Old house... new home!

2 years ago

We had an offer accepted on a house last Tuesday and we’ve been told to get an architect in as soon as possible so that any works can be signed off and therefore started as soon as we get the keys.

We are thinking of extending the kitchen to get rid of the L shape and box it off. Are we doing the obvious or is there anything else we should do/could do to make full use of this space?

we are first time buyers so any help and advice is welcome! Thanks in advance

Featured Answer

tamp75

2 years ago

I personally wouldn’t pay an architect until I knew the house was pretty much mine. I don’t mean to be the voice of doom & gloom, but having an offer accepted doesn’t always mean you get the house. There might be issues with surveys or the seller might pull out.
We were in a similar situation a few years back & survey issues meant the future value of the house was not as it should have been so we had to reluctantly pull out. We did have an architect around for a brief look) friend of a friend) so fortunately hadn’t paid anything & actually he advised us not to go any further with plans until the house was ours, which it later turned out not to be.
Obviously this doesn’t ‘often’ happen, but it is a possibility. Fingers crossed your purchase will be straightforward!

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Comments (12)

Jonathan
2 years ago
I think you need to think about what you want to change and what budget is available.
So if for instance you really need to rewire, or you really want new carpets then work out how much those jobs will be and the money remaining will dictate what is possible.

You then need to think about what you want to house to do that it’s doesn’t currently. It might be that you conclude that if you have kids you need more bedroom space, or that you want to have a better attic room. If it were my house I would rejig the first floor and attic - I suspect you could easily make this into a four bedroom house.
Fiona thanked Jonathan
pannacotta
2 years ago
What direction does the back of the house face? WOndering where the most light/sun is.
Fiona thanked pannacotta
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I see what you mean, It's a good idea in theory, however, practically, I don't think it's going to work, and you will end up ruining the nicest room in the house. There are no walls that remain unbroken by doors or windows, so where are you going to put units and unbroken worktop space. They can't go on the left as there are three doors. There's a door on the right, which although you could put a unit and a bit of worktop back right, it wouldn't be very big, and the biggest run of wall goes straight down to the glass doors, so you probably can't and wouldn't want to go straight up to them. You could move the door into the hallway from the front end to the bottom end by the patio doors and this would give you a better run of wall. If you put an island in the middle, 5' into the room to give yourself room to walk in and gain more worktop, it'll only leave you with around 6' at the other end for a dining space. However, i'd still advise getting a kitchen planner onboard before you start, as i'm not convinced the room is big enough to achieve what you want with the available wall space, and it stands a good chance of spoiling a very nice and elegant entrance to a house. The other big problem is the plumbing, there isn't any currently in that room, so you'll need to dig up the floor for drainage and almost definately that of either the utility or one of the bathrooms! I vote for keeping the house exactly as it is!
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Fiona
Original Author
2 years ago
it has a south facing garden and the kitchen overlooks this. The house is currently very dark, it’s all dark woods and dark carpets etc so we are hoping to maximise the light. We are hearing mixed opinions on sky lights.. some say they are brilliant, others say they make the room too hot!
Fiona
Original Author
2 years ago
Thanks Jonathan that’s great advice. The loft space is currently acting as a 4th bedroom...We are thinking of making the 3rd into an office. We are definitely changing the carpets etc so maybe we should get a quote for that first and see what we have left for the extension.
pannacotta
2 years ago
Yes thats a good point. Better to wait until things are further down the line before making too many plans or involving architects.

And I agree on working out what kind of budget you have for any work needed.
Fiona thanked pannacotta
Fiona
Original Author
2 years ago
this was what I said Tamp75! I agree maybe we hang on until we have the keys. I’ve heard so many stories where the sale has fallen through at the last minute. thanks for your advice!
tamp75
2 years ago
Lots of people also advise living in a property for a while too before making big changes. With the property we did end up buying, once we’d lived in it for a few months, we completely changed what we thought we wanted to do to the property, inc moving the kitchen to the opposite end of the bungalow.
User
10 months ago
Stairs in a bedroom isn't ideal, so tackling the upstairs layout would be my priority. Budget permitting of course.
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Cinch Self Storage
9 months ago
Congratulations on your offer being accepted! Sounds like a really interesting project ahead of you, this blog post has some great tips for when you're planning your rennovation: https://cinch.click/43p8Nz8
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Canmore Design
9 months ago
All internal renovations should be based on how you live (whether as a family or couple). Make a list of everything you hated about previous places you lived (even down to cleaning) and another list of what you liked. This can also be based on homes you have visited or which family members have. Include everything you can think of, from the number of drawers in a kitchen to materials and colours to how spaces feel or are arranged. Homes are a reflection of our unique selves. So skip generic designs and try to understand what is uniquely you first so you can reflect that both in how space is laid out and how it’s finished. Once you have this info you can brief an architect. But I agree with the above commenters. Wait till you have lived in it for a month or two.
Rick Udawash
8 months ago
last modified: 8 months ago
Extending the kitchen sounds like a fantastic idea! Breaking away from the L shape and boxing it off will create a more open and spacious feel, perfect for cooking and entertaining. When we moved in, we decided to knock down a non-load-bearing wall between the living room and dining area. And it turned out to be a fantastic solution. But have you thought about not agonizing with the repair and take a ready-made option? I think that in such a situation you can immediately take a house or apartment with a ready layout. If you are worried about the quality of the deal, you can consult Mortgage Broker in Northampton. Then your "remodeling" will come out to the same investment, but with more advantages in my opinion.

Old house... new home!

tamp75

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