I'm looking to do an extension of my Victorian end of terrace side return in the next year and thinking it's about time I got the ball rolling. A couple of things prompting me is that the kitchen is so small, and also it has a solid concrete floor without any DPM. With the heating on full all day lately it only reaches 13 degrees max 
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The plan I've had in my head is to infill the rear yard with a new kitchen. The current outside kitchen wall would be replaced by a steel beam extending to the garage to support the upstairs wall. The new kitchen in the existing void would have a sloping glass roof or tile+velux window roof depending on cost.
The upstairs bathroom would also be extended in the garage direction only making it less cramped and giving enough space for a standalone shower.
To me the back yard is a waste of space but I do wonder if losing it would negatively affect the property value.
I'm also thinking about a loft conversion in future with dormer window, so once the yard is infilled it might be difficult to install and I should perhaps build that on first. Not sure if this can be done without doing the rest of the loft installation however?
Another concern is the drain and manhole cover currently in the back yard. When I bought the house the searches reported no public sewers or drains on the property, but not sure how much flexibility I have with them. If I couldn't move them it would make me rethink my plans as the idea of double sealed covers in the living area isn't appealing.
I've found someone local who is a structural engineer and architect and was thinking about getting him around for a chat. Just wondering if what I'm considering is sound, if anyone has any experience in extensions, any lessons learned etc that would be helpful.
.The plan I've had in my head is to infill the rear yard with a new kitchen. The current outside kitchen wall would be replaced by a steel beam extending to the garage to support the upstairs wall. The new kitchen in the existing void would have a sloping glass roof or tile+velux window roof depending on cost.
The upstairs bathroom would also be extended in the garage direction only making it less cramped and giving enough space for a standalone shower.
To me the back yard is a waste of space but I do wonder if losing it would negatively affect the property value.
I'm also thinking about a loft conversion in future with dormer window, so once the yard is infilled it might be difficult to install and I should perhaps build that on first. Not sure if this can be done without doing the rest of the loft installation however?
Another concern is the drain and manhole cover currently in the back yard. When I bought the house the searches reported no public sewers or drains on the property, but not sure how much flexibility I have with them. If I couldn't move them it would make me rethink my plans as the idea of double sealed covers in the living area isn't appealing.
I've found someone local who is a structural engineer and architect and was thinking about getting him around for a chat. Just wondering if what I'm considering is sound, if anyone has any experience in extensions, any lessons learned etc that would be helpful.
