Extension plan ideas - help needed

denichka

Hello everyone

We have a small 2 bedroom house. We are thinking of extending at some point in the near future.

The details of the house are:

- 2 bedroom semi detached

- utility room side extension (I wouldn't even call it an extension, it used to be two brick sheds that were converted in a make shift extension by the previous owner, it's ok for a pantry/storage but not really habitable even though there is a radiator at least for heating)

- large garden (large for the area anyway)

- shed/cabin in the garden room that we might leave or get rid of at some point

What we want to achieve as high priority is:

- add 1 bedroom

- add 1 bathroom

- add 1 playroom

- make open plan living room/kitchen/ diner and make it as big as possible while fulfilling the above requirements first

- don't spend more than £100k for the entire project (including kitchen and bathroom)

- don't loose too much of the garden (I'd say 4m ideally, but if it makes more sense we can go to 6m)

Based on what people have done in our neighbourhood we are contemplating the following possibilities:

- single storey rear + single storey side, I think that's called wraparound (replace existing utility extension)

- double storey side + single story rear (so essentially a rear wraparound rear + single storey for 2nd floor)

- single storey rear (and don't touch utility and turn it into playroom)

- single storey rear + 2nd storey rear 

I feel like there are (too) many possibilities, but we have no construction experience and it would be great to get some ideas from the community

We've had designers come round for quotes before but they usually ask us what we want, and we need advice first.

Is it more cost effective to build single or double storey? Or is it better to go 6m rear than to go 4m rear but add second storey? So many questions..

At the moment I'm thinking about a 5m-6m wraparound single storey extension, add all additional rooms to the ground floor and don't touch the upper floor at all to minimise disruption. But then we've taken a lot of space from the garden

Also is it a good idea to have a bedroom next to living room/kitchen dine

Any thoughts and ideas would be greatly appreciated! I suppose I am after some brainstorming here...

Doozergirl

How much more is an already bigger house to buy? 

There isn't a huge amount of room for a well balanced house.  

If the side extension is not of adequate construction, how thick is the outside wall?  Is it 30cm as most extension walls will be?   2.4m is the minimum width I'd consider for a habitable room and you have 2.37m currently.  

If you can build a double storey side extension, I think I'd consider that.  Going to the rear affects potential window placements.  

How nice are your existing bathroom and kitchen?   The front door and stairs placement aren't great for a larger house.   It isn't an easy house to work with.  

Do you have a photo of the house?