IMM wrote:

"Mike Mitchell" wrote in message

Actually, quite a good idea! Radical, but yep, the costings appear
favourable. However, the OP may not be able to get PP for a house.

If you are looking to do a self build then yes it is one way to do it.
Having said that, it is one of the more expensive ways since you are
buying a house you don't want, and then paying for a lot of skips to put
it in!

If he can get PP for a loft extension he can get it for a 1.5 floor house,
which is the best bet. New, to new rags, insulation levels, etc, etc.

The sale price of the new house will be much the same as the converted
old one though. The only difference is the build price will be at least
three times the cost of the conversion. The build being to modern regs
etc does not really have much (if any) impact on the price people will
pay for a house. As mentioned here recently, people will often associate
an older property with a "more solid", and "better built" one (even if
that is not necessarily the case). Hence the older "extended" property
with modernisation (i.e. rewire and new heating, nicely decorated) will
sell as well.

Another idea: Since bungalows invariably have larger (often MUCH
larger) plots than houses, can the OP not consider an extension
instead?

Not a dramatic difference in price either way I would have thought. The
extension may be a little cheaper that a loft conversion once you are
"off the ground", but the ground work will add a large lump to the
costs. (a neighbour is doing just this with a two storey extension
rather than a loft conversion - costs have been roughly equal so far)


--
Cheers,

John.

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