Will knocking a wall down affect saleability?

[Homer]

I've got a one bed flat in London. The bedroom and lounge are next to one another. Half of the wall between the two is a stud wall anyway, and I was wondering if I knocked down the stud wall to open the bedroom into the lounge (to give the flat a greater feeling of depth and space) if it would affect the saleability and the overall price of the flat?

I would only be knocking down half the wall, so would in essence be a large "L" shape space, with one part the bedroom and the other the lounge.

The flat would feel more modern if I took the wall down and would feel more spacious. But I'd like advice if it would have a big affect on the price/saleablilty?

[Mortgage_Adviser]

You may be better off asking this question in the solicitors & legal board.

[Richard Webster]

You may need consent from your freeholder to knock walls down and if the point doesn't come up until you are selling and the freeholder knows you need his consent to sell, this consent may not come cheap. So perceived advantages from a sales point of view may easily be wiped out!

So check exactly what your lease says about this kind of thing.

Also from a marketing point of view it turns it from a one-bed flat to a studio (and therefore possibly into a lower price bracket).

[Property Cashpoint]

I am pretty sure turning a one bed into a studio would affect the price. Get a local estate agent round and ask them.

[garry]

I would consult with a building inspector on this to double check it isnt a load bearing wall.