would you consider converting the garage to a bedroom ?

Hello! Thanks for your message and drawing. We’re have thought of converting the garage, but were also hoping to keep that space for an ensuite and improving bedroom 1.

One option

Could you move the entrance to the side?

Hey AD,

I have a couple of questions, is bedroom 2 being used a bedroom currently? The garage, what is that currently being used for? When you say the conservatory is unlivable, what do you mean? The more information you can provide the more helpful I can be! Thank you - Jessica

Do you need all the bedrooms as you say you have small children? The cheapest and easiest would be to use the bedroom next to the kitchen for a diner and lose the wall between them. You will need another bedroom though. Do you need the garage?

Hi Studio Smith - thanks for your message. Bedroom 2 is currently being used as a bedroom for our 4 year old. The Garage is just being used for the storage, however we had hopes of one day using some of that space to create an ensuite and dressing room off of Bedroom 1. The conservatory is an old one that is too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer - we would like to tear it down as it is an eyesore.

Our current thinking is to move the kitchen to the back of the lounge (ie the shared wall with the garage) to create a kitchen/diner with doors opening onto the garden, then open the wall up (with a moveable barrier - maybe a glass door or sliding door?) between that space and bedroom 2 to have a broken plan kitchen, dining living space. The old kitchen space would then become 2 (possibly knocking down the airing cupboard to create a bigger room). The WC could then be knocked through to create a larger family bathroom. We're just not sure what the likely costs of moving the kitchen and whether it's worth it.

We have also though of keeping the kitchen where it is, but knocking through the WC and airing cupboard to have a larger space, with a view of integrating the boiler, washer/drying into kitchen units and a small breakfast/eating area looking out onto the garden (probably with banquette seating).

Just some thoughts right now, but we are playing around will all sorts of ideas. Ultimately, we want the most comfortable space for everyone, without making any of the existing room smaller and still being able to have a separate lounge.

Hi AD, wondered if it might be helpful if we shared what we did with ours as we had similar issues. Originally we had an architect draw up plans but costed up they were £100,000 before any problems - waaayyy over the budget we had. Anyway, had to decide what was really important and compromise as is often the way. Like you the kitchen diner was our priority but meant creating a bedroom somewhere else. Our garage was already converted (bedroom on the far left, causing its own problems). Moving kitchen to dining room was too expensive and actually room wasn't best shape for it. I really wanted to move the bathroom for through house view but also too much money so compromised on that. In a nutshell we've created a kitchen diner by knocking the kitchen into the bedroom behind, moving kitchen to back of room (door blocked up) and dining next to garden with French doors. New bedroom created by splitting dining room with those two rooms opening to what is now the kids playroom/family room that has big sliding door to garden - again, worked with the opening we had to save money. It isn't something from 'your house made perfect' but affordable and it works for us :) Total cost to date about £30K but still have back of house to render and decking to add after removing conservatory (awful lean-to with poly carb roof)

Floor plans below - before and after. Red = new bedroom (couldn't move door to front bedroom without added cost so worked round it), yellow = knocked together spaces to create kitchen diner, black = gone - hooray!

Happy to send interior photos pre and post if it helps

Ps. We have a 12 x 9 log cabin in the garden as my husband's office (put in by previous owner) so lots of similarities. Has been suggested we put an external staircase on side of bungalow and build office in loft as we have a window up there that could become a door but that's one for another day.

Hey AD,

You have a great floor plan and if you have a budget of 40K, I would try to make the most out of internal changes rather than going to an Architect, particularly one that doesn't do any form of internal space planning, you could end up spending 3-4K on drawings and when it comes to costing it will just be way over your budget.

I will suggest a few things that I think would help you make the most out of the space and even if you just take your time with the changes. I would explore moving the kitchen to the living area, I think this would give you the big living dining area you need when you have a small family - look at ways to incorporate the fireplace instead of removing, that can be costly. There are loads of companies out there would do second hand kitchens, not used, ex-display and you can get them for great prices. Maybe some built in seating for your dining table, this is really easy to create with off the shelf kitchen units, but it would help with space saving.

The kitchen where it is currently, I would maybe suggest an office space, meaning that you could keep your 3 bedrooms and the garage you could explore a en-suite bathroom later down the line. You could keep the airing cupboard if that is your boiler, if not maybe a small utility could work.

Hope this has given you ideas, let me know if you have any questions - Jessica