Extension advice on a link detached

[NickB_99]

Hi,

Probably a common dilemma...
Looking at options in terms of to extend or move.
Our house is a 3 bed linked detached.

Untitled

• NickB_99
• 16 Mar 2015
• 1

Would really like to use the space above the garage to extend the house to be 4 bedrooms.
Had a quick look at the forum and seen a couple of options -
1) remove the link to the one on right and build a separate garage wall away from their wall to allow building up to 2nd storey. Making good to their wall and allows a gap for you to access rear of property without going through house.
2) convince them to allow to join to their wall at the 2nd storey, but this effectively turns you both into semis.

(1) is probably more sensible, but I like my garage and wouldn't fancy knocking about a metre off its width.
The house on the end has done this, so could pluck up the courage to go knock.

Are there other options for extending?
Or is it generally a tough/expensive task on a link detached, so far easier to move!
Advice welcome.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The main issue with these kinds of extensions, which you may realise, is that when you get to the eaves you find that they don't work because you cannot lawfully build over the boundary, which eaves do. So you either end up with some horrible Heath Robinson affair with the gutter or you set the wall back, as you're proposing in your first option.

But why does the gap need to be 1m? It only needs to be big enough to let the eaves overhang and for it to be built.

Often when building over a garage it does not cost a lot more to demolish the garage and start again anyway, as there is often a hefty cost to strengthen the existing garage to cope with a second storey.

And yes joining to your neighbours house directly will only have a negative impact on the value.

 

[NickB_99]

Thanks for the reply.

But why does the gap need to be 1m? It only needs to be big enough to let the eaves overhang and for it to be built.

I guess that I was just thinking reasonable space to make accessible and get through as a usable passage.
So if you went for a minimum gap, would you build up so the gutters run parallel to each other at same height, with a small gap between?
There was something in the deeds about allowing access to my garage roof for maintenance of their side (guttering etc). Would building up like this get me in strife, by making it harder for them to do repairs?

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Well so long as access is possible then they'd have to be a bit sad to go hunting through their deeds for some ancient clause. Guess you'd be looking at a gap of about 600mm between the walls, access externally from front to rear is a consideration too, depends what your priorities are .....