1 bed flat - Move kitchen to living area = 2 bed (London)

[Bullet-Proof_Biscuit]

I know, I know... (before you ask),

I've a budget of £225-235k all in and looking at this place or similar equivalent, either purpose build or period vic conv. With the view to finding somewhere with a 1 bed & separate kitchen to then refurb & move the kitchen to one wall of the living area to create a 2 bed, now this would be straightforward for a share of freehold but with a typical leasehold has anyone any experience regarding the requirement (if any) for amendments to the lease? Of course if the lease is old and does not clarify such matters which would be ideal, I know any lease rewritten in recent history will caveat not changing around the layout / re purposing to 2-bed etc.

I ask if anyone has such experience of a similar conversion? Excluding the usual ideal for having a short run from the kitchen sink waste to the existing local bath/kitchen stack- worst case sink the waste in the floor void if it crosses a threshold etc.

Thoughts and input welcome..

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...

Yes, I know it's already only 500sq/ft. Yes, I know London sucks. Yes, I know it's a bad idea..

Note the floor plan, the kitchen would extend up the RHS of the living space with a 2" penetration though load bearing wall to pickup on the existing kitchen waste fall.

Note 2: a £10k lease amendment would more than be offset by the resale value / fact I could rent the spare room / have kids (no because racecars).

Note 3; my favourite aspect is the decor..... :/

Beers!!

Harold.

[.:ian:.]

Seems physically plausible. Though having an "open plan kitchen lounge" has the downside of having to listen to kettle/washing machine/dishwasher/oven while watching TV/etc.
Having 2 beds might trump that but it's always a compromise.
Is the boiler in that vented cupboard?

[wibble cb]

whatever you decide, make sure you negotiate to get those sofas!

[Andrew_S]

Absolutely love the decor, those curtains and that wallpaper are proper art deco. I bet you can’t wait to get rid of them.

[Andrew_S]

wibble cb said:

whatever you decide, make sure you negotiate to get those sofas!

And the cushions, don’t forget the cushions, especially the ones plonked on top of the radiator.

[Tlandcruiser]

I would open that up, oh and the bungalow I just moved into looks to have the same light shades! If you want more let me know

[NickCQ]

Would be cheaper to keep the kitchen where it is and move the kitchen/lounge wall up, creating a long thin bedroom with a window. Then you put the lounge in the larger kitchen created.

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

I'd go with doing what you say - then get it revalued as a 2 bed (so you can either take some money out of the mortgage or decrease your LTV thus ensuring you can get the best mortgage deal next time around).

Good lateral thinking there chap.

[DonkeyApple]

Bullet-Proof_Biscuit said:

I know, I know... (before you ask),

I've a budget of £225-235k all in and looking at this place or similar equivalent, either purpose build or period vic conv. With the view to finding somewhere with a 1 bed & separate kitchen to then refurb & move the kitchen to one wall of the living area to create a 2 bed, now this would be straightforward for a share of freehold but with a typical leasehold has anyone any experience regarding the requirement (if any) for amendments to the lease? Of course if the lease is old and does not clarify such matters which would be ideal, I know any lease rewritten in recent history will caveat not changing around the layout / re purposing to 2-bed etc.

I ask if anyone has such experience of a similar conversion? Excluding the usual ideal for having a short run from the kitchen sink waste to the existing local bath/kitchen stack- worst case sink the waste in the floor void if it crosses a threshold etc.

Thoughts and input welcome..

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/prop...

Yes, I know it's already only 500sq/ft. Yes, I know London sucks. Yes, I know it's a bad idea..

Note the floor plan, the kitchen would extend up the RHS of the living space with a 2" penetration though load bearing wall to pickup on the existing kitchen waste fall.

Note 2: a £10k lease amendment would more than be offset by the resale value / fact I could rent the spare room / have kids (no because racecars).

Note 3; my favourite aspect is the decor..... :/

Beers!!

Harold.

