I feel like I am stuck in the middle of a building site

[malumbu]

Loft extensions on left of me

basements on the right

Here I am, stuck in the middle of it

(to the tune of Stuck in the Middle with you, by Stealers Wheel)

Understand why owners, particularly with families, need more space.

But building has gone mad at the moments which seems to be driven more by investment return than physical need.

Just surreal when there is a shortage of housing in London.

I am not going to be King Canute and try and stop the tide but interested in others' views including you capitalist barstool sons and daughters of Thatcher who think all this is great. Please take these comments in jest

[Jeremy]

malumbu Wrote:

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> seems to be driven more by investment return than physical need.

One hell of an assumption...

And I don't understand the implied juxtaposition between a housing shortage and extending your home.

[TheArtfulDogger]

Building work and increased numbers of construction sites is always a good indicator of the economic state of the nation, so I always think it's a good thing

[LondonMix]

I don't think people extend houses unless they want to utilise the additional space. I agree someone wanting a 4 bed may think its better to buy a 3 bed and extend it themselves (its saves the money upfront and builds equity) but that doesn't mean they don't want 4 bedrooms. In fact for many, doing work might be the only way they can afford to get the space they want.

I say want, because no one needs space-- humans used to live in caves and 100 years ago 11 people would easily live in a small Victorian terrace. What we want / feel we need changes over time and there is nothing wrong with that. Less space has been shown to cause people higher levels of stress, particularly families.

[malumbu]

There is an irony that there is a glut of extensions whilst not enough housing, in particular affordable housing.

And people view this area as a place to invest.

In my single party state we'd all have a maximum space allocation in our people's utopian palacre

[miga]

malumbu Wrote:

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> There is an irony that there is a glut of

> extensions whilst not enough housing, in

> particular affordable housing.

Actually - I think the two go hand in hand. The affordability of housing affects even people in housing already. As prices jump, the gap between the steps on the ladder increases. So going from a 200k place to a 400k place, becomes 400k to 800k place or whatever (pedants accept the principle and don't worry about the actual numbers, pls., I get there are holes in the example). This is on top of stamp duties, removal costs, hours and hours of dull admin and general upheaval. On the other hand, remortgaging and using theoretical equity for works gets people the space they want.

On top of which, I'm not sure good quality extensions etc. necessarily make a lot of, if any, money - it's a lot of hassle when equity gains in this crazy market are so good.

[uncleglen]

most of the extensions I've seen are carbuncles. Also, I dread to think what it's done to the air quality around here, added to the 20mph limit- extensions cut down the garden areas as well

[Seabag]

People are extending not moving

It's the way of the world here in London

Be happy, or move to West Croydon

[red devil]

http://cdn.meme.am/instances/63618293.jpg

[LondonMix]

I agree with miga. Its more affordable to extend than move for more space, which is one major reason people do it.

Malumbu on your dystopian dictatorship how much space would we all get? Would we just get sleeping pods like in Japan?

[apbremer]

Thanks to Osborne's daft stamp duty hikes it now makes a lot of sense to extend rather than give the Government yet more money to waste.

[Jeremy]

Isn't the stamp duty increase on BTL and second homes?

[LondonMix]

The new increase is but the entire system was revamped a year ago. If you house was worth less than 1m, you save stamp duty compared to the old system. If its worth more than that though, you are paying additional stamp duty. So to move up the ladder (at or above 1m) has become relatively more expensive.

[uncleglen]

The only time I challenged an planning permission I discovered that it was submitted by a property developer from South West London...admittedly owner/occupiers would extend if they need to , but actually how many of these planning applications for extensions are distant property developers trying to divide the houses up into flats I wonder?

[miga]

Now I'm being a pedant, but I remember I ended up drawing out the changes at the time - 2014 - (because I felt burnt for buying a few months previous to the changes), and the stamp duty was equal to the previous regime at the upper bounds of each of the previous ranges (i.e at 249,999, 499,999 etc.).

Not that it matters to the general theme of stamp duty being a strong argument against moving house.

[LondonMix]

You are right-- near the humps where the bands change that's correct. I wasn't trying to give the minute detail of the changes just the general point that you were likely better off below 1m and worse off above it if you want to move.

[miga]

Right on.

[malumbu]

Why have none of you picked up on the point of my thread. Is East Dulwich unbelievably stupid?

So - good place to move to because of improved connectivity and relatively cheaper prices. Yes I get that

Opportunities to make smaller places into family houses, so cheaper to trade up (and avoid estate agent fees, stamp duty, the hassle of moving). Yes I get that.

But the size of some of the projects? OK perhaps you are expecting to have a massive family, have your parents move in etc. Some of this must surely be for investment purposes.

I'd rather people post and say "yes, I don't care about affordable housing, I want to make a good return, you are just envious Malumbu". I may not like it but at least it is honest.

Not some of the piffle above. Not good debate. Come back when you have thought properly about it with an objective view.

[Jeremy]

Really don't know what you're talking about...

[alice]

https://planningjungle.com/wp-content/uploads/Part-1-of-the-GPDO-The-10-Worst-Permitted-Development-Loopholes.pdf Try this for size

[miga]

malumbu Wrote:

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> Not some of the piffle above. Not good debate.

> Come back when you have thought properly about it

> with an objective view.

And will you come back when your definition of ironic isn't from an Alanis Morisette song?

[????]

Just bizzarre Malambu.......

[DulwichFox]

With all the building work going on.. When the sun shines, it's like being on a permenant Spanish Resort Holiday..

..For FREE...

Foxy

[miga]

Albeit with fewer Poms ;-)