Hip to Gable and lower ceiling....Costs and benefits?

[Rich123987]

Hi
I bought a V3 bed victorian semi earlier in the year, currently having some planning issues, but aside from that looking for some advice and wisdom.

House is about 40 square m on both ground and first floor. 3 bed, traditional L-shaped layout.
The roof is a hip roof
The roof space is currently 2m in height along the pitch line, so needs to have the ceiling lowered.

I was wondering:
Is it expensive to lower a ceiling?
The current plan is just to lower from the pitch line backwards and put in a box dormer, so the front bedroom is not lowered ceiling so to preserve sash window height in master bedroom.
In doing that work, would it be much more money to do a hip to Gable conversion? Bearing in mind it wouldn't give much more useable space, just eaves storage.

Thanks in advance, any additional advice would be great for a noob.
Rich

 

[John D v2.0]

The expense in lowering ceilings would be the mess and redecoration and maybe having to move out during the time. If it's still lath and plaster ceiling it would be filthy with soot.
As to whether it would be worth it, it depends on your needs and budget if you're staying there, plus whether you can move house and get something you like more for less, otherwise it depends on the house prices and demand in your area, and the cost of the work.

 

[Rich123987]

Thanks, currently the house is unliveable anyway, and trying to cost up the options with ballpark figures before getting plans drawn up. Sadly I tried with some local builders, and they didn't seem to be interested in quoting till the plans were done .... a bit catch 22

 

[noseall]

Sadly I tried with some local builders, and they didn't seem to be interested in quoting till the plans were done

What were you expecting the builder to come up with? How were you going to compare one builders guesses with another builders guesses.

Your builder is right not to mislead you with frivolous numbers plucked from the air. Good for him.

 

[Rich123987]

Thanks noseall for your advice,

Maybe you can suggest the correct way .... if you have options on ways to do an extension, and wish to keep costs down, how would you evaluate the options based on cost?

I'm certainly not looking for accurate figures, but if some one mentions that doing a roof extension costs x when keeping hip roof, but estimates that it would cost 2*x when putting in a Gable and to that extension .....that is useful information no matter how rough an estimate.

And the comment "sadly I tried with local builders" is not derogatory to builders, but in respect of being a novice im not sure how else to proceed ....hence asking a DIY forum.

But thanks for your comments.

 

[noseall]

Maybe you can suggest the correct way

Inform your designer what your budget is and what you are trying to achieve.

 

[John D v2.0]

You can get a quantity surveyor or something similar, our architect said if budget certainty is critical for us we can get one in as an option.

 

[noseall]

The expense in lowering ceilings would be the mess and redecoration

And the small matter of the roof collapsing.

 

[John D v2.0]

And the small matter of the roof collapsing.

Could do that's a good point! Although i assume the roof structure would have to be redesigned anyway as part of the conversion