Critique of plans please!

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

Houzzers, I need your help! Please see the proposed plans for our extension.

The left side is our current layout, the right our proposed.

I am looking for suggestions or improvements. The build is planned for Summer and we are in the process of finalising the plans after many versions!

We did debate having a door into the kitchen from the garden but but decided the utility would be better as we will have patio / sliding doors in the new extension for access.

I have 2 children who go in and out of the garden to go to the loo as well and didn't want them traipsing through the kitchen (especially soaking wet from a paddling pool).

Any suggestions are welcome especially regarding layout of kitchen or the utility.

Thanks in advance!

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Comments (9)

Jonathan
3 years ago
Alternative
rinked
3 years ago
Rough measurements please?
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This is def looking like more than £150k. £200k is more conservative estkmate. Be careful re: planning laws, you are often able to extend up to 50% more (volume) but you have to take into account existing extensions. So I think workshop in garden would focus the extension on areas you need within the house and not use up % of floor plan unnecessarily. Larger single storey (with velux), smaller extension upstairs would allow light downstairs and prob be more acceptable to neighbours and planning. Moving bathroom is expensive but if you keep kitchen, utility, soil pipe to one side it will create efficiencies. There is a wish list and then practicalities from planning permission and budget perspective which will need professional input. Light tunnels are a relatively cheap but useful way of getting light to darker places.
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Personally I think the room would be plenty light enough without additional side windows- they would also have no view and limit cabinet placement in the kitchen. If you want a pantry you could build one next to the wc- personally I think the expense is unjustifiable when there are beautiful pantry cabinets that you can buy with your kitchen. Shower room- unless you have need for a downstairs shower I would put an ensuite upstairs. Utility room - Lots of flats have internal kitchens and bathrooms so it is commonplace. You can vent along the joists or go upwards through the suggested ensuite and then through the roof- in fact then you can put extractor fans in the loft so the fans are quieter in your shower room and utility. Noise- you can add extra insulation designed to dampen noise so your living room should be unaffected. Ensuite waste- I envisage this going down from the ensuite, through my suggested utility room and then under the hall floor. (Given the age of house I imagine you have a void under wooden floorboards so the soil pipe would go there and meet the drains that are almost certainly in the drive.)
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Thanks so much for your comments OnePlan. I love what you said about putting lights outside. I want to do the windows now just for that - could look so cosy! Thanks for the reassurance with the doors. I think we will go with this. Hmmm I'm not sure a barn door is quite what I want here. I'm not bothered about access to the kitchen from the lounge, it's more for light purposes, but it's a valid point about interruption to walkway, one that I had considered. I wonder if interior bifolds or something like that might work, although there would still be the view into the kitchen problem. it isn't important for tv in here - we do have another snug, so this would be more social/entertaining space. There will be a lot of light already from big windows on 3 walls. Would the skylights make it hotter in here? The lounge currently is where the kitchen will be and it is a very sunny room, which does get rather warm on a sunny day.
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Ellie
3 years ago
What does the utility/wc look put onto? Assuming a lovely outdoor patio/garden? If you are building a new space it would be such a shame to use it all for mucky/hidden rooms. Much prefer Jonathan's idea.
Carolina
3 years ago
Dimensions would be useful, but I do like your plans. Think it will be practical, also for drying your laundry outside if you want. The open plan living/dining/kitchen looks like a good social space. Only negative I can find is that if you have guests who want to use the bathroom, they'll have to go through the utilty.
Wumi
3 years ago
I have to agree with Ellie, Jonathan's plan better uses the new light filled extension and gives you a more spacious, brighter kitchen. If you were in the living room, you'd have to go through the kitchen an utility room to get to the downstairs toilet.

Do you have access down the side of the house?
Rebecca Wilson
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks all, see attached plan with measurements. The back sitting room is dark so I thought this could be a snug/tv room, dining table in new extension.

I think because we already have the kitchen and downstairs toilet in the galley area( which is being extended outwards by 1 mtr or so) I have left it there.

The rear sitting room has a lovely high ceiling and ceiling rose, I can't imagine losing half of it to a utility, although Jonathan maybe it's an idea to move the kitchen.

The house isn't huge so it would be same distance to family bathroom at top of stairs to the downstairs toilet. I did think of putting it next to the understairs but husband doesn't like the idea of toilet in the middle of the house and said drainage could be an issue.

Debating whether to put an island in?
Carolina
3 years ago
I honestly think it'll be lovely and very practical for what you've described
Wumi
3 years ago
Could you maybe get away with removing one side of the kitchen units and replacing kitchen window with a full length window?

Reduce the size of the utility so you can get in more worktop space?

Would the under stairs cupboard/area be a good place for a pantry?

Rather than an island, what about a peninsular against the nib with high seating on the dining area side. Then maybe bench seating against the wall with chairs opposite for the dining table.
rinked
3 years ago

Wumi and I have a similar idea I see. Had this page open for a few hours without refreshing. :)

Only I closed off the hallway door, to prevent the area between worktops to become a traffic line. This would mean moving the door to the sitting room for traffic reasons too.

Shower room is now sideways opposite the back door, no more going through the utility.

Critique of plans please!

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Jonathan

rinked

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Critique of plans please!

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