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which building project should we do first?

8 replies

Brugmansia · 25/07/2012 08:15

We're in the middle of renovating our house - pretty much complete modernisation as the house was empty for 10 years before we moved in. The next stage is either doing the loft extension or a 2 storey back extension. We can only afford one, but once we've done that we hope to be able to release some equity to finance the second. The dilemma is which do do first.

The loft will have 2 additional bedrooms and a shower room. The back one will have the family bathroom upstairs and utility downstairs then a storage/cellar underneath. At present the only bathroom is in the lower ground floor. Once we have either of the new bathrooms we'll take out the existing bathroom and open up the lower ground floor to create a big kitchen/breakfast room.

The added dilemma is that baby no 1 is due in January. we should have one of the extensions done by then. My preference is to do the loft first as like the extra bedrooms and a knock on effect is the structural work will be done to enable us to remove the chimney breasts from the rooms below which will in turn make sorting out those rooms quicker. But now there's a baby on the way I'm thinking that only having a shower room is a very bad idea and getting a proper upstairs bathroom should be the priority.

So thoughts anyone? which first?

OP posts:
7to25 · 25/07/2012 09:04

loft first and removal of the chimney breasts as this has more internal work ( although hard to say without knowing the property)
you can fill a baby bath from the kitchen sink and bath them in there till they are about 9months.

bumbez · 25/07/2012 10:29

Babies are resilient so I wouldn't worry too much and go with what original plan made sence to you in the first place.

As 7to said can easily be bathed in the sink.

Good luck :)

bumbez · 25/07/2012 10:29

Sense

OlympicRelay · 25/07/2012 13:28

Loft and chimneys removed first.

RillaBlythe · 25/07/2012 14:54

Loft first!

Brugmansia · 25/07/2012 18:00

Thanks for the responses. At present it still all depends on planning permission. The loft is riskier on this as it will be a mansard, so if we only get permission for the back at first we'll press on with that anyway.

OP posts:
yomellamoHelly · 25/07/2012 18:03

My brother had this dilemma. Went for loft first and is still saving for the two-storey extension. Loft meant they were closer to their desired end-layout so less fannying around in the long-run.

Brugmansia · 25/07/2012 18:25

Part of the dilemma is both options will enable us to make the other major changes to get to our desired layout. The main issue at the moment is having the only bathroom in the basement. Either option will enable us to take this out and then move the kitchen.

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