Extending upwards (has anybody done this?)

[DepartFromTheIllegitimateChild]

I am property hunting at the moment as a FTB with a very FTB type budget (£300,000 max in the SE). Most of the places I'm looking at are flats but there are a few tiny houses that have caught my eye. One of these is quite newly built and in a street with other similar houses that have one to two more stories. I love the location and style but it is very small, big enough for just me now obviously but I really like the idea of buying somewhere I wouldn't necessarily HAVE to sell in a couple of years when I meet someone/want kids.

There's no garden to extend into but is the idea of adding a story on top completely ridiculous? I never seem to hear about this sort of extension and now I'm wondering if there is good reason for this. I get that planning permission could be an issue but the fact that there are other houses on the street of the same type and this height makes me think, maybe not too much of an issue? I do also know that it would be expensive, I've been trying to Google exactly how expensive but haven't had much luck finding anything at all conclusive (any educated guestimates or methods for calculating this would be much appreciated) My earnings could/should increase quite a lot in the next 2-3 years so I'm not too worried about the cost but obviously only within the realms of what would be reasonable/ cheaper than just buying a brand new, much bigger house.

It also wouldn't be a deal breaker, just a nice to have, but I'm keen to hear if anyone has any experience of doing something similar or knows what I might need to find out to establish whether it would be possible.

Thanks!

What is the existing house... single storey or two storey?

The PD rules for adding additional storeys came into force in August last year, which you may benefit from...

www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/158/additional_storeysextending_upwards

Ooh thanks for that - I will have a read. It's two story currently.

(Also, feel like a right fool right now - can't believe I've never registered the fact that it is storey and not story in this context.)

There is a bungalow near me that has been fully extended upwards, ie not just a loft conversion, they have added a whole extra storey and it now looks like a normal house - if you hadn’t seen it before you would have no idea it used to be a bungalow!

Bungalows aside, I’ve never heard of anyone doing this. The more obvious option is a loft conversion...that wouldn’t give you a whole extra storey per se but you would probably get a bedroom and a shower room/en suite out of it.

Hmmm ok, this isn't sounding positive! There is no loft so a conversion isn't an option, the second storey is at roof level with sloping ceilings and beams so like a loft conversion would be...

The square footage of each floor is just over 200 and they're both just open plan spaces as is with a shower room on the lower floor. It's a nice space for one person (in an amazing location) but I'll probably have to give up on the idea of it having any potential to be anything more than that.

If it has no garden it might not make the best family home. Also if the plot size is small you may end up spending more than you can recoup if you have to sell.

Hmm, interesting point about the plot size impacting resale value. I didn't take this into account. I think I thought - more house, more value, whether outwards or upwards. The lack of outside space is somewhat mitigated by the fact it's under 3 minutes walk from the beach.

It sounds like the property is the kind that sells easily, but in general people don't stay there long.
Great as long as you just see it as a stepping stone and make sure any changes (decor etc) are the type that make it attractive to buyers.

Could you extend upward with a flat roof/roof terrace on top? That could help compensate for the lack of garden space.

@CharlotteWeb

Could you extend upward with a flat roof/roof terrace on top? That could help compensate for the lack of garden space.

I was actually thinking about this. Though, with having the beach a stones throw away, the lack of indoor space is definitely more of an issue than the lack of outdoor space. No-one has so far given me any reason to think that any sort of upward extension may be feasible though so it seems it may be pointless to consider either. I will definitely double check with a builder/architect but I was really hoping to find someone who had done exactly this (preferably very cheaply and very successfully!)

Thank you all for responding though - even if you haven't told me what I wanted to hear!

It sounds like it’s currently a bungalow with a loft extension?

@ThePricklySheep

It sounds like it’s currently a bungalow with a loft extension?

Urmm sorry, this might reveal my ignorance but can something be a bungalow with a loft extension? I thought that if something had a loft, it was not a bungalow. (This house was built as is, the loft was not added after, if that was the question)

What do you mean no loft? A flat roof then?

The roof space is the loft, and here is a bungalow with a loft conversion.

Have any others done similar in that development? Newbuilds often have no permitted development rights and it may be deemed "not in keeping" or overdevelopment for planning.

@ThePricklySheep

What do you mean no loft? A flat roof then?

The roof space is the loft, and here is a bungalow with a loft conversion.

To be really clear - I meant that there is a non-flat roof with a loft space up some stairs that has been there since the building was built. So like the photo, yes (though a completely different style obviously)

I think I must have misunderstood the definition of bungalow all these years, I thought they had to be flat roofed.

@LIZS

Have any others done similar in that development? Newbuilds often have no permitted development rights and it may be deemed "not in keeping" or overdevelopment for planning.

Most of the buildings on the street are one or two storeys higher. Which is what put the idea in my head in the first place.

Near us some people have added a second proper storey and a loft conversion onto what was quite similar to by first photo, ie a bungalow with a loft conversion.

So it can be done.

@ThePricklySheep

Near us some people have added a second proper storey and a loft conversion onto what was quite similar to by first photo, ie a bungalow with a loft conversion.

So it can be done.

Ooh thank you prickly ! You've given me hope. Not a lot of hope but enough to make me not give up on the idea totally.