Turning 2 houses into 1?

dulpit

Hey,

This is a bit of a hypothetical, and I'm not sure if it belongs here or in the legal forum, but anyway, here goes.

My in-laws live in a terraced house, which used to be the corner house. They built a second house onto the original, where my sister-in-law lives. Completely separate house. If at some point in the future you wanted to turn the 2 houses into 1 big one, can you legally do this? Similarly, if you had 2 houses in the middle of a terrace, could you knock through from 1 into the other to make a bigger house? Is it just a question of planning, or are there legal restrictions that prevents this from happening?

Gumbo

Once planning permission is obtained, it should be legally possible.

dulpit

kceire wrote: »

Once planning permission is obtained, it should be legally possible.

Would planning permission be an issue only based on the local's opinions, or would there be other reasons that might prevent this? (e.g. local authority rules/laws/etc)?

Gumbo

dulpit wrote: »

Would planning permission be an issue only based on the local's opinions, or would there be other reasons that might prevent this? (e.g. local authority rules/laws/etc)?

Depends on the context tbh.
I cant see it been an issues, but as above, really depends on the site in question.

We've done a few splitting one into 2 and adding extensions and they went through ok.

Rew

There is is a house for sale in Sandycove that was two turned into one so its possible but I would suspect planning is required

http://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/88-89-lower-albert-road-sandycove-co-dublin/3663050

Gumbo

Rew wrote: »

There is is a house for sale in Sandycove that was two turned into one so its possible but I would suspect planning is required

http://www.myhome.ie/residential/brochure/88-89-lower-albert-road-sandycove-co-dublin/3663050

No suspect about it. Planning is 100% required

The_Conductor

There may also be folio and property tax issues- e.g. you don't want to end up having two separate property tax demands on the dwelling...........

Johngoose

Sounds like you would have to "bump off" the sister-in-law for this fiendish plan to be carried out!;-)

gumbo1

I live in an end of terrace house. The house we're attached to hasn't had anyone living in it for years, I'd be interested to know too if it's possible to convert 2 into 1.

Bored_lad

It is possible if you get proper planning permission, however, if you have a mortgage or are looking to get one for it as far as I know the banks don't look too favourably on it.

dulpit

Johngoose wrote: »

Sounds like you would have to "bump off" the sister-in-law for this fiendish plan to be carried out!;-)

:pac:

Gumbo

gumbo1 wrote: »

I live in an end of terrace house. The house we're attached to hasn't had anyone living in it for years, I'd be interested to know too if it's possible to convert 2 into 1.

Yes. Apply for planning.

The_Conductor

kceire wrote: »

Yes. Apply for planning.

And buy it, of course.........
If its been vacant for years- you could try for adverse possession- doubt you'd get anywhere with it though.

Lantus

Planning is just one aspect. These houses have separate heating, electrical, gas and fire safety requirements.

Combining them is not just a matter of knocking a new door in once you get planning.

Get an engineer to assess this.

Gumbo

Lantus wrote: »

Planning is just one aspect. These houses have separate heating, electrical, gas and fire safety requirements.

Combining them is not just a matter of knocking a new door in once you get planning.

Get an engineer to assess this.

Not so much fire safety concerns as its still a single family dwelling after the conversion. Normal procedures apply. Electrical and gas will obviously have to be combined or at least one of the extended to facilitate a future split back into 2.