New Roof required

[chriscooper]

We are considering buying a Victorian Terrace which has had a roof conversion and dormers installed front and back. Floor plan size is approximately 5.5m wide by 7m deep.
The roof leaks; the ceilings below bow - the place looks a mess.
I think that complete new roof (including timber structures) will be required (tiles are clay).
Can anyone give me a feel for likely cost?

 

[NT]

Roof leaking will presumably be down to the clay tiles or flashing.

Bowing ceilings dont imply the need to rebuild the roof structure. If you tell us exactly where this ceiling is in relation to the roof that may help. So would a rough idea of when the conversion was done.

If its modern, I guess it will be a non compliant job. And since the ceiling/floor was so skimpy, likely no roof insulation, and unknown roof ventilation. If that guess is right, problem yes, but roof rebuild probably no.


NT

 

[Mr.C]

I hate to disagree with the experience of NT, but the problems you are having are more likely to be structural.

Bowed ceilings (I assume this is the loft conversion floor) probably means that the old first floor ceiling joists are being used as the loft floor. Not good.

Roof leaks could be that only plasterboard was added to the underside of the original rafters (Is there any felt on the original roof?). Not good.

I do agree with NT that this sounds like a bodge job, and this implies a lot of short cuts to gain extra living space.

Out of interest, I have recently completed the design of two loft conversions, both around the same size as yours. One came in at £25,000 and the other at £38,000. Please bear in mind, however, that these were almost complete rebuilds due to the nature of the existing structure, ie; not suitable for additional loadings etc., and the subsequent steelwork which was required to satisfy these loadings.

Also the current Building Regulations as regards to insulation can appear to be over the top and the cost of this can be large.

Have you had a surveyors report on this conversion?