Help? Practicality, light and safety - Extension (EDITED AFTER FEEDBACK)

jennifernil

ormus wrote: »

a thro hallway is all very nice but takes up a lot of room.

I think that is fine in a very small house, but the OP plans a decent extension, a passage to the kitchen would be an advantage.

uropachild

UPDATE BELOW

Okay, so i've taken everyone's thoughts on board and managed to come up with another plan. This is the closest i've come to being excited about it and getting "the feeling" that it's right if you know what i mean.

I just need to make some points cause people mentioned some stuff...

1a. We are going to be living in this house for the foreseeable future. The only time we are likely to move is if DH needs to change his job or something. Pretty unlikely, but a slim possibility. This means though, that we're confident that we can build this extension with OUR needs and wants in mind without dwelling tooooo much on resale value and stuff like that. Of course at the same time though we don't want to build a lemon iykwim?

1b. If we do end up having to move we are aware that extensions don't always pay for themselves. We are also aware that doing this puts our house into an "expensive for just 3 beds" bracket. However, even as prices are falling we are very fortunate to have some equity in the house. As long as we add some value and don't completely chuck away £30,000 it's a risk we are okay with.

2. Someone mentioned about knocking the hall cupboard through to be a better walkway into the back of the house. We decided against this mainly because we enjoy having the cupboard there for coats, the hoover, pushchair etc. Plus, we're used to having to walk through the living room to get to places. It didn't occur to us that it might be an issue when we bought the house, so although its maybe not an ideal layout i am sure it won't be too detrimental. Also, the french windows at the back make for an extra way in.

3. This plan involves going back 4 meters instead of 3. It means a planning application, but there is plenty of precedent on our street with loads of extensions, so fingers crossed it shouldn't be a problem. Cost wise it does involve more money, but could be offset by not needing as big an RSJ since we can leave part of the back wall in place and also not having to get a new window in the playroom cause the room width now allows us to leave the existing one in place.

4. Not sure where to place the utility and shower room. Shower closer to living room or utility closer?

5. Do utility rooms usually have windows? Never had one before.

6. I figured that the kitchen was the best thing to put in that awkward middle-of-the-house space. Then it doesn't matter so much if it's a bit of a walkway because kitchens can be like that. Also, there is always plenty of lighting in a kitchen, so it won't be such an odd thing if we have to put lights on to see a little.

7. The playroom will have double glass doors so that light will come in from that window to the kitchen. Also, when the kids have flown the nest that will become a formal dining area, rather than a random space. I can keep the doors open when i'm cooking to keep my eye on the kiddos, but equally while they are still young i can put up a wide baby gate to keep them in there with their toys while i cook.

8. How much more expensive do you think this would be to do than the first version i put up?

Erm... I think that's it. Any and all feedback is always appreciated. Such a big deal!!!

New plan:

finnigan

I see the new plan but you are cutting yourself off from the garden. Personally I would re-class the living room as a dining room / office and use the existing dining and office space as a living room.

keith969

Just a small point. I am not an expert on building regs, but when we had an extension done with a shower room (loo/shower/washbasin) off the kitchen, it had to have a small lobby between it and the kitchen so there were two doors seperating them. Net effect is that the shower room lost about 4 sq feet of floor space.

uropachild

finnigan wrote: »

I see the new plan but you are cutting yourself off from the garden. Personally I would re-class the living room as a dining room / office and use the existing dining and office space as a living room.

Yeah, i understand that. It's going to be a long house after this and sitting in the living room will be completely separate from the garden... We're not huge garden people, but obviously the kids will be encouraged to play outside. Mind you, we could keep an eye on them from the office if that's the case.

I looked round a new build that had the living room at the back whn we were still unsure about moving. It was nice, but i think i'm more of a traditionalist, enjoying a living room at the front.

It's a shame we can't extend out to the side, but like i said, the neighbours beat us to it and i don't want to devalue the row by doing the same and making townhouses out of our semi's.

uropachild

keith969 wrote: »

Just a small point. I am not an expert on building regs, but when we had an extension done with a shower room (loo/shower/washbasin) off the kitchen, it had to have a small lobby between it and the kitchen so there were two doors seperating them. Net effect is that the shower room lost about 4 sq feet of floor space.

Yes, i've heard that too. I think i also read that it had changed and you no longer need two doors between a toilet and the kitchen as long as there's a sink to make sure you're clean. On saying that though, i think i might be tempted to move that shower room door back into the playroom, making less doors into the kitchen. It would be a pretty narrow door there anyway and a silly little passage into the shower room. Probably better to have the door going from the playroom then it meets those particular building regs (even if they dont still apply i think it's sensible) and it also makes for a less "doory" kitchen.

Thanks again everyone, i really appreciate your continued feedback. Really, really.

sunshinetours

I think you also need to be careful about making the extra rooms too small and narrow. As a semi your house isn't that wide and so the side to side division may make the new rooms feel all a little small and disjointed?? Maybe adding sizes to the proposed rooms would help.

For instance the double playroom doors opening inwards will use up a lot of useable space when they are open (which in a playroom they always will be whilst the kids are up trust me!), in a room that presumably is no more than 8 foot wide or so. Consider folding doors maybe?

Also don't discount going out sideways into your drive if you have other parking space. You don't have to join onto your neighbours extension, you could leave a passage way side access to keep the physical separation to avoid becoming a terrace (which I do agree with)

If you could get another say 5/6 foot width that would open up your possibilities for some good sized rooms in the extension without needing to go back as far

Good luck with your decision - I am sure you will have fun actually creating your new space and to enjoy it when its done

Finally I wouldn't design your house too much around your young kids as they will not stay young for long! Ours are still pretty young but they have been taught from a young age that the kitchen is pretty much out of bounds for playing purposes and no problems so far

ADDED AFTER
Also what about a porch on the front of your house and then open up the closet/store space to give a proper hallway. You could create a cloakroom i am sure using the under stair space or use that as your store. Boots and coats can be stored in the porch if designed cleverly. i think a proper hallway would create the feeling of much more space personally