I'm a bit confused as to how many people live here - bedrooms suggest 6 - dining table suggests 8 - but soft seating only has room for 5 ?!? Anyway that's not answering your question - for simple electric update, a chat on site with your electrician and a copy of the plan you have should suffice. Think about where you want lamps and sockets for vacuuming and charging phones in addition to permanently plugged in appliances etc . It's not difficult - just be logical ! If your designer has priced up your project to include detailing the spec for builders you should let her. If not, and you want to go down the route of using the common sense of builders to build the walls in the right place and kitchen and bathroom company being able to draw plans and work with the builders, most are more than capable of doing so. You may even find one company who can provide kitchens, bathrooms and the build team to do the whole project ! You have done the structural thing - so sounds like you have the important parts covered. Comments made by some people about your designer being inexperienced sound possibly a bit harsh !? The shower door could be bi fold to avoid door clash. One last thing - a laundry room with shelving above appliances - opening with double doors into the hall space might work better for laundry area for a family home rather than just one door and a stack of appliances at the end - although I know that means talking to the structural guys again ! But in the long run - this way would make more efficient use of the space IMO .... a bit like this http://houzz.com/photos/26461611

Sadly I have to agree with the comments about the poor energy efficiency standards of new housing in the UK - they're criminally low in the first place and sometimes aren't even adhered to properly, which can make living in them expensive, miserable and unhealthy. Historically energy conservation hasn't been an issue as so much of our housing, particularly social/council housing, was built decades ago when energy was plentiful and cheap and hardlly anyone thought about the effect on the planet. On the other hand, the UK has a rich architectural heritage which comes in part from the mix of housing and thanks to the efforts of the conservation movements which arose from the threat of bombing in the C20th wars and then the possibly even worse vandalism of the 1960s town planners! Reading and Glasgow suffered terribly at the hands of the planners but happily now many - though far from all - historic buildings across the country are loved and protected. We're fortunate in the UK not to have a mindset of 'new is better' so bulldoze the old, but there's always a place for innovation and making old houses comfortable and efficient places to live in in the C21st. *gets off soap box*

That is lovely, the finish looks really good and the marble top is exactly what we have been looking for, I shall give them a call. Thank you.... I was ready to throw in the towel and put something I really didn't want in just to get the decision made. We are doing a full renovation with so many decisions to be made, I think the other half was losing patience with me spending so much time trying to source this one item when we have so much else to do....so thank you from him too! :-)

Hi Lorraine, your house is beautiful. I have been in property for around 20 years and one of my flats which is in a stunning location and grade 2 listed was very tricky to sell actually. It was quite niche... as in the right person would give their right arm to buy it... but many were not interested. I had to wait for the right time to sell. I tried 3 times in the last few years. This time it sold for full asking price and fast. I have sold a couple of other houses for the asking price. What I have found is that 1. Staging is everything. 2. Timing is everything! 3. Price it to sell and don’t haggle. Most buyers lack imagination and want the ‘feeling’ it’s the right house which is all to do with psychologically and subconsciously they walk in and imagine themselves living there. Your house is beautiful and very grand. If it feels cold you must get the heating sorted. I would also suggest hiring a company who can bring in extra props to stage the house and make it feel more relaxed and as if children live /visit the house because it’s a family home. I also think it might be worth paying a draftsman or an architect for some simple drawings on how to remodel to make it flow better. These have already been suggested but in a house like yours I would expect a bathroom per room or at least one larger bathroom per two rooms. Just consider the remodel for an ensuite/dressing area in your master and move the WC downstairs to allow the garden room to flow off the main hallway. Then you don’t need to touch anything but you give the buyer the view of how it could be and stir their imagination. Also stage the downstairs room near front door as a home office. Timing: if you don’t have to move yet then don’t but if prices drop then you will be in a worse position. If you can wait then do. This is a vague answer but sometimes the timing isn’t right. You might have to sit it out for a few more years. When I put the houses up for sale I put them just at the price I felt would get a bit of a frenzy going. But it was also a price I would be happy to sell for to do what I wanted to do. What’s that number for you? (Don’t have to say but think what is that number?). You can’t change the road. But perhaps there is a way you can change the access. I had many people over the year tell me I can’t do something and I made it happen anyway. No is sometimes not yet, not the final answer. Call the planning office and see what can be done but ultimately it is what it is. More hedges can dampen noise, even water features can help drown out road noise. Don’t worry about your neighbours objecting. Most people object to works on the regular. As long as you hire a decent architect who knows the local planning people and you create a relationship with the planning office you might be able to find a different solution and the neighbours can object all they like but it’s down to whether it meet the planning officers approval. What you have to consider above all else is who your target buyer is and cater for them. For example my properties were very much for single professionals. Don’t try and be everything for everyone you will miss the mark. Stage it from that perspective; who would buy your house? A business person would have that kind of budget. They don’t have time to garden, they need a home office where it’s quiet, they want convenience, is the road offering faster access to airports, transport links? Good private schools nearby? Does it offer the ego boosting status they require to validate themselves? Sounds daft but this is what is subconsciously going on in their head. Can you create a home gym at your house? Is there space for a hot tub or summer house for BBQ’s? What else do they want? If a family they want seperate living areas, perhaps a media room and a drawing room? Does the house flow easily? Can a parent see their kids in the garden from the kitchen? The ponds can have grates out over them so not a big issue. How much does it cost to maintain the garden. Spell it all out for them. Anticipate the their objections and questions. Give them the answer in advance. Hope this helps! Xoxo