Hi there. I guess at the end of the day you need to decide if you want to move to a new place, or if you want to stay put - but also, how much value would this extension add to your property?

I assume moving the retaining wall is a very costly task - is there an option to extend without having to move this wall? As 75k is quite expensive for the addition of basically 1 room. In saying this, the extension does look great, and would provide you with a fabulous open plan space!

You could certainly make much better use of the space you have, as the hallway seems to have loads of room that could be repurposed. Nevertheless the staircase isn't in the easiest spot. Would extending really limit your outdoor space as I notice the doors lead to the side.

Can you get an estate agent to value it as is, then what they think with the extension added? Obviously you wouldn’t want to spend more than the difference on the extension but it should help the decision making

Hello! If you do decide to extend your home then you may find this blog helpful of ours. It’s all about mistakes to avoid when extending your home. Here’s the link - https://www.thelivinghouse.co.uk/blog-interior-design-tips/the-6-most-common-mistakes-we-see-when-you-extend-your-home

You have a lovely double fronted home that would surely attract plenty of interest; if it doesn't 'spark joy' anymore, perhaps it is time for a change. I read somewhere recently about the return of closed plan spaces for large families, but that many other households that go for a rear extension end up with an unused front room. It looks like the proposed extension would fit in your current lounge, knocking only one wall and bringing the deck into use - perhaps with a weatherproof dining area. A redesign of the stairs looks necessary - what rooms are affected upstairs?

Yes I read that article too and was wondering if we would end up with an unused front room - but if we were staying here for good we’d end up having a house with 3 teenagers, 2 adults and a dog in years to come and the small living space in the kitchen isn’t enough for essentially 5 adults!

There are currently 3 bedrooms and an en-suite upstairs - there was a plan to change the layout of these slightly to increase the size of the bedrooms and make the bathroom communal to all - but that cost of that alone seems like it’s not worth it and we can make do the way it is or tweak it slightly for less cost.

Your bay window in the kitchen would make a fabulous dining area, shifting the work spaces further back by extending into the unused hallway. Could you move the washing machine etc under the stairs and maybe turn the utility room into a small snug. Lots of options! It really depends on whether you would like to stay in your current house.

Would this save some money? Still a small extension needed to the current utility to make it a bedroom but other than that it’s swapping rooms about.

Other option if you moved your front door to the side (I know to some people this is a complete no)

It does seem a lot to spend just to create one more room! My thought is the kitchen could be rather dark, and the utility unnecessarily large. Why not create a door in the existing wall into the new utility and create a window for it in the side wall, and do without the new window/external door. The opening between kitchen and new sitting area could then be fully extended. Expensive RSJ, but better light!

Given your original question about the kitchen design, I would suggest you have a pinch point where the top stool seating is and possibly even the second.

I would have suggested using the other entrance and then extending the storage along the sitting room wall but seeing the upper floor plan proposed the head height would peclude it.