Combined flats in CC

[giantsean]

I was reading bits of the Building Ordinance regarding combining adjacent flats.  One interesting thing that I picked out are rules surrounding combination of flats with "green balcony and utility platforms".  Basically saying that if the two adjacent flats have balconies that it violates some kind of condition.  On the other hand  there is another item about removing the partition between two balconies, so I read it more in terms of for both cases, the balconies have to be part of the same structure (ie physically attached, similar to CS or LBD balconies)

Also, does anyone know specifically if combining flats in CC violates the DMC in any way?  I know the Building Dept is good so long as you do not remove a structural wall.

[DrBubb]

There is more flexibility on the higher floors, more walls can be modified

But get proper advice before you start spending money

[giantsean]

Thanks Bubb but too late for that... It was combined when I bought it 

[Zorro]

Giantsean,

The issue on combined balconies is if you add a structure to combine a balcony. In other words you can not errect a connection between balconies to make them larger...

In HK if you own adjacent apartments and any part of the wall is not structual, you can remove it. If the wall is structual of nature you can not remove it.

HK case law was recently settled on the issue when a party combined 2 units in a luxury apartment in Stubbs Road. The High Court found that the part of the combined wall that was not structual could be removed however the structual part that had been removed had to be reinstated.

Further to this is if you want to remove a wall that is structual you can do it if you get a qualified structual egineer to get approval from the incorp owners assoc and the HK Govt. This however would be time consuming and exepensive...

Hope this helps...

[fieter]

AS an example : A CCoast owner bought two H ( 1200 sq ft ) flats on top of each other and wanted to put a staircase in - it cost him $ 150 000 to get a hole in the floor/ceiling approved - and took almost a year. And then another $ 150 000 to build it.

And as an afterthought - he now owns a 2400 sg ft that has been empty since he bought it  - never a good idea to have the most expensive/biggest house in a poor neighbourhood.

Which in my opinion does not bode well for a clown that just spend 25 mill $ on one of the new houses.......

[Zorro]

The reason it would have taken so long is that to go through a floor is a lot more expensive than putting a hole in a wall that is not structual... it will take you about 10 days and less than HK$30,000 to nock down a non structual wall between two flats on the same floor.

[DrBubb]

AS an example : A CCoast owner bought two H ( 1200 sq ft ) flats on top of each other and wanted to put a staircase in - it cost him $ 150 000 to get a hole in the floor/ceiling approved - and took almost a year. And then another $ 150 000 to build it.

And as an afterthought - he now owns a 2400 sg ft that has been empty since he bought it  - never a good idea to have the most expensive/biggest house in a poor neighbourhood.

Which in my opinion does not bode well for a clown that just spend 25 mill $ on one of the new houses.......

I heard that two-layer H-flat is very nice.  Have you seen it?

Of course, the "Lamer"* homes, are "speculative trophies" for their new owners.  I wonder how many will actually live there?  If they go out looking for tenants to rent them, they may be disappointed.  If I was a Cathay pilot living at Le Bleu, i might be tempted to ask my LL for a rent cut, given all the new supply that will be likely to come into the market as they hoems are completed.
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If Le Bleu homes have a "LAME excuse for a sea-view", what would yo call the Le Mer views ...?