Shared Development & Roofs

[DCC]

Hi, I'm after a bit of advice relating to a joint development my neighbour and I are planning. In the picture below house 1 and 2 are semi's and shown is the gap between them, which is currently filled with a rats nest of brick outbuildings, dodgy roofs and tacked on bits of plastic corrugated mess!

My neighbour is extending to the rear and side into the area between the houses - I have no problem with that and see it as a good opportunity to get rid of the current falling down outbuildings.

Untitled

• DCC
• 9 Apr 2012
• 1

The plan is to have a shared wall built over the boundary, with a flat roof on their side and probably a pitched roof on my side. We may end up using the same builder (we'll have to for the dividing wall) but I'm not at all sure what happens where the roofs meet over the shared wall with respect to a) sealing it off and b) guttering.

I want to make sure that I don't end up with a wall built and a roof on their side leaving me no sensible way to get a roof on my side (house 2) - so what should I be making sure the builder(s) do?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Your houses will then be classed as terraced and the value will be affected. Keep a gap to retain separation even if its only 10mm.

 

[cotswoldbuilders]

Either have the pitched roof drain onto the flat roof, then to gutters.
Bottom of pitched roof slightly higher to fix gutters to.
Or a lead lined box gutter separating both roofs.

 

[^woody^]

I don't think that they will be classed as terraced or even link-attached. This is a common arrangement with old and post war semis, and they are still semis.

But there are still party wall issues and issues of future ownership and boundaries which need to be addressed and even documented

Really, you should be paying for the builder to sort this out or get some suitable person to design it.

Ideally, there should be no central gutter and the pitched roof should discharge onto the flat roof. Fire separation should also be considered

 

[DCC]

Thanks for the replies. Not really sure about all of this at all! I dont think the houses would change classification and ownership is indeed an unknown, I guess I need a solicitor.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

I don't think that they will be classed as terraced or even link-attached. This is a common arrangement with old and post war semis, and they are still semis.

Maybe not but a potential seller in the future may see it differently.

 

[^woody^]

These are all advertised, priced, sold and bought as semis, not terraced

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

These are all advertised, priced, sold and bought as semis, not terraced

I don't doubt it but a potential buyer may view it differently, I have a client doing a side extension, his neighbour also all wants to do a side extension in the future, whilst it would make my job easier they have both expressed that they do not want their developments to touch as they perceive this as a negative. You cannot allow for a future buyers opinion who may just dismiss it out of hand.

 

[Deluks]

One solution could be to build a parapet wall. Each side builds up to it and sorts out their own drainage.

 

[DCC]

It's a tricky one - technically we are linked anyway as over the years various bits of brickwork have gone up to put doors in etc - when I bought the house almost 20 years ago it was already 'attached' by various bits of tacked on brickwork. I never considered it an issue although now the neighbour's side will be more a part of their house - mine will still be an outside work/storage area and definitely removeable without altering the house itself. Any more thoughts on this issue definitely welcome as I'm a little unsure about it.

A parapet wall looks interesting, I assume to attach a small flat roof to it you'd (layman terms) tack up a 4x2 along the wall and lay rafters on top?