In London, just over half of all housing are flats, apartments or maisonettes. This is considerably higher than the rest of the country where on average only 20% of housing stock comprises of flats. With the majority of Londoners living in apartments, space has become a premium. Unlike a house, adding to your home may seem an impossibility, however, it may come as a surprise to many top floor flat or maisonette owners that it is possible, in some cases to, add a loft conversion.
Whilst it may not be as straight forward as converting a loft in a house, it is possible and the results can be stunning. Read on to find out what you need to know about getting a loft conversion on a top floor flat.
Party wall agreements
Whether you live in a house that has been converted into flats, a purpose-built block or a mansion flat, it is likely that you will need a party wall agreement. This is when an agreement is drawn up between the owners of a wall that that stands on the land of two or more owners. It is a requirement, by law, that you inform your neighbours if you intend to carry out any building work near or on your shared property boundary.
What if my property is leasehold?
If you own a leasehold property, then you will need to purchase the freehold to the attic or existing loft. Many flats that are leasehold require you to get permission from the freehold before any major work is done to a property.
If you own a flat that has a share of the freehold, which is common with older flats such as mansion block apartments, you will need to check if you own the freehold to the loft space – if not you will need to also need to purchase the freehold of the attic.
Roof terrace
It is sometimes possible to create a roof terrace when building a loft conversion, and this is something we have done for clients in the past. If you do wish to add a roof terrace it is highly likely that you will need planning permission and you will need to speak to your neighbours, because if they are overlooked, they could have objections. If the build is quite straight forward and if the terrace does not overlook your neighbours, you may not have to ask for planning permission.
Loft conversion in top floor flat case studies
At Simply Loft, we have completed a number of loft conversions for top floor flats or maisonettes in and round London. For some more loft conversion ideas take a look at our case studies below:
This was one of our most challenging yet exciting projects to date. Located in Maida Vale, we converted two lofts on top on an eight-storey mansion block and built a connecting roof terrace. This flat gained two extra bedrooms, a bathroom and a study area. While there was a lot of paperwork to deal with and the build itself was complex, the results speak for themselves. This mansion flat is now a uniquely stunning property that is enjoyed by the whole family.
Located in Rotherhithe just east of Bermondsey, we totally transformed this sixth floor flat in a purpose-built modern block. In this build, we added a rear dormer loft that helped create two bedrooms, two bathrooms including an en-suite and a roof terrace. While this build took a little longer than usual, it also included a full revamp of the flat, the results are sensational – with large light filled rooms, a scene-stealing terrace and luxury en-suite that would give anyone bathroom envy.
This project in Norwood South East London added another floor to this second floor maisonette in a converted terrace. The owner, Anna, asked us to extend up into the used loft space, which gave her and her family an extra bedroom and shower room. This space was created by installing a mansard loft, which has the advantage of being more sympathetic to older properties.
If you think you can expand your flat or maisonette with a loft conversion, then contact Simply Loft today on 0800 917 7571 or fill out this form for a FREE site survey.
