How would you extend this house?

[CatmumTTC]

We are looking at buying this 1930s semi. It is on a triangular plot so more space at the side (hence wider than average garage) but less space at the rear. So we can't really extend at the rear by more than 2 meters, max. But we could replace the garage with more living space and build over the garage (was thinking master bedroom and ensuite). We'll have about £150k for initial renovations so might need to do some of it in stages. We're in the north east.

Main issue for me is the size of the current Kitchen. I'd like to go for a more open plan kitchen with dining room. DH likes the idea of having a garage for tinkering but is willing to loose some of that space to improve kitchen/dining area. We'd also like to add a downstairs loo, but there is not space under the stairs (where all the electrics are housed).

Hoping the mumsnet hive mind have some ingenious ideas as to how to extend this!

I might be missing something but wouldn't it be loads cheaper to just buy a bigger house which has the space and layout that you want already?
Obviously if location is key then this might not be possible but renovations are so expensive and stressful?

Back half of the garage becomes a big kitchen. Front half can have utility and loo and space for tinkering.

Extension above the garage for bedroom and bathroom should also be ok but make sure you plan for the foundations and plumbing of that when you do the downstairs.

@Geneticsbunny yes unfortunately there aren't many houses already extended in the area we want to be and when they come on the market there's usually a crazy bidding war and we miss out! I am a bit nervous about renovations as currently pregnant! But we'd probably live with current layout for a bit and plan the extension in a couple of years time. Just want to make sure there are good extension options as we're looking for a long term house.

@parietal yes good point about foundations and plumbing.

In terms of keeping things in budget and using the plumbing you already have, I’d knock the wall between kitchen and garage down and turn that into a kitchen diner. Then a wall across the garage which will be your utility and garage space. Won’t be loads of room for tinkering, but still some good storage.
The problem with this is that you’re then left with a separate living room and dining room, and it might not be the best use of space, in terms of actually using all of the rooms.
You could also possibly try taking the wall between the kitchen and dining room out and then that space into a kitchen diner. And if you wanted to do the 2 metre extension across the back that would obviously become bigger. You’d be able to fit kitchen space, a table and possibly a sofa so it becomes a proper living space that you all spend lots of time together in. Then the sitting room can become a cosy snug. And pop a little toilet in the garage somewhere.

Personally, I'd take half the garage at the back of the house and make an amazing kitchen with some beautiful glazing across the back. Then I'd knock through either side of the fireplace into the dining room to make it broken plan.

I've a toddler and a baby, and for us now open space works better. So I'd also remove the wall between the lounge and the dining room and put in either big sliding pocket doors or glazed partitions. That ways it's flexible to open up or close off, but it won't become the dead room at the front of the house that no one uses.

To the side of the garage, what does it face? It would be great to get some tall panels of glazing in there for light, especially if you plan to build above as well. Planning might allow obscured glass fixed panes if it faces a neighbour.

And finally I'd put a downstairs loo to the right of your front door, stealing a tiny portion of the remaining garage. Could you put a door from the house into the garage, and pop your washer and dryer in there also?

What’s your budget for everything, including finishes as that will be the deciding factor in any works?

Just to say, (and I think you're aware as you mention rebuilding) for two stories it's likely your garage doesn't have the right footings. Ours had to come down and be rebuilt. But that will be easier in terms of putting in glazing etc.

I'd keep the sitting room as it is, turn the current dining room into a playroom. Keep it as a separate room because children are small for only a short time and as they get older it is really useful to have two sitting rooms so the kids have their own space to entertain friends in/play computer games/watch shite I don't want to see/play musical instruments/read in peace etc etc. Quieter and easier to heat smaller rooms than one massive open plan space as well. Maybe put French doors in the bay to the garden so there is easy access outside?

Then kitchen into a utility (preferably with access to the garden for hanging stuff out) and the garage into a kitchen diner (access from hallway at the front and shut the current kitchen access). Or possibly kitchen knocked into the back of the garage for kitchen diner and utility at the front of the old garage. But think about the flow between rooms, that should be the decider. Also think about futureproofing so insulation/air source heating/solar panels.

