateful.

hermanmunster_3

Hi

A friend did this - don;t know what it cost but I do know that the key bit was digging holes around the foundations to check that they were deep enough to take an extra floor

Nenen

hermanmunster wrote: »

Hi

A friend did this - don;t know what it cost but I do know that the key bit was digging holes around the foundations to check that they were deep enough to take an extra floor

Oh flip... didn't think of foundations! Wonder what the chances of them being strong enough are... on a house of this age?

Nenen

Well, this is all very theoretical at the moment because we haven't even put an offer in for this bungalow (been empty and on the market for months now so I'm hoping they'll be open to offers).

Further research leads me to believe that a loft conversion for a bungalow this size would probably cost about £30,000 - £50,000. This would hopefully create 3 upstairs bedrooms and a bathroom, leaving more space downstairs to have a lovely big kitchen, dining room, study, living room and shower room. It is detached with a reasonable size garden (not massive but not tiny either). Has anyone got any experience of whether a converted bungalow (if done professionally to meet all regs) like this would then be worth a similar amount to a house of the same sort of size or would people be put off by the fact it had been converted?

neverdespairgirl

You might need (and not get) planning permission, though.

Nenen

neverdespairgirl wrote: »

You might need (and not get) planning permission, though.

Of course you are right but I thought that as it has a large two bed house next door and the houses opposite are 2 storey there might be quite a good chance. I'm going to ring the planning office in the morning to ask their advice. If they wouldn't allow it then it might be possible to do a ground floor extension instead but this would obviously use up a lot of garden.

Doozergirl

Hi Nenen,

I'd worry about the number of bedrooms you'd fit up there. Your floor area is restricted by the eaves and you need you dormer to still be in keeping with the rest of the house - not too big. Dormer bungalows I think would be worth the same as their traditional counterparts; hopefully it sits on a lovely sized plot.

Raising the roof is a pretty vague phrase. If the pitch is too shallow then I might start my estimate more towards the upper end of yours. We've not done it though, admittedly.

barnaby-bear

Nenen wrote: »

Does anyone know the cost of raising the roof and converting the loft in a bungalow please?
We've just seen a detached 3 bed bungalow that we'd be interested in buying if we could a) get it for the right price and b) convert the loft into at least two bedrooms and a shower room.

It is traditionally built brick and tile, probably 35-45 years old.
The ground floor measures approximately 8.5 metres x 8.5 metres (28ft x 28 ft). It has a pitched roof but looking at it I would guess it is too shallow to take a full loft conversion and the roof would have to be raised to do this. There is a large 4 bed detached two storey house one side and another detached bungalow the other side. There are fields behind and two storey houses opposite.
If anyone has any info/advice on doing this, pros, cons, pitfalls and/or prices I'd be grateful.

I don't know, I just can't see that this project was near to the original goal or dream.... if there really is value to add and you love the plot / location etc... but it sounds a complicated, messy, difficult solution/project.

chappers

You definitely will need planning permission and if your top figure seems to be right on the money

Nenen

barnaby-bear wrote: »

I don't know, I just can't see that this project was near to the original goal or dream.... if there really is value to add and you love the plot / location etc... but it sounds a complicated, messy, difficult solution/project.

"complicated, messy, difficult"... story of my life Barnaby! :D My problem is that I want what I can't afford in this area (a decent sized 3-4 bed home with space for my family and not too far from the city) and the only way I can see of getting it at the moment is to 'think outisde the box' and take on something that might be a bit "complicated, messy, difficult" but (hopefully) worth it in the end!

You might like to know that we went to see the house you were drooling over in Cherry Hinton... will probably put an offer in on that one first but that needs just as much work doing on it (possibly more) including an extension! :eek: There were also loads of people viewing... much to my disgust as it wasn't supposed to be an 'open viewing'... we had a timed appointment... unbeknown to us, so did about 6 other couples! :eek:

skintlass

I've done the converting the loft part - didn't have to raise the roof. Cost about 30k but so much effort and pain and stress etc - I wouldn't do it again. I only needed building regs for mine.