Two storey side extension

[DXP55]

One thing I have always wondered is why you (and others) are not matching the existing roof line and gable walls - When I did mine in the late 80's I sent in drawing with roof and gables matching expecting it to be refused - I then felt like I had a large house rather than one and half houses - One house with a bit tagged on. ??

 

[HangTime]

Any reason you are moving the living room door? I guess it is slightly more optimal to have the handle nearer the front door / bottom of stairs and maybe will give a better first impression than looking at the corner of the room, but generally doors are setup that way at least in traditional houses, to give some privacy to people in the room when entering (i.e. doors are normally pivoted on the 'big side of the room'). Current layout, you push the door ajar and see very little. Future layout, you push he door ajar and see half the room. Of course, depending on lifestyle this may be a complete non-factor nowadays.

If you are going to move the door, personally I'd move it much further, much nearer to the front door and bottom of stars, to reduce unnecessary foot traffic in the hallway (bearing in mind you'd use the double doors to access to the dining room, playroom, kitchen, utility room etc, the main reason for using that side door would be to go upstairs or exit the front door, more common than using the downstairs WC I'd imagine).

 

[Domo]

We’re mid build (loft conversion consisting of 3 bedrooms and a bathroom). The quote was £68k and we’re about to pass the £80k mark. Will likely hit £90k if not more. And the duration has increased from 3 months to 6 months. All of which anticipated thanks to advice from friends and architects.

Whatever you’re finally quoted, add plenty of contingency.

 

[eviled]

Think of it as adding space downstairs not just an extra room. Open plan with semi shut off area and an area to hide away is how I would do it.

Also I really disliked your en-suite design, you can fit in a freestanding bath and his/her sink combo

 

[HangTime]

I guess the challenge with that design is how easy it would be to get rid of that wall between the kitchen and dining room on the OPs design (i.e. the current dining room exterior wall), I have no idea about construction so may be really simple, but wondered if removing such a large chunk of exterior wall might push costs up etc especially given the design includes a wall directly above it on the first floor.

Thinking about it I guess you'd need to replace the wall anyway(?) - no idea how this stuff works!

 

[roccles]

One of my only requirements for the new downstairs is a utility room which is a completely separate room housing all white goods, shoes and coats. Which can be shut off when washing machine, tumble dryer are running etc.

 

[paintguy]

That's a great idea and pretty much what I went with on our recent extension, but with that layout you'll end up with a utility room much larger than the kitchen with a lot of dead floor space.

Is it possible to move the dividing wall? Maybe in line with the one dividing the hall and living room on your second plan (as much as the window will allow). That would still give you your separate utility but give a roomier kitchen and a better ratio between their sizes.

 

[Maccapacca]

This is what we are doing. Downstairs was a cruddy garage with a cruddy kitchen extension on the back which has now all been ripped out and skipped. It's a traditional pitched and hipped roof with a gable end and a glass juliette balcony.

I've tweaked the downstairs on sketchup and will do the same upstairs.

 

[HangTime]

That's a great idea and pretty much what I went with on our recent extension, but with that layout you'll end up with a utility room much larger than the kitchen with a lot of dead floor space.

Is it possible to move the dividing wall? Maybe in line with the one dividing the hall and living room on your second plan (as much as the window will allow). That would still give you your separate utility but give a roomier kitchen and a better ratio between their sizes.

I think on the pic the Utility room looks bigger than it is because there are no units or anything down the right hand wall; If you compare with the original layout the room (current kitchen) isn't actually much bigger than the new kitchen (current playroom). Personally with the proposed layout I would consider retaining storage down that side. Our house has a decent number of kitchen/utility cupboards (a dozen?) and they are all full to the brim.

A mate of mine did an extension on his house (recently sold) basically putting a massive utility room on the back, I've got to be honest it felt like the balance was all wrong with a narrow galley kitchen leading through to this massive open and bright space (floor to ceiling glass doors leading out to the garden across the whole width of the house) that was basically just used to house white goods, odds and ends plus for drying washing. It felt like a bit of a waste having one of the biggest and definitely brightest rooms in the house used in that way, there was no seating you'd literally just walk there to get something out the fridge, hang the washing up etc.
edit: I guess what it really showed was what happens if you just 'add a room' rather than redesign the layout to suit the new property dimensions, basically he already had a living room, kitchen and dining room but passed up on the option to do much to those rooms beyond open up a gateway from the dining room through to the utility to ensure the light would still come through.

