Building a Home Renovating Design Dilemma

last minute suggestions on floor plan please!

5 years ago

Hello All. We have started our extension and gave a lot of thought to the ground floor and not much into the second floor. We are now just contemplating our options for upstairs. I have attached pictures of the current drawn up floor plan, however we are now considering making bedroom 3 as the bathroom? (Not sure if big enough at the minute) then have the other space to play with and layout 3 bedrooms (Maybe wall in wardrobe/dressing room). I have drawn up some very amateur sketches so please bare with me, way off scale but I’ve attached the actual floor plan which gives you an idea! The red is the existing house and the blue is the new extension. What would you suggest? How would you lay it out? I’ve attached the 2 I have thought of: just need some inspiration. Also We have applied for planning for a balcony overlooking the garden but waiting to hear back so I’m keeping that in mind too. Any comments will be appreciated!

Featured Answer

CCdownunder

5 years ago

I've attached a picture to try and clarify what I suggested before. I also thought you might have some space for a linen/storage cupboard at the end of the hall

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Comments (33)

Jonathan
5 years ago
Alternative
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Took me a minute to figure that out but thanks! Really hadn’t even thought of playing with the en-suite, at the minute it’s the main bathroom but it’s way too small so that’s why making it en-suite and would just have toilet and sink but this works well! But il def note this down! Just don’t know if knocking the main wall of bedroom will make a difference.
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Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Suppose the only thing is that en-suite would then have a pretty large window facing the street which is the existing bedroom window at the front of house.
J
5 years ago
Two small bathrooms next to each other. The family one has no external window though. The other becomes the ensuite. The original ensuite no becomes a second WC.
Just a thought
Jonathan
5 years ago
Shutters?
CCdownunder
5 years ago
You could make bedroom 5 the master then extend the family bathroom up the hallway (because it's just wasted space there anyway) and make it into a WIR and bathroom coming off of bedroom 5. Change bedroom 3 into the family bathroom and make the ensuite (off bedroom 1) a little toilet accessible next to the stairs.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Yes I did think that Johnathan. Thanks for ideas, and yes it would make sense to pull the bathroom forward on landing space.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Thank you! I see what you mean. Yes I also thought I could have a cupboard. Currently we are deciding whether to keep the en-suite or make that extra landing space with a cupboard. It’s so difficult to decide!
Jonathan
5 years ago
Slight amendment to the previous plan with an additional ensuite
PRO
User
5 years ago
Without all the dimensions and knowing where the drains are it's hard to be totally accurate.

I would say that on the face of it, neither of your plans are feasible because you've created a bathroom on the one side of the house that has no current plumbing. The drains are out the front and the back, so getting around the corner is probably unlikely to be a choice.

I think also trying to keep 5 bedrooms when there is no Family Bathroom doesn't work.

You are focusing on having the Main bedroom at the front, where it currently is, when the main bedroom is better overlooking the garden especially if you have a Balcony. Even if you don't get permission for a full balcony, you could have a Juliette Balcony, so i'd move it.

It's a big house and it needs a family bathroom, thus it's better off with four large bedrooms.

So, option 1 , which i believe is the best layout.

Option 2 if you want another shower room, but you could argue it's not necessary, plus trying to put the plumbing through the En-Suite would be awkward and may not have enough drop on the pipes to work.

Option 3, keeping the 5 Bedrooms, but compromising the bathroom spaces. Still might not be do'able because of the pipework issue in the En-Suite

Making the two rear rooms smaller will aid making the other bedrooms bigger and give you the option of a family bathroom.

Or if you want another En-Suite room, so that guests or older Teenagers etc can have their own bathroom, swap the Shower Room at the front for an En-Suite.

All the above are subject to dimensions being provided and structural / drainage commitments.
minnie101
5 years ago
Is there an option to add a window on the side to what is currently shown as bed 3?
Jonathan
5 years ago
I think that if you are spending £120k plus on an builder the drains don’t have to be the starting point of a plan. Plus if the drains are currently at the back but you are building a 6m deep extension they will have to be moved anyway so I suspect you can put bathrooms anywhere although of course there will be efficiencies for keeping them grouped in the same area.
But I do agree that if changing this to a four bed rather than 5 bed doesn’t adversely affect the value the main bedroom at the back would be good for privacy- although it looks like your ground floor extension has a sloped roof with velux so I’m not sure how you had planned a balcony.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks a lot! Some interesting options MATH! Dimensions are 30 ft wide and 15 ft out. And I totally agree, That’s something I have discussed that especially with a balcony and Juliet doors which might be a better option even, it would make sense to have our bedroom overlooking the garden with an en-suite. I’m thinking to just get rid of the current en-suite now. To be honest the current bathroom at the front of the house has lots of ugly pipe work so I’m not a fan of having the main bathroom at the front of house. that current bedroom that’s being proposed as bathroom is going to have a chimney removed that will be a nice size bedroom. I do agree on the 4 bedroom aspect but I think we were looking at making it a 5 bedroom house for various reasons. We also have a shower room down stairs so I would want just 1 en-suite and 1 main bathroom upstairs.
@Jonathan - that’s what we have applied for, a flat roof on one side and balcony with a pitched roof on the other side.
Although we have now been told the builder would like final plans next week so I just need to make decisions regardless of the balcony.
@minipie yes a window would be on the side.
Let me know what you think now you know measurements and trying to avoid front as bathroom please!
PRO
User
5 years ago
You are right Jonathan, the drains are not a starting point. However, they are a major consideration as there are strict rules with regards how many 90 degree bends you put in a soil pipe, the fall rate and rodding points. Thus a qualified Architect would need to look at the plans and will advise as to the feasibility of it.

