I Am A Property Developer – Ask Me Anything!

Simon – I think the “ask me anything” tag is used by Mark for all of these more specialised sub-sections of the site, and implies no special talent with open-ended questions on my part!

I have no experience of building using a steel frame, so all I can suggest is that you find a friendly builder, architect or QS and ask or pay them to estimate some costs. For fitting-out costs, this really is an open-ended question where the reply could be “how much do you want to spend?” I would say at least £1500 per m2 for apartments, and probably more if you have any complications with listed buildings and all the noise and fire regulations that apply nowadays with flats. I have built four new-build flats and they are significantly more expensive than houses: I was effectively building four small houses, each of which had to be protected from the other with substantial sound- and fire-proofing that was complex and laborious to install. Here you are effectively inserting a four-flat new-build inside an existing structure, and as you will want to make the most of the vaulted spaces and existing windows, the design will need both to insect the old and the new structures whilst also meet building regulations.

I don’t want to sound negative but this is specialist stuff, each site is different, and you will probably find that the level of your fitting-out costs will be decided for you by whatever is left over once you deduct all your other costs and profit margin from the Gross Development Value. If you still want a guesstimate figure, I’d say try £2000/m2 and see if that works.

You could try asking at homebuilding.co.uk, or ask your local Planning or Building Control if they know of any similar conversion projects, or try and find out whoever did a similar church conversion in Donnington Road, Reading, which I’ve seen but have no further details. There are probably specialist discussion boards out on the web too, for people tackling unusual conversions, perhaps people with a green or conservationist agenda.

HI Tony

I have a BTL in the East Midlands. The neighbours garden that backs onto mine has been divided into two i.e. He uses the first 5M depth but not the remaining 5.6M which is severely overgrown and disused.

The area measures 5.6M x 16.3M = 91.28 Sq M.

I do not wish to build on it, merely to extend my garden. Any idea what would be a reasonable amount to offer?

The owner does not reside at the address. It is rented out to Eastern Europeans who take very little care of the reduced garden they occupy.

Kind regards

Khalid

Hello Khalid, This question is regularly asked and there is no easy answer: it’s whatever you think you can get away with and the other property owner is prepared to accept! Or alternatively, whatever cheeky amount the other guy asks for, and which you are prepared to pay. Do you have a figure in mind for how much the extra land is worth to you?

Remember, too, that you may not be a free agent here. If your neighbour has a mortgage, the lender may not give its permission for the garden to be sold: the garden is quite wide but shallow, so the residual property left with only 5m of garden may well be hard to sell. If I were an estate agent advising your neighbour, I would tell them not to sell anything to you, because this could end up doing permanent damage to the value of the property. 11m is generally regarded by local authorities as the minimum necessary depth for a garden, and they impose this figure on new houses.

I’m sorry not to be more encouraging, but you could just offer £5-10,000 and see how your neighbour responds.

Reply to the comment left by “Tony Atkins” at “28/07/2015 – 16:14“:

Hi Tony

Your comments are most helpful – much appreciated.

Kindest

KM

Hi Tony
I found the comments very interesting and informative, would you be interested in taking on, obtaining planning redeloping some brown field sites in south East England?
Please let me know.
Thanks
Tony

Tony: I might be interested but we can’t contact each other as Property118 doesn’t allow members to communicate phone numbers or email addresses.

HI Tony
Well they have arranged it previously. If you mention it to Mark I think he can help us to get in touch.
Thanks
Tony

Reply to the comment left by “Tony Atkins” at “30/07/2015 – 14:46“:

Hi Tony, I emailed you today to say it would be OK to add your email address to the bio section of your member profile 😉
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Reply to the comment left by “Tony Atkins” at “30/07/2015 – 14:46“:

Hi Tony, I emailed you today to say it would be OK to add your email address to the bio section of your member profile 😉
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Many thanks Mark,where can I find the bio section on this site?