would we be crazy to get rid of our side access?

4 years ago

Hello!
We live in a small Victorian semi detached house. We have been investigating extending into the side return. However for all the work I am wondering whether it’s worth taking it up to the boundary. So instead of extending our by 1.3 metres into the side return we could extend 2.5 metres.
I wondered people’s thoughts or experience on this? Is it crazy? Have you done it?

Be great to hear others thoughts.

Thank you!

Featured Answer

HU-16640264

4 years ago

I've recently moved into a house with no side access and would recommend that you keep it! as previous posters have said, window cleaner can't do the back windows when we aren't home, we can't store the bins out the back of the house, all garden waste and equipment has to be walked through the house etc

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Comments (11)

Daisy England
4 years ago
Will you have full access to get to the back of the house if you do this? Just thinking of bins etc.
Jonathan
4 years ago
I’m with Daisy you have to think about what you loose and weigh it up- you won’t bet able to have a window cleaner, if you have s front garden the mower will have to come through the house and if you ever need any maintenance at the back the builders will traipse through your kitchen
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Kerry Russell
Original Author
4 years ago
Good points! One would have to go through the house to get access to the garden if we were to do this. We have a tiny front area which people on our street who are in terrace houses put their bins...

I know it would be inconvenient but I wonder if the % of extra space would be worth it... we have two kids you see!
Emmanuelle
4 years ago
I personally wouldn’t for the reasons stated above... However, I think leaving 90 cm side path would be enough... which would allow you to extend 1.6 meter (1.3 indoors !) on the side... which would make a difference to an extension!
Sonia
4 years ago
As someone who lives in a mid terrace with no side access, I would say keep the access! No access is a nightmare, not just for the bins and window cleaner, but any work done to the the home or garden means no access for a lawnmower, skip, workmen etc. My sister has just had a large extension built but she has actually increased the width of the side access passageway to make life easier.
Kerry Russell
Original Author
4 years ago
Thanks for all your feed in! Maybe a compromise as suggested is worth investing.
Daisy England
4 years ago
Definitely keep the side access based on what you’ve said.
Michelle Werry
4 years ago
Another vote for keeping the side access. Like Forzaitalia I lived in a mid-terrace and having to drag anything garden related through the house was a nightmare.
Sarah U-S
4 years ago
I’m also in a mid terrace, and when we extended into the side return, I was desperate to go up to the boundary. However - we’re in a conservation area so I wasn’t allowed. My architect also suggested it was a good idea to leave a path - and he was sooo right! Our pathway is just wider than our bins - which is really useful, especially as we have a large garden and constantly fill our garden bin.
It has also proved essential when moving various pieces of furniture - we often end up having to go down the path with large pieces that we can’t get in through the front door...
Rhian Foley
4 years ago
I've been having the same debate and so glad I read this thread!!! I'd love to see the plans you went with in the end.

would we be crazy to get rid of our side access?

HU-16640264

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Daisy England

Jonathan

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would we be crazy to get rid of our side access?

Comments (11)

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