How can we make this house work?

3 years ago

Hello everyone and thanks for reading this! My husband and I bought this house a year ago. It was in a sorry state and we have renovated it internally completely to make it habitable for us and our two children. Although it looks pretty much immaculate, it still is small and doesn’t work for us. We understand we need to do things to it, but are stuck with getting ideas in and also understand what’s feasible and what not. The plot is not ideal as it forms a triangle on the side of the garage and doesn’t allow a lot of an extension behind it (or at least that’s what I believe). What we want to achieve is 1. A bigger bedroom for my son as he’s currently in the box room which is doubling for an office space 2. Down stairs toilet +/ utility and 3. id love some space at the back as our current kitchen although upgraded at high standard still doesn’t feel big enough. Having said that, it was quite expensive to do so I’m not sure again I’d want to take it all down and start from scratch. Any suggestions/ solutions would be very much appreciated. We’re absolutely novices, we don’t even know how much things cost, what kind of permissions they’d need etc. Attaching some pictures here. We’re in Berkshire if that’s of any help. Tia

Featured Answer

PRO

The Kitchen Lady UK

3 years ago

it sounds like you've added value to the property with your previous work, it could be worth having it revalued and seeing whether you can afford a slightly bigger property that fits your needs. now is a good time with stamp duty paused if you did want to make the leap.

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Comments (33)

Daisy England
3 years ago
Can you put a first floor over the top of the garage?
Natalie I
3 years ago
Hi Do you use your garage for the car or storage? If you want to avoid undoing some of the work you have done already, could you use the garage for the utility and WC- you could add a door from the entrance hall? You probably would have enough left over to either use as a small play room or maybe add storage to compensate for the loss of the garage space (although maybe add a nice shed in the garden for this purpose). To extend upstairs, could you add a room over the garage? I think it is not attached to your neighbour? Hard to say without seeing the first floor layout but the stairs run along that wall so it might be possible? Again both these options would minimize impacting on the work you have completed already. These options may cost more than the house would be worth should you sell in the future. Not a problem if you intend living here for sometime but could be an issue if you intend to move in the near future. Maybe check with an estate agent once you have some idea of the cost of works. Good luck!
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Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks both for your responses, I’m attaching a first floor plan here, garage conversion and second floor extension is what I’m thinking too I’m just wondering if the rooms that we’d end up with are worth the expense and hassle.
Sonia
3 years ago
My sister did something similar with her house. It was three beds but the 3rd bedroom was a box room. They extended over the garage to create a master bedroom with en-suite. The box room is now an office. Then she converted the garage, which they never used, into a good size utility which also contained the downstairs loo. This was accessed from the kitchen, The front third of the garage became a storage area. She changed the garage door to a two door one to give access to the storage from outside. She also extended out to enlarge the kitchen. None of this was cheap, but it has made life more comfortable for her and her family.
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks so much for your response, it’s really comforting to know someone has done sth similar and they’re happy with it!
Mary Ketchley
3 years ago
https://media.rightmove.co.uk/dir/94k/93835/56526582/93835_BIL180289_FLP_01_0000_max_600x600.jpg. This is a link to the floor plan of our previous house. The original layout was very much like yours. Although there were things about the ground floor that I don’t think we got quite right, it was a great house for a young family. We moved when we had 3 children and the box room was a bedroom again. If we had stayed a family of 4 we would have been pretty contented.
Mary Ketchley
3 years ago
Maybe this picture works better?
Mary Ketchley
3 years ago
I probably should have said we extended over the garage and across the full rear of the house. In hindsight, the rear extension was a bit too narrow. I think it was only 2 metres.
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks very much for your time. It looks like this is a house that works for a family, but I’m afraid we wouldn’t be able to extend behind the garage as the plot gets really tight so we probably only have the garage space to work with. Thanks anyway for posting the plan, there are some great ideas in there!
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
@covey kitchen I’ve thought about that too, but I feel so tired from moving houses and decorating and my husband has done so much work in here he doesn’t want to leave. We originally bought the house because we love the location and bigger houses can be significantly expensive around here and we’re afraid of having an enormous mortgage that’s why we’re trying to make this one work. Thanks for your advice though, it definitely makes sense and would probably be the most sensible option but often decisions are led by the heart I’m afraid!
Chioma Caster
3 years ago
Hi there! I'm working on a new TV series of 'Sarah Beeny's Renovate Don't Relocate' in which Sarah Beeny helps people decide how to utilise the space in their homes and you seem perfect for it. If you're interested in applying, please do email me at chiomah@outlineproductions.co.uk
Mary Ketchley
3 years ago
I probably should have also said that the rear extension was only on the ground floor, so the upstairs would probably be achievable for you. On the ground floor, could you go through the current under stairs cupboard, through to the garage to make a utility or toilet space?
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks @mary I’m afraid we can’t do that, the stairs run along the living room and kitchen, leaving a small cupboard in the living room only. The only way to go into the garage it’d be from the entrance hall.
Tim Baker
3 years ago
House sounds perfect for someone else. I think you know you need to move when it's right for you.
debbieb boorman
3 years ago
Could you build on top of garage.....maybe extend dining room .....add conservatory !!!!
PRO
Cotterpine
3 years ago
I agree that probably extending on top of the garage sounds the best idea. If you are afraid of loads or labour price, try a timber structure. Also, the garage seems bit narrow. Do you use it for car or for storage/workshop?
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks for your answers. The garage is 2.6m wife which is indeed not very wide, but wider than our existing box room. It’s only used for storage. If you had any rough idea of how much that’d cost, garage conversion + second floor ext would be very useful. Also if anyone knew if I could add a conservatory type of extension or an orangery (not sure what’s best) without having to keep existing doors? I don’t want to add sth that will be separate from the kitchen and not really usable. Thanks very much!
Sandi Robinson
3 years ago
Look to see if other neighbours have done this as more likely to get planning permission also if you're confident enough ask if you can have a look at their conversions to get an idea of what it would look like. Garage conversion and building on top of the garage would really add value!
kl55hp
3 years ago
Re extending out the back, what has your neighbour done (other side of brick wall visible in garden photo).