For upstairs do you want to convert the attic at some point as well? It could make a good guest suite. On the first floor knock the bathroom and loo into one then you might have room for a separate bath and shower in there. I'd rather have a single big bathroom than an en suite but can see that two bathrooms are useful which is why I'd say think about an attic conversation as well because it would make sense to have a bothroom on each floor. And make sure you have sufficient storage space as well if you're making it into a 4 or 5 bed house.

Our old garage has storage at the front with a downstairs shower room and a utility at the back. It's really useful but we had room for an extension at the back so we have a big kitchen diner as well.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 that's an interesting idea re where to put the downstairs loo, it is a very wide garage (compared to most round here) so could steal some width from it. I was thinking if we rebuilt the garage to improve the foundations I'd probably bring it forward in line with the house too, there's not reason for it to be offset like that.
To the side of the garage there's about a 1.5m gap with bin store and side access. Then goes on to neighbours wall, they've extended right out to the boundary wall.

@Spaceid if we did the work within 2 years of moving in our budget would be £150k total. Hence why I think we'd have to do it in stages. The rest of the house is livable but we'd also want to do the upstairs bathroom pretty soon as it's got a separate loo atm. So thinking first we'd do the ground floor extension with foundations deep enough for future first floor. But I'd be willing to live with a very basic finish (cheap kitchen etc) if it meant we could get both floors done structurally first time round. As we're planning on living here for at least 10 years so could redo the interior.

@CatmumTTC yes moving the garage forwards for more space sounds good. If you have to rebuild, maybe you could make it 60 cm wider also, and still keep some side access.

Ours, South East this year, was £82k shell finish only for a single storey extension at the back (which needed a lot of steel) Plastering, glass, electrics, everything else for us to buy on top of that. It would have been 45% more for the structural work for a two storey, also shell finish. I'd push through if you can and get that all done. Otherwise you're paying for the roofer and materials etc twice, and honestly however careful they are they completely trash the done parts of your house. You can then gradually add the rest. It's amazing what can be done with a sink, dishwasher, ninja foodi and microwave just for a temporary measure!

As an idea of extras pricing, our electrics on top was £3.5k, plumbing roughly 2k, and plastering about £6k.

It came to double the initial estimates from builders and the budget the architect was working to

This won't meet your requirement, but I would extend the upper floor over the garage, but make it a very high garage. Then I would have the height to get a two post lift in to be able to get the car off the ground and work under it.

@A1b2c3d4e5f6g7 thanks for the cost breakdown, that's really helpful. We're in Yorkshire so hopefully a tad cheaper. I'd like to get all the work done at once if we can so we'll have a think about how we can make the budget stretch.

@HappiestSleeping ha my husband would absolutely love that idea. Might keep that one to myself!

I think you might need to prioritise the work with your budget. Our friends in Sheffield had a ground floor extension 4yrs ago to make a kitchen/dining room and it was £100k. No downstairs loo, just the extension and fixtures/fittings. Obviously the size may be different to yours. The garage will need proper insulation to meet building regs. I would get a recommendation for a local building firm (who have capacity to do everything, such as building control management, etc.), who can give you an estimate of what’s possible.

We have this layout but it has been extended out the back. So our lounge is your diner, but double length. Then kitchen across the back and loo is in the very end of the garage.

Thanks @Spaceid assume that was including cost of new kitchen etc? Not just for the shell?

Frankly, I wouldn’t. I think the house is plenty big enough for most families. Extend the kitchen into the garage, and include a downstairs loo. Then just redecorate and get good furniture, custom built if necessary, to maximise the existing space.

i would extend the house. kitchen and current dining knock wall down and extend at the back. most of the current kitchen becomes a downstairs shower room and the rest of the space becomes a kitchen-diner with the extension. garage stays as it is.