Victorian House Side Return Extention

4 years ago

Hi all,
I'm going around and around in circles trying to figure this one out... See attached floor plan. Looking for a cost effective way to create a kitchen with living room space suitable for children but struggling with how best to do it.
Any thoughts would be much appreciated or examples of people who have done similar. The things I'm keen to achieve, get light into the back of the house via bi folds/crittal or similar, family space so all can be together and to keep costs as effective as possible. Drains currently in side return but could be boxed.
Thank you for your time.

Featured Answer

Luciana

4 years ago

Hi Victoria,

I don't have any plans to show you, but some construction photos of our side extension - I think we have the same layout as you, but in the mirror :)).

We extended our kitchen 4 years ago, unfortunately I'm not able to tell you how much it cost as we'd had a complete house renovation and paid it all as a pack. However, the structural beams and glazing in the kitchen were billed separately; main beam was about £3000, the glass (including folding doors) was £15000. I remember we also asked for a quote for a roof with 3 or 4 skylights, builder said he'd do it for £9000 at the time (we live in Cardiff).

We had the same problem, wanting to maximize the use of space and get as much natural light as possible. We decided NOT to have two access points to the kitchen, but close off the middle room double door and have an internal window instead. Our thinking was that, if we keep a door there, the space is lost, as it needs to be 'free of stuff' for access :)) especially because, as with your house, we have a loo in between and the back length of that loo can't be anything but a corridor (aka dead space). By closing it, we gained a fully usable middle room and a somewhat closed corner in the kitchen, ideal for bins, feeding the cats, dumping hoover/ bikes out the way, etc. I hope I make sense (I'm a bit tired and my English seams to fail me at such times... :)) You can even have it as a play corner...

view from kitchen 2014 · More Info

There are lots of examples on Houzz for side extensions, just search http://www.houzz.co.uk/ideabooks/query/side-extension and browse the results.

I'd be happy to share my experience if you need more details, just let me know. Good luck!

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Comments (16)

ianthy
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
I have just completed a similar side return on our period home. Looking at your plans you already have a good sized kitchen. If it were my home, I would close off the sitting room at the front and then give the 2nd part of the room to the new open plan space. Create a utility room and loo in this space - you already have the plumbing near. Then the remaining part of the dining room would become part of the new open plan space with side return. Likely you will need to move the drains - usually they are located in the side return area - this is not a big job for a competent builder. You will also need a roof light or maybe 2 to let in as much light as possible via the side return roof. We opted for 2 x 1m roof light because we also have a skylight looking into the kitchen.

Due to the layout of your house e.g. the 1st floor sits full length on the ground floor - you may need a supporting column at the end of your kitchen. We got round this with 3m bi-fold doors and then a 1.4m single pane of glass the other side of the column. Think about how you want to use the new space - we preferred to have the kitchen at the back of the room with the dining and sofa space next to the doors and looking over the garden. Also consider how you will heat the area - we installed water Underfloor Heating, it was costly but we will see a reduction in the cost of running the rest of the house, because in the winter we will spend most of the time in this area. I think it will be a great project but you are right to put in as much planning as possible before applying for planning permission etc., Once you kick off you don't want to keep changing your mind on the bigger items.
Victoria Needs
Original Author
4 years ago
I'd love to see photos and/or drawings! Is that possible?
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Katherine We have a several completed projects where the Kitchen has been placed in the original dining room. This allows the seating to be focussed around the garden and although the Kitchen is set back further away it’s possible to orientate the Kitchen so that it benefits from those same views. It can create a more social space as the kitchen hasn’t got its back to the dining and lounge seating. Lighting is key. Carefully placed windows and roof lights. The Victorian houses are usually elevated from the garden level so we have often lowered the internal floor to get level access to the garden and also to create a taller, brighter space inside. I’d be very happy to share photos, drawings etc. Just send me an email chris@guytaylorassociates.co.uk
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Hey Andrei, Thanks for your advice - I should have mentioned that yes we are getting the proper advice, we are choosing an architect at the moment and I will make a note to ask them specifically about the stairs/kitchen fire risk aspect. I totally agree that if the kitchen was moved to the middle room (ie next to the open stairs) it would be ok to have it as the 'passage' to other rooms, however if it isn't a kitchen and is used as living space I'm more concerned about this. I guess because in a kitchen you're probably busy, whereas if you're in living area you're more likely to be relaxing and regular disturbance isnt great? We're not keen on moving the kitchen to another room, I feel it would look really out of place in either the front room with bay window, or the middle room with the open stairs (cooking smells/smoke/noise would travel upstairs easily etc). Equally, we're keen to avoid closing off the stairs too - worried it would make them pretty dark and would also affect the light to the middle room! I think I've narrowed down my worries to being basically that if the current dining room becomes living space, and has a large entrance to the kitchen where the current window is (plus maybe an additional entrance where the current doorway is), it makes the room really hard to use in terms of layout and furniture etc. It won't have much usable wall space and I'm struggling to think of how we could layout anything like storage/some seating, maybe a desk etc. Does that make more sense?
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Jonathan
4 years ago
What sort of budget is available?
Victoria Needs
Original Author
4 years ago
a small one... trying to figure out what sort of numbers are viable. Is it possible to achieve something like this for around 25K or we looking at 75K?
PRO
Kitchenpod - Temporary Kitchen Hire (Home use)
4 years ago
It is possible to reconfigure your room to have a new kitchen and double doors onto the garden with circa £25k but a full side return extension + new kitchen is more £50k+. For inspiration type 'side return extension' into houzz and there will be loads of images to inspire. Your budget will be key to the extent that you can do. A side return extension will pay for itself in terms of value added to the house. Good luck Ed
Victoria Needs
Original Author
4 years ago
thank you
PRO
Abdul
4 years ago
i can draw 3D if you need.
Victoria Needs
Original Author
4 years ago
you can draw a suggested new layout?
PRO
Richard Ruddick Architecture
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
The configuration of the rear of your house provides an
opportunity to create a contemporary, open plan space. I would open up the side
of the house where the hob is shown and infill the outdoor space with a glazed
roof to create a large kitchen-dining area filled with light. A flat roof with skylights could be another option.

Budget permitting
you could open up the wall where the French doors are shown, or just remove
them and create a lounge/play space.
Victoria Needs
Original Author
4 years ago
What would you say the cost difference between the two options would be?
PRO
Abdul
4 years ago
yes i can.
Jonathan
4 years ago
If you build a side extension you will likely spend £20,000 - £25000 on the building.
You may find that to build all the way to the dining room window may not be economically possible as the underground drains may be in the way.
New garden doors will likely cost £5000.
A new flooring for the room will likely be £1500.
A new kitchen will likely be £25,000 plus.
campo73
4 years ago
We have previously done an extension to a Victorian house with the same original layout albeit didn't have the corridor extending down the side of the stairs. You can view the plans and the house here
https://www.propertypal.com/57-south-parade-ravenhill-road-belfast/366410. In order to get light at the back of the house the architect created a 'box' in the middle of the house.
campo73
4 years ago
Just to add the total build cost was about £40k (not including flooring and kitchen) but that included renovating some of the rooms on the upper floors and also the whole of the ground floor was renovated including the front room. Also the work was carried out a few years ago and is in Belfast so probably cheaper than England.
Victoria Needs
Original Author
4 years ago
That is super helpful thanks

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Victorian House Side Return Extention

Comments (16)

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