I am looking at buying a flat and unfortunately the bathroom is quite small and one of the things i would like to do is to possibly extend it over the stairs that lead down to the garden.if it was extended straight out to the side there should still be enough head room when going down the stairs to the garden but if not would it be possible to raise the extended section enough as long as there was still enough headroom in the bathroom.

 

i dont really know anything about building structures and i was wondering if anyone on here could give me a brief idea on the work that would be involved. I guess the extension would not be supporting the building as it is an addition is would just have to be enough to hold whatever weight was on top of it (bath, water, people, etc).

 

also the side wall of the bathroom that would have to be knocked through, how can i tell that is a supporting wall. It is a first floor/top floor flat with only a loft space above (although i also want to consider a loft conversion in the future) and it is victorian stone/brick building in a terrace.

 

anyone know about this sort of thing???

 

If it's a flat then it's most probably leasehold, so I doubt you would even be allowed to do any building work altering the structure of the place.

 

Richard

it is a leasehold like 99% of land in london is, obviously you have to go through the formalities of asking permission but i would of thought you could do as you wish. Alot of of flats have had loft conversions so surely that would be considered as building work.

loft conversio n is simply using existing area, extansions are a complete differewnt kettle of fish

fair enough for loft conversions but there are houses on the street that have a second bedroom and completely different layout to how they all started. Surely leaseholds aren't that restrictive.

what are the neighbors like, they can object to any building work

no idea. just looked at the place once. there is a down stairs flat that shares the garden and 2 neighbours either side. I know you have to inform neighbours that you intend to do work on the house but i didnt know you had to get their acceptance.

 

what happened to and englishmans home being his castle......

PMSL, no such things these days

 

i would apply and get the planning permision before buying it

I am looking at buying a flat and unfortunately the bathroom is quite small and one of the things i would like to do is to possibly extend it over the stairs that lead down to the garden.if it was extended straight out to the side there should still be enough head room when going down the stairs to the garden but if not would it be possible to raise the extended section enough as long as there was still enough headroom in the bathroom.

 

i dont really know anything about building structures and i was wondering if anyone on here could give me a brief idea on the work that would be involved. I guess the extension would not be supporting the building as it is an addition is would just have to be enough to hold whatever weight was on top of it (bath, water, people, etc).

 

also the side wall of the bathroom that would have to be knocked through how can i tell that is a supporting wall. It is a first floor/top floor flat with only a loft space above (although i also want to consider a loft conversion in the future) and it is victorian stone/brick building in a terrace.

 

anyone know about this sort of thing???

 

hello mate yes it can be done, there are a few buts though ,,the hallway down to the garden has to be your hallway ,you dont need planing as it interior,but you'll have to adhere to "building regs" you'll need a couple of steels or trimmers , to put new floor in .... and really the min head room on stairs needs to be no less than 1950mm.. if i can be of any help just shout ,,,oh i am a builder by the way ;)

hello mate yes it can be done, there are a few buts though ,,the hallway down to the garden has to be your hallway ,you dont need planing as it interior,but you'll have to adhere to "building regs" you'll need a couple of steels or trimmers , to put new floor in .... and really the min head room on stairs needs to be no less than 1950mm.. if i can be of any help just shout ,,,oh i am a builder by the way ;)

 

many thanks mate that is a great starting point for me. i a pretty sure that would be my hallway as it is not used by other but is something to double check. the other thing that was concerning me about the build would be securing the new floor at either end. the wall to the right is obvious joined to the neighbours could they stop me digging into that? the wall to the left where the bathroom is im not sure is solid to the floor as it is wood clad at the moment. I guess a brick structure would exist there to support the bathroom and flooring about but would it need to be strengthened if it was to bear the extra weight of the extension?

many thanks mate that is a great starting point for me. i a pretty sure that would be my hallway as it is not used by other but is something to double check. the other thing that was concerning me about the build would be securing the new floor at either end. the wall to the right is obvious joined to the neighbours could they stop me digging into that? the wall to the left where the bathroom is im not sure is solid to the floor as it is wood clad at the moment. I guess a brick structure would exist there to support the bathroom and flooring about but would it need to be strengthened if it was to bear the extra weight of the extension?

dont worry about your neighbough if its in your house it will be a double skin wall, theres ways and means to fixing the new floor in ,your main concern is the headroom on the stairwell, but you can put a bulk-head in to give you abit more room

the wall to the right-hand side off the bath is it hollow or solid? and the same wall where it touches the ceiling you need to make sure there's no wait bearing down on it but this you would need to look at from in the attic? if there is, it can still be done but you have transfer the weight

thanks for all you help big ell although it is making me feel like even more of a novice than all the technical car talk that goes on here!! I wont bother you too much more with questions as i was only ever looking to see if this would be possible, but:

 

1. what is a bulk head and how does it help the head room?

2. what are the steels or trimmers that you mentioned would be needed to extend the bathroom?

3. i guess this would be sold wall to the right of the bathroom. I am guess you check if it is weight bearing from the attic by seeing if there is a beam resting accross it or along it??? does transfering the weight involve adjusting the setup of the beams in the attic/roof so this weight can be held elsewhere?

thanks for all you help big ell although it is making me feel like even more of a novice than all the technical car talk that goes on here!! I wont bother you too much more with questions as i was only ever looking to see if this would be possible, but:

 

1. what is a bulk head and how does it help the head room?

2. what are the steels or trimmers that you mentioned would be needed to extend the bathroom?

3. i guess this would be sold wall to the right of the bathroom. I am guess you check if it is weight bearing from the attic by seeing if there is a beam resting accross it or along it??? does transfering the weight involve adjusting the setup of the beams in the attic/roof so this weight can be held elsewhere?

Q,1 when you walk up stairs above your head you get the bit of ceiling that goes diagonal that a bulk head so basicaly you cut the corner off it which will give you mre head room

Q,2 steels are H shaped steels steel lintels that bed into the wall, trimmers are normaly 2 pieces of timber bolted tegether at regular intervals to create a type of lintel, and is also supported by metal straps called joist hangers

Q,3 yes that is correct but its not major work

thats one good thing about building everythings a challange