Advice needed re: Downstairs 4th Bedroom extension!!

Kate0408

Good evening all!

I am new to this forum so apologies for my rambling!

We cannot afford a 2-storey side extension unfortunately so we are looking at a more affordable alternative.

This would be a ground floor side extension along with ensuite shower room/wc and a garage store to the front.

Because we have had to amend our dream layout, we are now having to compromise on having the 4th bedroom downstairs. It will have no windows apart from a couple of skylights on a vaulted ceiling.

My concerns are:
With it being a vaulted ceiling, will it meet building regs for fire safety (I'm hoping we can get some kind of opening skylights, to allow for ventilation and possibly escape in case of fire).

Major downside is that it will be difficult to access them easily as quite high up so not sure how to get around this.

Side windows are not an option due to neighbours next door, garage to one end and ensuite to the other.

There is the possibility we could create a mezzanine level in the bedroom to give it a bit of wow factor but obviously dependent on cost!

We are desperate to make this work but any advice, info or recommendations would be much appreciated.

The bedroom will also coming off an open plan kitchen/diner (on diner side as it is L-shaped. Will the bedroom door need to be a firedoor?

Thanks in advance!

Kate

Doozergirl

It will not comply with building regulations. It's dangerous! Off a kitchen is even worse. No one likes to think of the worst but it does happen and even with a skylight has the potential to be a coffin.

Who is designing this extension?

Doozergirl

Why don't you convert the garage? Have you designed the ensuite with a window?

AndyMc.....

Is there any reason why the bathroom is at the back?

If you put it against the garage store you'll get a window in the bedroom.

flea72

We were in a similar situation, needed more bedrooms but couldn't afford the two-storey extension. We worked around it by turning our existing sitting room into the fourth bedroom and the extension became the new open plan kitchen/diner/family/tv room

flea72

Do you have a floorplan of existing and proposed works?

Davesnave

Why are the neighbours next door a problem for a side window at ground level?

unforeseen

Because their garage abuts he boundary maybe.

Davesnave

unforeseen wrote: »

Because their garage abuts he boundary maybe.

Quite likely, but I thought I'd check.

Silvertabby

What about a loft conversion instead?

Kate0408

Thanks for all your replies - We currently have a carport attached to the side of our house, with garage behind, then utility room and lastly a WC. This is all built right up to our boundary. Next door we have flats and their side path runs alongside our currebt carport/garage/wc.

Additionally, we live on a hill so the flats pathway is approx 1 metre above our level. This is why we can't install windows at normal level.

Our roof height is too shallow for a loft conversion unfortunately and we need the garage space for storage with access to front of our property as there is no side access.

We could potentially make the ensuite smaller, which would create a (very) small corridor between kitchen/diner and 4th bedroom. So you would go through the door from kitchen/diner and then door on right would access bedroom and another door on left would access the ensuite.

I had it in my head that we could avoid doing this and have direct access to the bedroom, as long as there was more than one escape route from the bedroom (opening window or possibly a fire door through to the garage store even).

I know it's not ideal but we love the village we live in, can't afford the 'dream' extension and would rather invest in our home than have to move!