I wrote a long winded post about how, about 15-20 years ago I converted about 5 one bed flats in Maida Vale and several in Kilburn to 2 bedders with a kitchen in the living room. Each one took a couple of weeks and was bought for around £50k and sold for £75k.

The practice has been rampant however, the caution I would give and the two key areas to investigate prior to putting any money on the table is firstly to check why any flat in London remains unconverted from 1 bed peasant slum to 2 bed, trendy lifestyle apartment. It may be that the only ones that are left are the ones with legal hurdles that soak up the profit premium. Secondly, since I did it the market has shifted to pricing in square feet rather than number of bedrooms and that might have stripped all the premium out.

[Electronicpants]

Andrew_S said:

wibble cb said:

whatever you decide, make sure you negotiate to get those sofas!

And the cushions, don’t forget the cushions, especially the ones plonked on top of the radiator.

Don't forget the egg holder in the shape of a Hen.

[E36GUY]

Procrastinating so drew a floorplan on the living room to work out how you could incorporate a kitchen. It would be tight but you could fit a 2 x 2.5m corner sofa in and even a little breakfast bar. The floorplans don't include the smaller window at the end of the sitting room so I'd have a sink under that.

If it were me, I'd try and locate any washing machines away in one the two large cupboards shown on the plans - preferably in the one in the hallway.

[Bullet-Proof_Biscuit]

E36GUY said:

Procrastinating so drew a floorplan on the living room to work out how you could incorporate a kitchen. It would be tight but you could fit a 2 x 2.5m corner sofa in and even a little breakfast bar. The floorplans don't include the smaller window at the end of the sitting room so I'd have a sink under that.

If it were me, I'd try and locate any washing machines away in one the two large cupboards shown on the plans - preferably in the one in the hallway.

Precicely! haha

Yes agreed, ideally a dining table would break up the kitchen / living room divide but a breakfast table as you say works wonders and is cheaper.

I was thinking fabricating or buying a double stack apparatus for the washer / dryer, for in the cupboard as you say.

Right I'll get hold of the lease and see what the bad news is I think..

Beers!

[Oi_Oi_Savaloy]

Renting a room in Sydenham is roughly £450-£500pcm too - which is a useful amount of money to take in. Perhaps the current occupier has been there for ages, hence the lack of 1 bed into 2 shenanigans.....!

[E36GUY]

Bullet-Proof_Biscuit said:

Precicely! haha

Yes agreed, ideally a dining table would break up the kitchen / living room divide but a breakfast table as you say works wonders and is cheaper.

I was thinking fabricating or buying a double stack apparatus for the washer / dryer, for in the cupboard as you say.

Right I'll get hold of the lease and see what the bad news is I think..

Beers!

With the greatest will in the world, I don't think you can realistically fit a dining table in that room sensibly without it being dominant/ getting in the way. I've suggested a storage cabinet under a wall mounted TV

As for double stack - you can get washers that are also dryers so a single machine can do it.

[kiethton]

Did the same myself a couple of years back (in Beckenham....)

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Key is to make sure that the lease gives permission for you to make (non-structural alterations) and that none of the walls are load-bearing (none of mine were so was no need to seek permission - at great costs and hassle....)

At 500sqft you may be a little pushed for space - mine is 580sqft and can be a little.....cosy.....

[Bullet-Proof_Biscuit]

kiethton said:

Did the same myself a couple of years back (in Beckenham....)

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Key is to make sure that the lease gives permission for you to make (non-structural alterations) and that none of the walls are load-bearing (none of mine were so was no need to seek permission - at great costs and hassle....)

At 500sqft you may be a little pushed for space - mine is 580sqft and can be a little.....cosy.....

Thanks for the link! I actually read your thread with interest when you first started it!

My plan b is find a period 2-up 2-down terrace conversion with share of free hold and Dormer the living daylights out of the loft, then I can build an en-suite master, duplex 2-bed..

Do you know where to find property deeds so I can scrutinise them before purchase at all?

Beers!
HH

[kiethton]

You would need to read the lease and any amendments to it, should be in the legal pack but would need to clarify on viewing