Kitchen extension - ideas?

PaulStat · 27 May 2015 at 20:32

Just starting to think of ideas for kitchen extension. Bit of and odd shape to rear of the house.

The large area at the back is an 80's kitchen extension, the square area is the original kitchen with the original external wall in between, hence the large doorway.

The bit off to the side is a 60's extension which leads out to a downstairs toilet in the first room on the right, at the end is a door leading outside, with two further outside rooms. One is used to store the washing machine the other has an outside toilet which isn't used

The 60's extension needs to come down and be replaced as it's served it's use and has some large horizontal cracks on it's side (down to no foundations I believe, main house is fine). We would however like to keep a downstairs toilet and perhaps somehow add a shower room.

As for the kitchen we were thinking of going out another 3m into the garden, perhaps some sort of conservatory.

I'll add more pictures/detail if required. Still very early stages yet. Also still getting used to sketchup

PaulStat · 7 Jun 2015 at 21:04

Slowly getting thoughts together

Idea is to have a large amount of glass in the new roof section

Keeping the size of the side extension the same but increasing the ceiling/roof height, having the right hand side as a bathroom/toilet and the bit to the left has a 'dirty' entrance plus space for boots/shoes/coats that sort of thing

View looking back from the front of the house. Garden is north facing but large enough to get lots of light

No idea if any of this is feasible/affordable yet, getting ideas together o show an architect

JBuk · 7 Jun 2015 at 21:50

I'd have a proper roof and have the external wall with floor to ceiling windows

PaulStat · 7 Jun 2015 at 21:53

That back section of roof already exists, the roof starts just underneath the upstairs bathroom window

PaulStat · 31 Oct 2016 at 22:34

So it's been over a year since posting this, one crappy architect and one good architect later, we're about to accept a quote from a builder to do the following.

So instead of go out into the back we're going sideways instead, we're also doing a double story at the side which will give us a fourth bedroom upstairs, the room I haven't textured is a shower/toilet room.

The main kitchen itself will be 28m^2 with the bit added on, have two french doors a vaulted ceiling and three velux windows.

Just trying to get ideas on the finish now and the above is what I've come up with so far. Will also have to think about lighting, there will be some wall cabinets on the brick textured wall so undercabinet lighting there, the breakfast bar bit will have some dangly lights (don't know the technical term) also thinking of having a couple more of those somewhere in the middle of the room where the dining table will be sat and perhaps a tall lamp over in the corner somewhere where we're likely to have a corner sofa. Will hopefully also have a log burner on the far side

If we accept this guys quote he won't be starting until June so still a while for the finish details to change although we have been thinking about this for some time now so not sure it'll change that much.

the_r_sole · 1 Nov 2016 at 09:59

are they the architects models?!

anyway - just be careful about accepting a quote and then adding a whole lot of complexity with electrics/finishes/stoves etc - you really want to get as much down in the quote as possible to avoid any nasty surprises...

Very difficult to comment on any of the finishes you are looking at without knowing what you want to achieve, have a look on pintrest and/or houzz for the kind of look and finish you like then try and translate it into info a builder can understand...
seems like a very narrow room with two openings taking most of the wall space, you should have a look and see how you think the furniture is going to work in there and still let you move around it - or is it just a dining table in the middle of the space and nothing else?

PaulStat · 1 Nov 2016 at 11:01

No that's me playing around with sketch up, having a chat with the builder tomorrow to go over the quote in detail

It is 3.5m wide so not too bad, there'll be an extendable dining table in the middle and a small corner sofa in the bottom left corner of that last picture

Abyss · 2 Nov 2016 at 11:58

My advice is if you know you will need something make sure it's included in the scope and allowed for as a provisional sum. Even if you just put under-cabinet lighting and 3 no. pendant light fittings, location to be confirmed.

Once you accept a quote any changes will become significantly more expensive than if you had asked for them up front, particularly if it results in them being on site longer. If need be include it as a provisional sum which can be firmed up once the exact location/spec has been agreed.

I would suggest producing room data sheets in conjunction with your architect, agreeing floor finishes, lighting, wall treatment etc then issuing this out to your contractor as soon as possible and ideally before you agree a contract sum.

Just remember the contractor is not there to work with you and help you agree finishes, he's there to make a profit. The more you can agree now before awarding the contractor the better. He will likely take any opportunity to charge more (e.g. the tiles you have selected are bigger so need 2 men to lift them, that's an extra £500 for a labourer for 2 days).

Also make sure you are not being charged twice for things or being charged for poor workmanship. It's quite common for a contractor to try and charge the client for making good (e.g. sticking with the tiling example, charging for latex to level the floor before tiling when the new slab should be constructed level in the first place).

a1ex2001 · 2 Nov 2016 at 16:03

Looks nice, I'd have more glass in the side wall though