Ease/dififculty of building on top of garage depends on the foundations of the garage. Were they built strong enough to support weight of an extra storey? You'll probably need professional help to work this out -- or get some info talk from people nearby in your relatively identical houses who have built above the garage.

The garage might be relatively easy to convert. It will need insulation and ventilation/windows. It could make a fabulous single bedroom/playroom with access to the garden. You will probably need planning permission to change the garage door to a window (because it affects the street view of your house). Design the new window so the front of the house looks coherent, and you are more likely to get approval. You could enter the bedroom/playroom via a doorway in the hall.

In my opinion though, you would probably be best to move. The house looks well-proportioned as it is for a small family. Adding a bedroom, but not enlarging the kitchen or adding another toilet/bathroom will make it less-well proportioned. Enlarging the kitchen might not help re-sale if it makes the garden too small. Also keep in mind that some prospective buyers wouldn't put a high value on the converted garage. They might prefer the storage space of a garage, and not be happy with a small child sleeping on the ground floor whilst the rest of the family is upstairs.
User
3 years ago
Unless you live in a conservation area, planning permission is not required for a garage conservation. It falls within permitted development rights. Building regulations approval is required though.
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
@kl55p Thanks for your very detailed answer. It’s never been our intention to convert the garage into bedroom. The plan would be to make a downstairs shower room/ utility and guest room if possible. Above the garage on the first floor we’d look to add the fourth bedroom. Our next door neighbours have extended at the back indeed. ( I have my doubts about how that got permission as it takes away a lot of our natural light but it probably happened a long ago before they even moved in). I’ve seen same houses around with rooms above the garage so it probably feasible what I don’t know if there was any reinforcement work done to allow that. Our garden is 14m long it’d become smaller but still enough at least for me! we have built composite decking at the end of it where all the sun is and that wouldn’t be affected allowing also and some lawn area.
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you for your advice on moving though, it’s just a thought we’re not willing to make as we’re very happy with the immediate location we live in but I understand it would be the sensible thing to do!
HU-400235225
3 years ago
Just noticed that the down pipe from the adjoining property is coming into your garden. That shouldn't be like that, it should return into their own property. What is the aspect of your back garden? is it south facing? Regards.