 

[Steeps]

Open plan with options to have walls/doors if needed. I'd shrink the current living room down to form the playroom, large utility is very useful. Only problem with a corridor through the middle is it would be very dark with doors closed so I'd suggest hinting it's a corridor by keeping the end walls in place, open plan kitchen with island, maybe retain external door or create window depending on amount of units needed. Optional wall between living and dining depending on if you want to shut it off. Other option would be to build kitchen in new section before other internal modifications in that area, but not much of an issue if your white goods are in a utility room.

 

[roccles]

That's a great idea and pretty much what I went with on our recent extension, but with that layout you'll end up with a utility room much larger than the kitchen with a lot of dead floor space.

Is it possible to move the dividing wall? Maybe in line with the one dividing the hall and living room on your second plan (as much as the window will allow). That would still give you your separate utility but give a roomier kitchen and a better ratio between their sizes.

That is a good idea. I was sort of hoping that I wouldnt need to start knocking walls down in the existing building.

Here is an idea of what that looks like. I think I would need to look at switching the door accessing the utility from the hall way

Although I have no idea if moving this wall is something i could do.

 

[roccles]

This is what we are doing. Downstairs was a cruddy garage with a cruddy kitchen extension on the back which has now all been ripped out and skipped. It's a traditional pitched and hipped roof with a gable end and a glass juliette balcony.

I've tweaked the downstairs on sketchup and will do the same upstairs.

Thank you

That looks great, i like the idea of the dressing room between the ensuite and bedroom that will be very handy

 

[roccles]

I think on the pic the Utility room looks bigger than it is because there are no units or anything down the right hand wall; If you compare with the original layout the room (current kitchen) isn't actually much bigger than the new kitchen (current playroom). Personally with the proposed layout I would consider retaining storage down that side. Our house has a decent number of kitchen/utility cupboards (a dozen?) and they are all full to the brim.

You are right the rooms are not that different in size but the proposed utility room will be bigger, the post above shows my idea at reducing the size of the utility and increasing te kitchen space.

 

[Maccapacca]

Work with what you have. You can spend fortunes moving walls just because your adamant you want a certain layout. Ditto bathrooms etc, work with where easy access to drains are. It'll all cost considerably less.

 

[HangTime]

I like Steeps proposal, assuming wall move feasible, with the kitchen at the back of the house (where presumably plumbing a lot easier due to proximity to existing kitchen, and views over the garden I assume). Central hallway looks a lot better that way.

 

[roccles]

Work with what you have. You can spend fortunes moving walls just because your adamant you want a certain layout. Ditto bathrooms etc, work with where easy access to drains are. It'll all cost considerably less.

Thank you this makes a lot of sense. I do think your right, If i start moving walls in the kitchen I am going to have to potentially move the boiler as that is very close to the wall in question and potentially add supporting beams and I can see already how this could start eating into the budget and adding to the cost before I even get started on the new extension.

With the proposed new extension I can even leave the house as it is if needed as its just a big box on the side with a access door on each floor, so I am thinking if costs do over run on the extension I still have my house exactly as it is now. The kicthen and utility can be done later if needed.

 

[eviled]

Personally I feel utility rooms are over valued and you need a really big house for it not to be better used.

I had a 3x3m utility at the back of the house that I sacrificed for larger kitchen/breakfast/play area and bigger windows.

This is my utility now, cupboards keep things fairly quiet and they are full sized appliances

 

[eviled]

Work with what you have. You can spend fortunes moving walls just because your adamant you want a certain layout

Not always true, you can spend a fortune and without enough planning into how you’ll live in a space you’ll end up with an expensive awkward box on the side of your house

 

[roccles]

Not always true, you can spend a fortune and without enough planning into how you’ll live in a space you’ll end up with an expensive awkward box on the side of your house

This is a tough one, if I start knocking loads of walls down and extending I would probably be better off looking to move. I am very happy with what the upstairs will offer for the family the downstairs is just a bit of a bonus. Maybe I should just make a massive man cave with a secret entrance!

 

[ash_scotland88]

A poorly planned extension could devalue the house, (over a like for like SQM of a well though out one)