Ground floor renovation dilemma (extension vs conservatory)

4 years ago

I am currently having a dilemma over how to renovate my terraced house. Floor plan is below. I am looking to get rid of the conservatory and replace the kitchen and bathroom. I don't particularly need the extra space that the conservatory gives (i am single without children) but am reluctant to get rid of it completely as i am nervous that it would reduce the living space and therefore reduce the value of the property.

If money was no object then i would look to relocate the kitchen to the area where the conservatory is. However, I am not looking to spend more that £30k on the whole project (is that unrealistic?) which would include the new kitchen and bathroom and also some internal redecoration and furnishings.

Another thought is to replace the conservatory (currently timber construction effectively on stilts which is contributing to a mouse problem) with a dwarf wall conservatory which would effectively be used as a dining area.

Alternatively the current conservatory could be converted to a brick built extension with a utility room and dining area.

This really is my first project of this magnitude and I would appreciate your thoughts as I am currently pretty confused.

Floor plan

Current kitchen

Conservatory

Featured Answer

Maths Wife

4 years ago

The problem with trying to convert the conservatory to a 'proper' room, is that currently it's on stilts. Therefore a conversion isn't possible. You would have to replace it with an extension from ground level on which to build up the bricks / blocks to current floor height and then above.

It would be the better option as it gives you a lot more space to play with, plus add value to your home. However, it's not large enough currently to be a Utility and Dining Room, it's just big enough to be the Dining Room.

You could look to moving the kitchen over to the left and having a Utility where the kitchen is on the right.

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Comments (7)

PRO
i-architect
4 years ago
Hi Navneet!

Conservatories have very short useful times during the year. In the summer they tend to be way too hot and in the winter way too cold. So that's one thing worth deciding - is it comfortable enough to keep because you can use it for a lot of the year, or is it unused for a lot of the year.

Some more questions for you, that I hope will help you define what you want:

- is the conservatory blocking light into the kitchen? If so does this bother you?

- Is the view of the garden more limited with the conservatory or do you enjoy the garden more from the conservatory?

- Where would you have your dining table if not in the conservatory - the kitchen? Would this be big enough for you and for any entertaining you do - is the conservatory big enough for this now?

Ask your local estate agent (perhaps the ones you bought through) about the impact on resale value for removing the conservatory.

You should be able to replace the kitchen and bathroom for your budget. Depending on what materials, etc you choose. You could easily spend that £30k on just the kitchen if you wanted to! But equally you can cover a decent amount of redecoration and new fittings in that budget. I recommend that you keep a spreadhsheet to keep it on track.

Hope this helps. Jane, iarchitect :)
Navneet J
Original Author
4 years ago
Hi Jane

Thanks for commenting. I would say at the moment your comments on the conservatory are very true, it is too cold for winter use and can get a tad too hot in the summer.

I wouldn't say that the conservatory is blocking light or that this bothers me. However, it's currently turned into a storage area more than using it for views of the garden.

In terms of the dining table, this currently lives either in the conservatory or next to the kitchen area- next to the dining area it can fit about 3 people, in the conservatory about six but this is a bit of a squeeze. In reality if I am entertaining, we are spread across the living area sitting on chairs if necessary. Answering these questions is helping steer me away from the conservatory so thank you for that!
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PRO
i-architect
4 years ago
Asking questions that help you define what you want is what I do best!!

If you want more of this kind of help then you can get my Design Your Home Vision Checklist here: https://bit.ly/2P1quQ6
PRO
Croydon Window Company Ltd
4 years ago
Dependant on your budget and if you cannot a few quotes, a new extension is probably the best way forward and would also add value to the property, creating a modern open kitchen/dining/ living area with some bi-folding doors, or sliding doors?
Navneet J
Original Author
4 years ago
Thank you for the detailed drawing! That's really a great use of the space and not something I had come up with.
PRO
Sarah Beeny's Renovate Don't Relocate
4 years ago
Hi Navneet,

I work for Outline Productions and we are making series 2 of ‘Sarah Beeny’s: Renovate Don’t Relocate’, which follows our property expert Sarah helping homeowners transform not just their homes, but the way they use them.

We're looking for homeowners who have a design dilemma and have a budget to renovate, for whom Sarah can provide expert advice and help make your design go further.

If you're interested, please do get in touch - my email is antoniao@outlineproductions.co.uk.

Ground floor renovation dilemma (extension vs conservatory)

Maths Wife

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Ground floor renovation dilemma (extension vs conservatory)

Maths Wife

Comments (7)

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