Changing a chalet style roof (pic attached)

[Roofies]

Hello
Please can someone advise what my options are for changing a chalet style roof of a house which is impacting internal space in first floor bedrooms?

The pic attached (not my house, but very similar) shows the type of roof I mean (I believe it is called 'chalet style'). This doesn't seem typical and means that the 3 bedrooms on the first floor have sloping ceilings on the side which are impacting usable space.

Not sure why it was built like that since only a few houses on my street seem to have this sort of roof. Is there a cost effective way to extend the roof in a way so that I get more full height space internally? I can add internal pics if it isn't clear. Thank you.

image removed by MNHQ at the OP's request.

Your address is on the bottom so get admin to take it away and add with bottom snipped off

She says it's not her house, that hers is similar!

OP, I rather like the look and changing it will totally ruin it IMHO.

I actually love rooms like that! Really quirky! We have 2 double bedrooms upstairs like that and I get that some room Shapes may be more awkward than others - internal pics would be a help

The short answer is no OP. This elevation is part of the character & design of 20s/30s houses & some cottages. If the dormers are on the rear you might have a small chance of being allowed to build up the rear wall to straighten it. If it's facing the road, likely the council wouldn't allow it at all. Especially if it's in a row. You'd be effectively totally changing the character. Better to embrace the quirkiness with bespoke internal carpentry to straighten out the walls (cupboards under eaves).

It would be really difficult and probably require planning permission.
It would be better to have built in furniture to maximise use of the space.

There is no cost effective way as you will need a new roof structure and walls. If it is atypical to the street you might be able to get permission but would recommend approaching a proper architect so it stands a chance of getting through. If you are not in a conservation area you could make a lot of changes to the rear

What the others have said. To reshape the roof would likely be an almost total rebuild of the top of the house. Roof off, new courses of bricks, new roof.

not only would it be challenging to pass through planning (for the reasons others have said) but it would be costly and very disruptive.

Can I ask why you want to change it? I know the rooms are awkward but you bought the house as it is, so what actual problem is it causing you now that you either didn’t foresee or that wasn’t an issue before?

If people know maybe we can help with solution ideas? There are lots of creative ways to maximise space in quirky shaped rooms.

That's character, not chalet style. You will ruin the look of your house. Are you able to move?

That is just what you get in a house of that style - you are not going to be able to convert them to neat square ground floor style rooms without totally restyling a period house to some sort of modernist box. Mansard and gambrel style roofs will have more space in their upper rooms, though often still sloping walls, but you would be very hard pressed to convert a 20s-30s style house to that, it would cost a fortune and is very unlikely to pass planning because it would alter the character of the house completely. The space you would gain would hardly be worth it for the cost of completely restructuring with those types of complex roof structure.

Embrace the quirkieness and get creative with storage, I have a lovely 1920s house with hipped roof and dormers/balcony, the rooms upstairs are odd shapes but lovely and airy, and totally useable. Or look for another house?

Hello there, @Roofies - we have removed the pic from your opening post, as requested. Hope that helps.

I know the image is no longer there but having seen it before it was removed, I agree with other posters that this would be a very complex and expensive bit of building work.

Adding an exterior pic (of a house similar in look to mine) and a picture of one of the rooms.
I will also add a pic of the loft conversion later - I would like to see if I can expand that as well.

I have bought a year ago - selling isn't on the agenda for a long time. Just seeing how / if the usable space in 2 rooms can be improved to get a larger full height area. If there is a way to, say, make the dormers larger.

The house just next door to mine doesn't have a roof like mine.

Just read all the posts now. Not in a conservation area. Not going to sell the house for this reason either. just exploring the art of the possible since 2 of the bedrooms seem quite cramped with double beds in them (these are needed). Wardrobes are built in. Might consider extending one bedroom over the utility on the ground floor but probably won't gain a large amount of space because of the 1m rule.

When I viewed the house there was no furniture in it - was difficult to visualize it with my furniture in, as it now is!

Any suggestions on the interior slopes appreciated! Pics above.

PS that window in the room looks out over the back garden

I lived in a chalet type house for nearly 25 years, unbearably hot in summer, in the bedrooms.

@Thisbastardcomputer can't be helped now :-) already bought and home for the forseeable future. Out of interest - what makes it warmer than other houses?
Can get air conditioning installed in a couple of the rooms.

More interested in the space aspect. I have attached a picture of the windows opening to the back of the house.

True chalet style properties are only 1.5 storeys high with the first floor in the roof space. This one appears to be full 2 storey height and a loft space above?

The only thing I can think of is to construct a gable from the ground floor walls - reflecting the one that already exists ?next door (I can't work out if this detached or semi-detached). If it is a semi, I'm not sure what the impact would be on the NDN though in terms of how far out it would project/take light from front windows etc. I can't really tell from the photos whether his approach would be possible at the rear.

Your best bet would be to get a local architect round to have a chat and see if they can give any suggestions.

I can’t see the original photo but from the others you have put up, surely all you need to do is a hip to gable roof extension? These are very commonplace. However, planning teams rarely allow them if you are semi detached. Oh can do a hip to gable under permitted development though providing you haven’t increased the roof by 50m3 if detached.

Thank you, @Fretfulmum and @Seeline yes - the property has 2 storeys plus a room and bath in the loft, so I might not have used the right term (ie chalet style). It's just that the internal walls / ceilings in the bedrooms of the second floor (where ground floor is counted as first floor) are sloping because of the pitch of the roof.

I will now Google "hip to gable roof extension" - I know nothing about construction, roof types. It is a semi-detached property but the house adjoining doesn't look like mine ie it looks "normal" with a roof that starts higher.

I don't think a hip to gable will work for this property. That's for your standard 1930s semi. The roof construction you have with the roof slope at first floor level wouldn't really benefit.

If you could post a photo of your roof that would help. From the photos you have put up, we had a similar roof and we did a hip to gable to get full height outside walls upstairs. You could also consider a side dormer if you have no windows on the sides ?

Posting a pic of my roof and dormers from outside. I think it will be major work to extend the dormer of the first floor and loft further. Good to get ideas from those who might have done this before before I go about seeing an architect.

The windows to the right are my neighbour's. The one to the left which isnt visible is of the 3rd bedroom which also has the problem of overhanging roof / eaves which limits usable height. I would ideally like the rooms to be as close to a cube as possible.

I don't think I have ever seen two levels of dormer windows in a single roof slope in over 30 years of planning.
I think it is a very unusual design, and at some point you are going to have to get an architect in to give you some ideas if what might be possible.

Thank you @Seeline the neighbour's roof seems to be similarly designed but I haven't seen their house from the inside to see if they have the same odd angles as some of my rooms do. The loft in particular is quite small and I am certain I can get more space. But loath to do a massive refurb which requires me to move out.