The current house has the drains at the front ( the En-Suite ) on the Pink part of the plan. Presumably, the new extension ( blue ) also shows an indication that there are drains to the rear, hence the other Bathroom placement.

However, should you then start to put bathrooms at the side, you will have to have 90 degree bends in the stack / have a soil stack inside / and manage to feed it to the front or back. Who knows, maybe there are even drains on the sides? We don't know, but on the face of it, the bathrooms would best be placed front or back, which is why all of this is just a hypothesis and not a proper plan.

Only a qualified person that has inspected the property would be able to say for definite.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
The downstairs bathroom and utility is going to be on the side just below the bedroom 3 so the drains should be fine there. But yes at the min the en-suite at the front and I’m not keen on that esp if our bedroom is going to be at the back.
PRO
User
5 years ago
It's the dimensions of all the existing part that are missing, the extension is marked on your plan ( the first pic you posted ). I think, all things considered i'd do this, it gives the overall largest rooms, biggest family bathroom and a really good En-Suite ( all subject to dimensions being given for pink part of plan )
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
The existing house is 30x20. I’m just double checking measurements of bedroom number 3.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
That does create nice spacious rooms! You’ll give up with me in a minute ;) BUT in an ideal world we would like to keep the existing part of the house as it is in terms of not knocking down walls to make bedroom 3 bigger. That’s why we have just considered getting rid of the ensuite. I know we can easily make rooms bigger but in terms of cost. AND I don’t want bathroom at the front of the house due to pipe work. Def something I will have a chat about though.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
I do actually like that layout and maybe pipes can go on the side of house. Just trying to consider all options. Thanks so much for taking time to create the diagrams! Appreciate it.
Jonathan
5 years ago
Variation on a theme
PRO
User
5 years ago
You say that the old house is 30x20, but it's not square, bedroom 2 juts out further to the front. So i made the bulk of it 30x20 and added a bit for bed 2.

The problem with not moving everything is that you then have to try and put 2 beds an en-suite and a family bathroom in the new bit.

So, here it is with the En-suite removed at the front

None of the original changed except to remove the En-Suite.

I think removing the En-suite and not changing it to a Shower room is a mistake as 4 beds upstairs with one family bathroom is not so great, I know that you have a shower room downstairs, but I don't see the logic of removing an En-Suite and not amending it to a useful shower room.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
You are right there is a lot to fit in to the new bit but because the existing are perfectly fine bedrooms and with the added cost it’s just something we want to avoid if possible. In terms of removing the en-suite, my husband also thinks it will be a “waste” as it will just be landing space. I’m just thinking 4 showers/toilets, and do we need that. I much prefer this, however do you think it would make much difference if the bathroom (facing garden) and bedroom was swapped around so the bedroom had garden window? Planning they are being a bit funny giving permission for the side windows but may get away with a small bathroom one.

Also now I decided to have the master at the back of house that will be slightly smaller than current master. Current is 13x17 and new one will be 15x13 but With an en-suite and garden view it will outweigh.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Swapping these 2. by the way the existing bedroom number 3 which I considered for bathroom measures 10x7.5.
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Sorry MATH! Didn’t realise you’d be so accurate ;) here are the actual measurements:
Width 30ft
Bed 1 - 13x 17
Bed 2 - 10x12
Bed 3 - 10x 7.5
En-suite - 7 x 3.5
Hope that makes more sense now!
Jonathan
5 years ago
Assuming you have the room internally you can put your soil pipe internally and then have it exit the house below ground level to get to the drain. This avoids the worry of pipes snaking down the outside of the house.

Where is the downstairs wc going to be? As this is an indication of where the drains will be dug
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
I don’t have much knowledge to know if that is possible. It will be below bedroom 3. And yes that’s where drains are...
PRO
User
5 years ago
Yes i'm sure you could fairly easily swap those over them, i've adjusted for the sizes. So something like this:-
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Thanks a lot that really helps!! Sorry I’m just not techy at all. I need to start making these diagrams! Il convert that all to ft as that’s what I need it in. Just spotted the measurements and size of these rooms, I think they should be swapped? As existing is 17ft and new 15ft.
PRO
User
5 years ago
There you go:- It's still only a rough guide though as the wall depths etc aren't set and all is dependent on plumbing etc.............so don't take it as 'red' as they say........it's a guide. Good luck
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Yes of course, but thanks a lot for all your time and effort! Will see what the builder says tomorrow.
Jonathan
5 years ago
Given the drains will be at the side if the downstairs wc is below bedroom 3, I would try to put the bathrooms on that side
Sal89
Original Author
5 years ago
Yes I think that does make sense. Il just have to see what the builder says and take it from there before I set anything as there are so many options!