Is this a crazy idea for a conversion?

[HarmonyHedges]

I have a maisonette apartment on the top floor of a converted church, which looks similar to the building in the picture—without the dormers (as indicated by yellow arrow) in the roof.

I'd like to add two of these style of dormers to my roof to convert the attic into living space.

Any ideas on approximately how much this would cost? Even a rough ballpark figure would be helpful. I'm in SW England.

If anyone has done something like this please tell me all about it!

Do you think that you would get planning permission for this? In my corner of the south west it would be highly unlikely to be allowed.

@Bimblybomeyelash

Do you think that you would get planning permission for this? In my corner of the south west it would be highly unlikely to be allowed.

I think I would have a chance at least. The building isn't listed and the section of the church that contains my apartment isn't visible from any public areas.

I doubt you'd get planning TBH.

The fact that it's not visible from any public areas won't make a difference IME - our house isn't visible from the road or any public area yet we had a real battle for a simple extension in keeping with the building.

Any extensions to churches/historic buildings that I've seen tend to be ones that are strikingly modern as planners often prefer any changes to be obvious and a sign of the times in which they've been added eg glass box extensions.

PS...meant to add ....it does very much depend on your local planning dept TBH. Some are more forward thinking and progressive than others.

If you look around your local area can you see anything like you're hoping for? Can you see any very old buildings that have been significantly altered? This will give you an idea of the likelihood of them considering it.

Do you already own the attic?

Hmmm, the point of a conversion is to keep it looking like what the original building was. Dormers are a domestic feature- not usually allowed on things like churches and barns as they clash.

I think you might struggle tbh. The building in the picture is historic but they fit with the architecture of the building.

Wouldnt planning officer be of the view that even of your dormers were allowed there would need to be dormers on all top floor apartments or the whole would look really odd. ? If you have the whole top floor then that’s not in itself a problem but I can see other potential ‘not preserving the character’/‘not sensitive to local vernacular’ type issues ?
Good luck.

Do you own the roof? I’d have thought that all owners, even those on the ground floor, have an interest in it. Presumably there’s some sort of fund to pay for external repairs, hallways etc?

Any extensions to churches/historic buildings that I've seen tend to be ones that are strikingly modern

I've been advised by an architecht friend to apply for planning permission for a glass box. I'd hate it though!

piglet81 MooseBeTim

I don't own the roof but the only access to the attic space is via my apartment (which is in a side annexe to the main church building). It takes up the whole top floor of the annexe.

HeronLanyon Yes my apartment takes up the whole top floor as it's in a side annexe to the main church building.

If you don’t own the roof then surely it’s a no go?

If you look around your local area can you see anything like you're hoping for?

There is a lot of building going on locally but it's all ugly modern boxes! I think what I'm proposing to do would actually improve the look of my building.

That doesn't mean you necessarily own the roof space. You need to check via documents from when you bought the flat. It may be that the freeholder owns the space, even though access is via your flat

Yes I would have to get permission from the freeholder to alter the roof, and pay a fee, no doubt.

But as the attic is only accessible via my apartment, there isn't the potential for anyone else to do anything with that space so hopefully the freeholder would give permission.

Sometimes there are communal water tanks and other bits in the space.

The roof, and the space under the roof, are two different things.

I'm not sure if what I want is actually called a dormer, or a dutch gable? Does anyone know?

Mosaic No water tanks in the space, just a few cables.

So you need to buy the roof space, get permission from the freeholder, and get planning permission. That’s a lot of hurdles and cost before you even consider the cost of the conversion! You might be better off moving? I really can’t see this being allowed especially on a building like the picture, there was likely conditions to the original planning permission about the exterior look of the building.

We used to live in a top floor flat with access to the roof space. The freeholder owned the ground floor flat, and despite have no access to the roof space they owned it.

As PPs have said your staring point in all of this is to check out your deeds and talk to the freeholder.

In my experience attic spaces have a separate lease that you would need to buy from the freeholder. You then take the risk that you won't get permission to extend though. I lived in a flat where the only access was through my flat but the attic was still on a separate lease from mine.

And if you apply for permission first and your freeholder finds out they could charge you a lot more for the lease.

TitusPullo You may very well be right. The apartment was an inheritance from my parents so have a sentimental attachment to it.

There's definitely no lease for the roof space—I have checked.

But if the roof leaks, are all owners expected to contribute to the repair?

The fact there is no lease doesn't mean you own the attic. The freeholder does. And they can create a lease and sell it to you.

There will need to be checks about fire regs etc if you are adding an extra floor of living space and especially if it is a bedroom.

I can see the attraction though!