Where to even start when planning a kitchen extension?

ruwise77

Hi All,

We are looking at doing an extension to our home. We want to make a larger living kitchen and possibly if funds allow turn our lounge into a lounge/diner. I've never had any building work done other than internal work and you hear so many horror stories about it going wrong that I really want to make sure I do everything I can to make it go smoothly.

We are hoping to avoid needing planning permission by sticking to less than 4 metres. We're still saving up for this but want to have it done as soon as possible.

Does anybody have any advice on how soon to get quotes? Whether we need an architect or would a competent builder be able to draw up plans sufficiently? The entire back of the house is about 9.5 metres wide and we plan to go out the 4 metres so we are budgeting on building work being approximately £40-45K. Does that seem realistic?

Anybody who has undertaken this kind of renovation got any tips or advice to share on surviving it or saving money in the process? I know it will be chaos especially as we have 2 dogs.

Davesnave

ruwise77 wrote: »

The entire back of the house is about 9.5 metres wide and we plan to go out the 4 metres so we are budgeting on building work being approximately £40-45K. Does that seem realistic?

38m2 for £45k and it's a kitchen?

I think this is too optimistic.

While you aren't going to open up the entire back of the house, cost will depend on things like how wide openings are, as wider = larger and more complex supports. You will need to employ a structural engineer for these and the work will need drawings for building regulations, so avoiding an architect may well be an irrelevance, especially if moving drainage is involved too.


An architect, carefully chosen, may well save you money in the long run, but I appreciate the choosing isn't easy unless you have someone trusted who can recommend. All should offer you a half hour discussion for free to see if you're on the ame wavelength.

stueyhants

I think I would be planning on double that price given my recent experience of doing an extension, although it depends on what part of the country you are in. It all adds up and that’s quite a big floor area you are doing, for example I assume you will want large patio doors across the back. I’ve been quoted for 7m sliding doors anywhere from £8k up to £25k so your 45k budget will struggle.

-taff

You've budgeted roughly £1000 per sqm , which is very low, although depends on where you are and what kind of finish you're after.
That's not going to pay for a kitchen as well, and if you want anything fancy for your doors outwards, then you can add quite a bit more to your budget.

ruwise77

My price was just for the building work and doesn’t involve the cost of the kitchen. I’m actually not keen on the bi-folding doors look so wasn’t planning anything more than the kind of French doors we’ve got at the moment. Think based on advice I will see if we can find an architect to talk things through with. We’re in Greater Manchester so hopefully that will make things a bit cheaper than the South East. If we’re not planning on doing anything for over a year do you think they would be okay talking about it now?

System

Don't get hung up on the planning permission thing, get what space you need in the design first, you might get a more useful plan in a smaller footprint at less cost - planning applications aren't the end of the world!

Davesnave

Try to take a plan to architects; certainly a plan of the house's ground floor and maybe your first idea on the extension too. Then they'll have something to discuss, rather than just vague ideas. What you get out is always relative to what you put in.

We ruled out one guy straight away, because even armed with a good plan, photos etc he still came up with ideas appropriate to a town property, without considering our rural location at all.

By the way, I agree with you about the multi-panelled, bifold doors. Great for about 2% of the year, and a nightmare in the countryside at almost any time when flying insects are about!

System

Davesnave wrote: »

Try to take a plan to architects; certainly a plan of the house's ground floor and maybe your first idea on the extension too. Then they'll have something to discuss, rather than just vague ideas. What you get out is always relative to what you put in.

Tbh I would 100% disagree with this, an existing plan might be useful for a first meeting but when clients come in with ideas of a plan it's usually a terrible starting point.
The biggest challenge is understanding what people want to get out of alterations and extension without getting tied into any prescribed form or floor plan, if you want to plan it yourself use a technician to draw up your ideas as there's zero point in using an architect to do the work of a draftsman

getmore4less

If not already available I would be looking for easy access to facilities from the outside, with dogs a dirty entrance with wash down, even full shower
If you can create a walk in larder space should be cheaper than kitchen units.

Davesnave

the_r_sole wrote: »

Tbh I would 100% disagree with this, an existing plan might be useful for a first meeting but when clients come in with ideas of a plan it's usually a terrible starting point.
The biggest challenge is understanding what people want to get out of alterations and extension without getting tied into any prescribed form or floor plan, if you want to plan it yourself use a technician to draw up your ideas as there's zero point in using an architect to do the work of a draftsman

Maybe you misunderstood what I meant. I meant this for a preliminary meeting and the existing floor plan would just show what's there already. The other plan would literally be the client's 'back of a fag packet ideas,' not something immutable or professionally set out.

Sorry if I didn't make that clear.


I agree with you that in a situation like this, an architect might help the OP to get what they want from a smaller footprint than they envisage, and thus within budget.

ruwise77

Thanks everyone who has replied so far. I still have the right move advert saved for our house so I think armed with this, some photos and the things that I want from the extension ie more worktop space, room for a double oven, a living space within the kitchen and room for a big dining table.

Getting quite excited about the planning stage although I'm dreading the actual doing stage!! How does one continue cooking etc when you're house is being wrecked!!