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[Help] Flat buying/surveyor question



kevo

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,805
Considering putting an offer in the raised ground floor flat in the pic below, but noticed something very unusual. It looks like it has lovely high ceilings, but inside the property you only get two thirds of the windows! There is a section of window that is ABOVE the ceiling - in other words a gap between the flat and the one above it (in the external photo you can see where the ceiling is because it's where the curtain/blinds end). Why would that be - what is in the gap?! There doesn't appear to be any 'loft' space. I've heard of suspended ceilings but this is ridiculous.

war external.PNG
war internal.PNG
 
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kevo

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,805
From a noise insulation pov, it's brilliant - no banging from the floor above. But it is very odd and I wonder if it would affect re-sale value. I just have no idea what it's for and why someone would do it. I'm going to visit it again tomorrow morning, so perhaps the mystery will be solved then.
 


kevo

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,805
amexer said:
during a refurb ceiling was lowered
Click to expand...

But why? I can understand it being lowered a bit for noise insulation etc, but it's like they've tried to create and extra half a floor or something...
 






kevo

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,805


A

amexer

Well-known member
Aug 8, 2011
6,847
kevo said:
But why? I can understand it being lowered a bit for noise insulation etc, but it's like they've tried to create and extra half a floor or something...
Click to expand...
A pity because looks typr of room that would have had nice cornicing. If cornice and ceiling were in very poor condition would think have just taken the cheapest option
 






deletebeepbeepbeep

deletebeepbeepbeep

Well-known member
May 12, 2009
21,805
amexer said:
A pity because looks typr of room that would have had nice cornicing. If cornice and ceiling were in very poor condition would think have just taken the cheapest option
Click to expand...
Like someone else said above that would make me concerned about whose responsibility is the area between the new ceiling and the old ceiling including 2/3 of the window and flat roof above the bay.
 


kevo

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,805
I think what's happened is they decided to create a suspended ceiling for whatever reason, but then realised they may need to have access to the flat roof, so decided to make the space big enough for someone to get in for repairs etc. I don't know whether it's included in the 'demise' of the flat. If so, I guess it could be useful for storage though I've no idea how you access it.
 


Bold Seagull

Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
30,465
Hove
kevo said:
I think what's happened is they decided to create a suspended ceiling for whatever reason, but then realised they may need to have access to the flat roof, so decided to make the space big enough for someone to get in for repairs etc. I don't know whether it's included in the 'demise' of the flat. If so, I guess it could be useful for storage though I've no idea how you access it.
Click to expand...
Maybe needed to create a void space for foul waste / services to run under the first floor joists or there is some structural steels needed for the flat above and rather than box them in separately they lowered the whole ceiling to ensure the 1 hour fire separation and acoustic performance. Might also be that the main room ceiling was already lower and just higher within the bay, and when they did the fire and acoustic they just made it a continuous ceiling.
 




kevo

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,805
Bold Seagull said:
Maybe needed to create a void space for foul waste / services to run under the first floor joists or there is some structural steels needed for the flat above and rather than box them in separately they lowered the whole ceiling to ensure the 1 hour fire separation and acoustic performance. Might also be that the main room ceiling was already lower and just higher within the bay, and when they did the fire and acoustic they just made it a continuous ceiling.
Click to expand...
Thanks. It's the same height in the bedroom at the back, where again the windows extend above the ceiling, so don't think it's the latter thing.
 


B

Bodian

Well-known member
May 3, 2012
14,274
Cumbria
How many flats are there in the house? Have they turned three floors into four? If not - it all seems rather odd.
 








kevo

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,805
Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ said:
Have you had a search on the planning register to see if you can find drawings for what's going on? Feel free to send me a PM with the address and I'm happy to have a look for you.
Click to expand...
Thanks. It happened a long time ago though apparently, so might not help.
 


kevo

kevo

Well-known member
Mar 8, 2008
9,805
No
Bodian said:
How many flats are there in the house? Have they turned three floors into four? If not - it all seems rather odd.
Click to expand...
That doesn't seem to be the case... they've just put new low ceilings in.
 


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