Knocking two flats into one is catching on. Designers report more clients are casting a covetous eye on their neighbours' flat. But it's not for the faint-hearted. You would have to move out for the duration, and be prepared to invest in the total restoration of both apartments, including the unseen structural, wiring and plumbing works.
It can often be cheaper to move and start again. However, if there's a special reason to stay, such as a prime location or view, the design possibilities are exhilarating.
Not every adjoining flat can necessarily be co-joined, so your first step would be to determine precisely what can be done. One designer says that newer flats can be more suitable, because they're often easier to convert. Another prefers older buildings because they're less likely to have internal structural walls. So, buyer beware.
Discretion could save you money, experts say. Vendors might negotiate harder if they're aware of your motivation.
The next step is to be open-minded about the new design. Simply doubling the number of existing, pokey rooms would be a wasted exercise, says designer Carol Ip Hoi-yan, who runs Ip Interiors with her sister Tammy Ip Kar-yan.
'Normally, when one buys a flat in Hong Kong, it doesn't have a proper-sized bathroom or kitchen, and the bedrooms are together on one side,' says Carol Ip.