We've got a lovely bit of flat roof the size of a large bay window outside our 1st floor flat's living room window. It's part of the roof for the the flat below (covering their bay window)which is a raised ground floor but who have in turn built an extensive terrace on an extension to the flat below them(a basement/lower ground floor, which also has a baywindow undeneath the first floor flat's one).
What we'd like to do is replace the window in our living room, creating a larger opening for french doors and making the roof a balcony (it would have enough room for a small round table and chairs).
Oh, and the flats are leasehold... It seems like it could be a be tricky to negotiate this all but it would add some much desirable outside space to a cramped London flat! I just don't know where to start - do I just speak to a builder to find out if it's possible? Do I need to get a structural assessement done? Does the owner of the flat below have to give permission or the freeholder? Would we need some kind of building regs sign off? The flat below is a rented out and we don't know the owners but could find this out.
Any advice gratefully appreciated as a chance of having this little bit of space seems to good to miss...