Large Utility Room or Extra Office Space?

[shouldhavecalleditoatabix]

So we've just bought a standard three bed semi from the 1970's.

It is the right hand house with neighbours attached to the left. As you face the house there is a garage on the left and a large porch across the rest of the width of the house. I have tried to describe it but given up and added a drawing!

We are planning to build an extension and the second drawing shows my thoughts on the future layout. DP thinks the utility will be too big and unnecessary for a relatively small house. I think a large utility (to include separate wc, ceiling hung clothes aired, washing machine, sink, iron, storage etc) would make life for any family infinitely better. An alternative option would be to make the extension into the living room and add an office instead and keep the original kitchen size.

What does mn think?

Just throwing another option in there that a friend has recently done, will you actually use your garage? He halved his to use the 'front end' with the garage door as atypical non- car garage/shed type of storage and used the second half to create a utility room and downstairs loo.
It was a great use of space of their requirements

*for their requirements

I'd always go for a utility over an office space in the open plan. You can always put a desk in the corner of the lounge - but if you have no utility room you'll always have airers all over, piles of washing, etc. and then your office space looks messy.

I am biased though, I could make an office in the spare room but 90% of the time I work on my laptop at the kitchen table for close proximity to the kettle! And we have a huge utility with a ceiling airer that is so amazing I will never be without one again, even if it's in a hallway or over the bath.

The utility/wc won’t have a window? That would actively put me off buying a house. Kind of space that appears useful but would have the potential to be smelly/damp. Where you have the office could be better as it has an external wall and a window?

@Oinkypig good point. Problem with installing wc and utility in the 'office' area is moving the waste and plumbing. It will cost significantly more as there is nothing that end of the building.

But ventilation is a definite consideration.

@ohidoliketobe another good suggestion that we have talked about. As above we were trying to avoid moving plumbing and waste to that end of the house as it means a lot of extra work and cost implications.

DP says extractor (slow speed constant) will be installed from utility through ceiling of extension to outdoors. Can't fix the window issue in wc though.

Do you have a front entrance hall or does the porch open straight into the Lounge?

Is there an option to build out into half the porch? Leave the half of it next to the garage as a porch.

It is certainly an option but what would we gain? At the minute the price is going to be fully utilised for shoe storage (2 adults, 2 DC) and coats.

Porch. Wish we could edit posts

Make it a butlers pantry with your fridge and utilities in there. Include an extractor fan, you'll need it. if you have a butlers pantry you can make the kitchen itself smaller, allowing for the dining area to be moved to the centre of the room. This will allow space for your 'office'. I'd style the office as a sort of snug room, which will be useful as a separate space especially if you have kids.

(property investor/flipper here)

I would go for the huge utility for the washing , which is endless plus storage and the ability to leave the ironing board up for easy use...

@Guineapigbridge I like your thinking. Having the cake and eating it.

Where would you all put the doors? I kind of think a door to utility and wc from lounge wall but DP thinks door or walkway from kitchen to utility to wc

@MrsElijahMikaelson1 this is my thinking. Having a utility where everything goes and is hidden away. With IKEA type floor to ceiling storage including dry washing baskets for clean laundry (no more leaving it on the stairs to be taken up) and places to wash, dry, iron etc. Mops, buckets, stain removal etc. It's just so convenient in my mind

Other thought is, see if you can fit your loo under the stairs as that'll save you a lot of space. Coat cupboard near the door.

Big utility over office every time. Do you really need a separate office or will laptop at kitchen table / spare room / desk in corner of large bedroom / create a 'study nook' in lounge/under stairs work ok?

I like the idea above of using the space under the stairs to make a "study nook". One thing I noticed is that with your extension, it seems your kitchen will be windowless (or am I failing to see something?).

I also understand it's not in scale, but if your utility room is going to be that large, is there space for a downstairs bathroom? A proper one with a walk in shower could come in handy if elderly relatives visit/someone breaks their leg/is sick.

With the amount of people now working from home office over utility will be a better seller if you move, also I have a toilet with no window and my sons new build has an upstairs bathroom with no window, modern extractors are way more efficient nowadays