Jump to content

Loft Extensions


Vikki O

Recommended Posts

Hi

I was looking into this a year or so ago but then life took over... has anyone in SE22 had or know anyone who has had a loft extension on a London (butterfly) roof?

I am aware there can be issues with planning permission but conversions with this type of roof are apparently now much more common so ideally want to know if it's been done, who used, how long and how much.


Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never heard of a butterfly roof, so Googled it. Tell us more about your wants and desires.


Most loft extensions round my way (1930s) are ugly, with owners maximising their space. There are even ones in semi's done at similar times and probably by the same company (Econolofts) where they have used different designs for what looks like the same outcome.


From my understanding loft extensions are done

(a) because they are cheaper than other extensions

(b) easier planning (mind you this lot would happily pave over paradise and put up a parking lot)

© because there isn't no room for another extension.


Anyway I've digressed and probably upset half of the readership.


Tell us more about your situation.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

H, there are some houses with what could be called a butterfly roof on Crystal Palace road (and probably elsewhere). I've mostly seen them on "natural" 3 storey houses in the area. Do a search on Southwark's planning portal to see if one had been done on your street.



You'd be better off speaking to a builder who can give you a very rough quote but typically the cost to do a loft conversion on a roof that's not suitable for conversion (for whatever reason) is the standard costs of the conversion + the costs of an entirely new roof. If you'd be allowed to do this is another question. Most likely if there was precedent as I am sure you are aware.


Might'n it be easier to do an loft extension over the outrigger if there is sufficient height with a dormer to install the stairs?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am quite certain that you wouldn't be allowed to build above the height of the existing roof.


You might be able to fill in the centre dip of the "V", and then lower the ceiling of the top floor to create enough height. But it wouldn't fall under permitted development, and I'm not sure how likely it would be to get approval.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What Jeremy said, if it can't be done under Permitted Development, then highly unlikely that the planners would pass such a proposal.

I don't think it's a coincidence that a road like Nutfield Road, from memory, hasn't got any precedent.

Personally I think it would destroy the streetscape...


http://images.zoopla.co.uk/fe938c4d7eb1232d35da9085e475a747e42e4598_645_430.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

red devil Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Personally I think it would destroy the

> streetscape...


Exactly. And if by some miracle you managed to get it through planning, your neighbours would probably want to kill you!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm sorry to say that Southwark are fairly prohibitive about this. I know from direct experience of trying (and failing) to get permission to convert our butterfly roof into habitable space. All of our neighbours offered supporting letters for the plan but the planner still said "no", citing borough policy.


Check out page 28 and onwards in their planning policy document:

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/download/4358/part_2_pages_79-156

Link to comment
Share on other sites

appers Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> All of our neighbours offered

> supporting letters for the plan but the planner

> still said "no", citing borough policy.


Letters of support from neighbours carry little weight, afterall, in 5-10 years they may well have moved house.

Planners are dispassionate and will take the long term view of what's best for the area in accordance wuth their policy...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We're in ED and were hoping to do the same thing - I've had a bit of a walk around to see if there was a precedent - the only one I could find was in Choumert Rd SE15 there are four of them being done - not exactly ED but still Southwark and pretty close!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Loft conversions on old terraces can have a massive impact on your neighbour's light. Most people get a loft conversion for the extra room and the lovely light, airy feel. It seems slightly ironic that in gaining your light space you may be taking from your neighbours.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I've been thinking about this as well VickiO. Extending a pitch V to a habitable space I've also seen referred to as getting a mansard roof. There are actually 2 houses on Nutfield that have them. One's more discreet than the other but I've not noticed them before I started out to look which must say something as I do tend to look around when I'm out and about.


Good luck with your searches. Would be great if you let us know how the planning process goes. Lots of recent refusals for mansards on the southwark planning website which is disheartening but there is definitely precedent all over. One can only hope the right discreet respectful design would pass muster. Several of the refusals I read had not been in pre planning discussion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

Hi Mrs Teamtime


Yes I have seen the Nutfield loft extensions also but very disheartening to know lots of refusals from Southwark. I think they are one of the most discreet type of loft extensions


It's still only a pipedream at this stage but i'd love to know if you take it further. I thought nobody had replied to the message hence only picking all these up now


Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Malumbu

Sorry for delay on this -had no notifications anyone replied! The London roof is in a V so you can build into your existing loft space and up to the exisiting height of outside side brick work. Not imposing from the front or the back and no neighbourly light issues too.

Still researching, getting ideas and quotes, seems to be about the ?40k mark which is a lot but still cheaper than moving to a 2 bed in ED!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BUTTERFLY ROOFS

In some terraces the historic butterfly roof pattern survives unaltered.

In such cases, roof extensions will normally be unacceptable.

However, if the terrace has been altered and includes other roof extensions, a mansard extension may be acceptable but the "V" shaped parapet wall should be retained.

Gap between two terraces.

Mansard with butterfly parapet retained at rear. http://www3.westminster.gov.uk/spgs/publications/Roof%20guide.pdf p21

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Do also remember that, whilst this is the original there is an unrelated FB presence with a (very) similar name, which might also be prayed in aid. 
    • Yet another increase, its absolutely disgusting. I was charged £7.95 to send documents recorded delivery last week. I asked for the Signed for option that only costs £2.50 but the Post Office refused & said they would only send them recorded delivery. 
    • Thanks Admin for clarifying - I’ve now found the post they used to scrape my telephone number from. So it wasn’t a data breach from EDF, rather my foolishness posting it online 15 years ago…    Still leaving this thread here if that’s ok so that people are aware of this scam and don’t fall foul of it (also to think twice before posting phone numbers here as it can be used by any one as I’ve found out!)
    • There is deliberately nowhere to enter your phone number, name, address etc anywhere when registering an account on this forum. There never has been. There is no way to attach this sort of personal information to your account.  If someone says that EDF has given your phone number, then this is a lie. No personal information is sold to any third party and it is not collected in the first place.     
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...