Mike.
kl55hp
3 years ago
"The plan would be to make a downstairs shower room/ utility and guest room if possible."

That's a good idea. However, the layout for all those purposes will be tricky. If you put the utility near the garden, then you'll need a corridor from the hallway (otherwise you will be walking through your guest's room). Corridors are a horrible waste of space. If you put the utility near the hall way, you'll waste the light coming in from the 'garage' front window. The only way to avoid this would be to alter your kitchen, to give yourself access to the back of the garage.

Perhaps settle for converting the garage to a playroom / or grown up's retreat and a utility room. And make a large, new master bedroom and ensuite above (overlooking the garden), plus enlarge Bedroom 3 (the box room).
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
There is indeed a drain pipe coming into ours from next door. It never looked right to me but thank you for confirming, at least I know it wouldn’t be my problem to move it if I was to extend there. For as long as the garage is concerned, I’d be happy to enter the utility from the garden when we have guests (which doesn’t happen often I must confess), creating a corridor is a complete waste of space in my view and we very much need it here.
Stella Chatzianagnostou
Original Author
3 years ago
I honestly want to thank all of you for taking the time here every thought and opinion is very much appreciated! My original post aimed to find out whether what I had in mind was possible or out of this world and you all have helped tons!
Tom Sandman
3 years ago
One thing I would do is get the neighbours drain pipe re routed over their roof......it is killing your grass by the looks of things and probably making a very damp area in your garden.
Picasso
3 years ago
Definitely utilise the garage for space. You can do that straight away even before you go down the road of doing it properly. An eBay table would also turn it cheaply into a work space.
jill_s_airs
3 years ago
Yes, definitely agree about the down-pipe! It's the first thing I noticed when looking at your picture. As a gardener, I should be furious about it! They clearly have an extension, so a precedent has been set. Good news for you!
janicewoolley59
3 years ago
They can’t do that in your garden !
PRO
extendArchitecture
3 years ago
Build over your garage before your neighbour does! :-)
PRO
Archit_studio2
3 years ago

Hi Stella,

hope it's not too late.

This is a rough sketch about my idea.

2 Options

Option 1:

- remove the door in the living room and demolish the existing wall between kitchen and living;

- new wall in line with garage with double sliding doors;

- new open space in living room with a corridor into utility and toilet;

- reduce garage and at rear create a toilet and utility room;

- rear extension 4mt with flat roof and rooflight, to create kitchen/dining;

- new windows at side in kitchen/dining;

- bi-fold doors at rear;

- first floor side extension above the garage;

- bedroom 3 become ,1 part corridor (access to master bedroom) and 1 part en-suite (for master bedroom).

- new master bedroom with dressing above garage.

Option 2:

- new porch at front;

- remove the door in the living room and demolish the existing wall between kitchen and living;

- new wall in line with garage with double sliding doors;

- new open space in living room with a corridor into utility, toilet and guest room/play room;

- garage conversion to realize, utility room, shower room and guest room/play room;

- rear extension 4mt with vaulted ceiling, to create kitchen/dining;

- new windows at side in kitchen/dining;

- bi-fold doors at rear;

- first floor side extension above the garage;

- bedroom 3 become ,1 part corridor (access to master bedroom) and 1 part study;

- new master bedroom with en-suite above garage.

If you want to talk about this options, feel free to call us:

07403930900

We offer also a free initial consultation.

We have a long experience in residential houses and interior design, if you like we can arrange a meeting to show you our jobs.

Regards

Helga

How can we make this house work?

The Kitchen Lady UK

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