Building a Home Renovating Design Dilemma

Help with re-designing a semi detached

3 months ago

Hi,
We are close to completing on a c.1930s semi-detached property and need a clearer view and vision on what we can do to make the best use of the space we have.
Key considerations:
- We like the idea of two separate sitting rooms. We are most likely going to stud between the dining room and living room or insert sliding separating doors but don't mind if this is achieved with only keeping the dining room as separate and having a snug elsewhere. There is a doorway to the dining room from the hallway but it's been boarded over - we will open this back up
- We are most likely going to replace the garden room with a 6x3m extension to hopefully achieve a decent size kitchen diner area with an island. We don't mind this using some of the living room or existing kitchen to achieve, but as mentioned above would like to keep two separate sitting rooms (other than the kitchen) if and where possible
-an extension as suggested above will affect the light and possibly the ventilation of the living room - is it better to take up more space for the dining room and attach some or the living room into the kitchen extension for light and ventilation reasons?
- considering using the exiting kitchen to form a utility room (washing and drying purposes) and perhaps some of that space or some of the extended space to form a small bathroom (toilet, sink and shower) somewhere along the wc wall area due to availability of soil access etc
- if possible it would be great to create a small office as I wfh and this could double as a snug if that works to keep this as a secondary sitting room if needed and when needed
- we would like to do a double storey extension ontop of the 6x3m but unlikely to get the same footprint under permitted development and unsure if we would get a second storey at all approved.
- we like the idea of accessing various rooms via the hallway / separately but do not like the idea of wasted space for the sake of hallways!
We are looking to appoint an architect once we complete the purchase but would really appreciate any ideas or suggestions in the mean time!

Featured Answer

siobhanmcgee90

3 months ago

Totally agree with isla. Your extension will be almost the same size as the existing so the extended space may not give you what you need unless you integrate the living and kitchen. Move WC to under stairs and a little of the kitchen if needed. Kitchen where living is now and a sitting area looking out to the garden.

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Comments (7)

HU-490439330
Original Author
3 months ago
Isla Cherry
3 months ago
Realistically looking at your floorplan you are going to have to prioritise your wishlist. Some things will have to go. The currrent extension size is only slightly smaller than what you propose as a replacement. I would prioritize getting better access between kitchen and dining room. It's not a great idea to have a wc next to your dining room for privacy and other reasons. If you combine the current kitchen with the current extension that would give you a reasonably sized kitchen diner. You could then keep your two sitting rooms but I am struggling to see where your small WFH space is going to be. You still need a utility or you could combine this with the kitchen. If plumbing is possible the pantry could perhaps become your wc.
HU-490439330 thanked Isla Cherry
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Hello and thanks for your prompt reply. The drawings provided show that the support beams are 203mm depth and therefore they will be too big to sit inside the ceiling void. As the weight per linear m is 23Kg as detailed on the drawings it may be worth asking the engineer to reduce the depth and and increase the weight so the beam can be inserted into the ceiling void. I note that there is also a couple of posts in the stud wall and these could be upgraded if necessary. I do not make these suggestions lightly. The main benefit of inserting the beam inside the ceiling is the removal of the shadow cast on the ceiling. The return nibs on either end could be cut back and if needed posts could be fixed direct to the brickwork to provide vertical support. There may need to be a spreader plate welded to the bottom of the post in order to mitigate the point load on the foundation. Obviously this is more of a structural design issue. Is there a good reason for not centring the bifold doors to the external wall? You have so much height on the flat roof why not put a warm deck roof on instead of a cold deck with in cross ventilation? Can I also suggest a warm pitched roof too. You may find Web Dynamics TLX Goldto be a very useful form of insulation as you will only need about 75mm of PIR insulation in between the rafters. I've never been fortunate enough to meet a building control officer willing to accept a heavy duty Catnic lintel over a 4M bifold door. I thought the under stairs might be the position of the meters. I would consider relocating these to an outside wall. Then turn the WC through 90 degrees and design it under the stairs. If I was planning a kitchen diner extension with a beautiful bi-fold door looking out into the rear garden would try and create a direct flow from front of house to the back. I would move the utility room into the middle of the house to provide a direct line of sight from the front door to the rear garden. GD3 would provide access into the utility room. I'd consider moving the door along the living room wall so it could open into the hallway. This would allow a 950mm wide fully glazed door to be placed between the hallway and the kitchen diner. With regard to the position of the new extension wall which is adjacent to your adjoining neighbour I suggest that you look up the party wall act 1996 booklet online here - https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/523010/Party_Wall_etc__Act_1996_-_Explanatory_Booklet.pdf The part that is of interest is "Line of junction - building astride the boundary". If you build across the boundary you should gain at least 150mm of additional internal floor space along the length of the outside wall. Also if in the future your neighbour decides to build an extension they can utilise your wall for if they pay half of the cost of its construction. I'm sure you know that you are responsible for paying all of the costs from all sides relating to the party wall agreement. If the neighbour on the other side is within 3/6m then you will need an agreement with them as well. The architects drawing indicates that the drain is not adopted or shared and therefore you will not require a build over agreement with the water authority. Best wishes Andrew
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PRO
Hinton House Interiors
3 months ago
Do you have the option for a side extension instead of re-doing the garden room?
HU-490439330 thanked Hinton House Interiors
HU-490439330
Original Author
3 months ago
Thank you both for the feedback

@isla cherry - the dining room probably is inappropriately labelled and for now is just a space that most likely will become a front sitting room. Therefore we are considering possibly taking up more space of the current living room for the front room (dining room) and incorporate the residual into a new kitchen diner. The existing kitchen can then be used for a utility and maybe a small bathroom if it uses a small portion of the extended space if needed?

@Hinton House Interiors - no scope for side extension, adjoining property is to the dining room and living room left wall. We could think about a bigger extension I.e 6x4 if it would make a big difference to art of the possible but this would be contingent on planning permission etc
PRO
Hinton House Interiors
3 months ago
I think you could possibly achieve your wish list in terms of the rooms, but there may be a compromise on the layout and flow. I think you'd need to consider what is most important to you and how you will use the space.

You could turn the current kitchen into a utility/WC, Replace the garden room with a proper extension housing the new kitchen (I would suggest at least 6m x 4m), however access would be via the living room. Then block up the wall between the living room and dining room and re-open the original dining room door. Use the dining room as your snug/office and the living room as an open plan space with the new kitchen/diner.

Otherwise, you may have to compromise on the office or the utility room, in which case you would have a number of different layout options.
HU-490439330 thanked Hinton House Interiors
Dee
3 months ago
Alternative idea would be to move wc to under the stairs. Create office in current kitchen (if priority/ if not this space could become the utility. Close off current front dining room to become the separate living room. Move new kitchen into the current living room and extension space preferably 6x4 to gain better space.
HU-490439330 thanked Dee

Help with re-designing a semi detached

siobhanmcgee90

Comments (7)

HU-490439330
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Isla Cherry

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Hinton House Interiors

HU-490439330
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Dee

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Help with re-designing a semi detached

siobhanmcgee90

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HU-490439330Original Author

Isla Cherry

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Hinton House Interiors

HU-490439330Original Author

Hinton House Interiors

Dee

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HU-490439330
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HU-490439330
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