Take out a Ceiling

A double-height room with a vaulted ceiling will always feel far more spacious than a room with a flat roof. It’s a strategy you might adopt in a single-storey extension if you already have one, or in a first-floor room that can be opened to a pitched-roof loft above. The exposed roof might be a fabulous feature, too. Structural work may be required, the roof will need new insulation, and wiring will have to be moved. Building regulations will come into play. Budget around £4,000 for the work.

Permitted development rights, which allow many common projects for houses to go ahead without the need for planning permission, don’t apply to flats and maisonettes.

Leaseholders may also need the landlord’s consent for changes. Check the lease to see if the alteration you want to make needs the go-ahead before starting work.

Don’t forget to consider building regulations. Get details from the Government’s planning portal at planningportal.co.uk

If your proposed change affects a neighbouring property, a Party Wall Notice is required. Find info from the Homeowners Alliance at hoa.org.uk.

Interior designer Sarah Wallis reconfigured the layout of her London maisonnette, creating a double-height kitchen-livingdiner area. the ceiling was removed to enhance the feeling of space and a new timber flitch steel beam installed to support the...