Ideas on Flat Renovation

wannabe_a_saver

hazyjo said:

MovingForwards said:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6249703/removing-a-wall-in-ex-council-flat#latest

Would the freeholder (council) give permission for the changes?

Oh, it's that one. Thought that lounge size was familiar. Said it was a bloody tight squeeze to put everything in the lounge, let alone take that small kitchen and single bedroom and put it all there instead 🙈

It's just not a 2 double bed size flat, whichever way you look at it! Just about works as a double and a single.

As a one bed its a good size though!

Nikkilou86

If you really want to incorporate the kitchen into bedroom two, rather than putting the kitchen directly into the living room could you put an l shape stud wall with door in the bottom right hand corner of the living room so you still had a separate kitchen and created an l-shape living room. You could end up with approx 16x10 living room along the left hand side then 6x8 or however you wanted to divide it kitchen in the bottom right corner with one of the windows and then the remaining 6x8 or however you chose to divide it in the top right hand corner as an l shape to the living room for a dining table, that way you’d have two double bedrooms and a separate kitchen? 

hazyjo

wannabe_a_saver said:

hazyjo said:

MovingForwards said:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6249703/removing-a-wall-in-ex-council-flat#latest

Would the freeholder (council) give permission for the changes?

Oh, it's that one. Thought that lounge size was familiar. Said it was a bloody tight squeeze to put everything in the lounge, let alone take that small kitchen and single bedroom and put it all there instead 🙈

It's just not a 2 double bed size flat, whichever way you look at it! Just about works as a double and a single.

As a one bed its a good size though!

Absolutely. No problem with it being a generous 1 bed. 

bsms1147

Rather than two 13-foot wide bedrooms, can you squeeze a bathroom in between them, stealing a bit of room from each?

Both bedrooms would be 10x14’6 or thereabouts which is fairly good. Depends what the dividing wall is made of and locations of windows.

Kitchen would go where the bathroom is, perhaps slightly bigger by coming further into the hall. Cost of moving gas/pipes/boiler perhaps.

Bathroom would be perhaps be 6x11 (or narrower if wanting to keep bedrooms bit bigger), wouldn’t come the full way towards the hall as you’d need access into bedroom 2 and possibly 1 also. No window (okay) but would need to sort ventilation (possibly easy since it’s an external wall) and pipes/waste (may be tricky, may need a macerator).

If the bathroom is made a bit shorter you could have a cupboard with washing machine/tumble dryer in it which becomes your utility ‘room’.

Might be doable. Probably a fair cost to it but youd end up with what you want.

hazyjo

bsms1147 said:

Rather than two 13-foot wide bedrooms, can you squeeze a bathroom in between them, stealing a bit of room from each?

Both bedrooms would be 10x14’6 or thereabouts which is fairly good. Depends what the dividing wall is made of and locations of windows.

Kitchen would go where the bathroom is, perhaps slightly bigger by coming further into the hall. Cost of moving gas/pipes/boiler perhaps.

Bathroom would be perhaps be 6x11 (or narrower if wanting to keep bedrooms bit bigger), wouldn’t come the full way towards the hall as you’d need access into bedroom 2 and possibly 1 also. No window (okay) but would need to sort ventilation (possibly easy since it’s an external wall) and pipes/waste (may be tricky, may need a macerator).

If the bathroom is made a bit shorter you could have a cupboard with washing machine/tumble dryer in it which becomes your utility ‘room’.

Might be doable. Probably a fair cost to it but youd end up with what you want.

I'm pretty sure it's ex-LA too so they'll prob say no to moving walls.

Worth looking into. Definitely a layout to consider. Best so far.

Alan2020

akashkuk said:

small bedroom is too narrow to have all three: a bed, cupboard and a desk. 

I have explored some quieter washing machines

If dimensions are correct you can have a double/king size bed, wardrobe and desk with office chair.  You just need to learn or get someone with the skills to organise things.  We have a room 2.3m by 2.3m, it has a single bed, a desk with dual monitors, standard office chair and storage.  It's plenty big enough, most of the time people say not enough space as they don't get the space usage optimised.

HampshireH

I think I'd want to turn it back into a 1 bed

Turn the lounge into the bedroom.

Have the kitchen, bed two and bed 1 as an open-plan kitchen/lounge with with a diner table to work from where bed 2 is or study space as the end of what is the current bedroom 1.

That way bathroom can stay in the current location and is then next to the bedroom. 

The second person could work from the new bedroom (old lounge)

Whether you would get permission or not....

Personally we couldn't both wfh in the same room. One job involved analyzing and the other constantly being o non/off the phone. Concentration would be hard in a shared space.

akashkuk

HampshireH said:

I think I'd want to turn it back into a 1 bed

Turn the lounge into the bedroom.

Have the kitchen, bed two and bed 1 as an open-plan kitchen/lounge with with a diner table to work from where bed 2 is or study space as the end of what is the current bedroom 1.

That way bathroom can stay in the current location and is then next to the bedroom. 

The second person could work from the new bedroom (old lounge)

Whether you would get permission or not....

Personally we couldn't both wfh in the same room. One job involved analyzing and the other constantly being o non/off the phone. Concentration would be hard in a shared space.

That's one radical idea This arrangement could be difficult to sell in future as one bed. 
The reason I want to move the kitchen to current reception is that we get too large double bedrooms and the hallway space between kitchen/bedroom gets used as well. 

But agree that both can't work from the same shared space as we are constantly in calls/ meetings.

edgex

Move kitchen into reception room, but wall it in somewhat to stop it being too open plan. That creates a dining area in the right-angle. Can also extend the wall further along, a glass panel would create separation but allow light through. (grew walls are the optional bits)
Should be relatively simple plumbing wise as it's still next to the bathroom.

I've also added in grey other things that may be possible;
increasing size of hall cupboard
increasing size of bathroom, this could create space for a washing machine or shower

Ramouth

Great thread and some really good solutions.  If it turns out you can’t take out and original walls perhaps you could do this (which I think someone may have already described but I like a plan).  The living space might be a bit tight but bed 2 could have a sofa bed and be used as a snug in addition to the main living space.  Or you could have a smaller table! Washing machine to go in new utility cupboard in hallway.  New kitchen and utility to be connected to bathroom drainage.