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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Extend Victorian house or are we being greedy?

54 replies

mistressploppy · 06/08/2012 10:21

I can't decide...

House is a very pretty Victorian semi. We want to knock the two back rooms together to make a big kitchen/living/dining area, but can't decide whether or not to extend as well.

Extending would mean we could fit in a utility room, get more space generally. BUT the back of the house is lovely - I feel bad about ruining it, and it would be very expensive.

We don't desperately need the space (there is also a separate living room and a dining room downstairs) but a utility would be nice. And more space is always good (we have baby and toddler DSs). And we can afford it.

WWYD?
Argh.

OP posts:

Original poster

mistressploppy · 07/08/2012 13:50

Aargh, Libelulle, I thought I'd reached a decision!!

OP posts:

MadBusLady · 07/08/2012 14:10

Yup, low ceilinged boxy room + recessed spotlights + gloss kitchen + folding glass doors is going to be the decking of the noughties. Why, future generations will ask, why did we all try and make our Victorian houses look like Holiday Inn foyers? And they'll be right

Original poster

mistressploppy · 07/08/2012 14:17

I have put a couple of pics of the back of our house on my profile.

I think it would be a shame to extend, and I hate the idea of something modern that we'll hate in years to come.

But I waant a futility rooom

OP posts:

Bonsoir · 07/08/2012 14:19

Aren't there other ways of moving things around so that you could get a utility room? How about a (really nice) conservatory rather than an extension?

Bonsoir · 07/08/2012 14:22

What about a glass conservatory that keeps most of the back of your house intact? I would be wary about knocking about your back wall.

ahopskipandafurryone · 07/08/2012 14:28

The back of your house is very pretty I can see why you don't want to spoil it! I've often thought about filling in part of our side return to make a bigger kitchen, and although there are other reasons, one reason I've always held off is that it is my favourite area of the garden, lovely walls and a total suntrap.

If I was you I'd go down the getting an architect to do something clever with existing space first and go from there.

Original poster

mistressploppy · 07/08/2012 14:29

I have a knee-jerk 'no' reaction to conservatories but we should think about all the possibilities, you're right Bonsoir. But the back faces southwest so I think it would be v hot.

I need to do some drawing/thinking

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MadBusLady · 07/08/2012 14:33

Oh that is a lovely house! I can see something small and poss pitch glass-roofed working there. Can't find a good pic of what I mean but perhaps along these lines? I like that it has traditional style windows in the walls rather than great big openings, and the glass roof approach though modern is at the same time quite Victorian in character I think.

Bonsoir · 07/08/2012 14:34

Why don't you buy some Italian or Spanish shelter magazines with ideas for homes in the sun? There are lots of gorgeous solutions for rustic homes by the sea in hot climates that can factor in sunshine while giving you a conservatory/outside room.

ladymuckbeth · 07/08/2012 17:06

Be very wary of south facing glass boxes. When we moved here the house two doors down was also for sale and had a glass box 2-storey extension at the back. We were very tempted but opted for the one we're in now instead (same price but no extension) - our neighbours, who bought the house shortly after we moved in, say they can't be in it for most of the year because it's either too hot or too cold and are now tempted to knock the whole thing down and start again - what a bummer to face that prospect.

mistressploppy - I love the exterior of your house and can see your dilemma! FWIW we also face a similar dilemma, are in desperate need of extra space, but have a Victorian house with (IMO) a beautiful rear aspect. We have decided to go for it though, and have an application in for a two storey "in keeping" brick extension which covers one half of the width of the house, along with a single-storey modern extension which will give us a big kitchen/diner. I've uploaded our architect's plans of the rear elevation (before and after) and a photo of the rear of our house as it is. I think you definitely need to find the right architect - don't know where you live but where we are there seemed to be two or three architects dominating and definitely a feel of houses being sympathetically treated. We're in SE London and would definitely recommend the one we've used. A good one would, I think, tell you not to go ahead if it didn't feel right for the space and feel of the house - both inside and out.

libelulle · 07/08/2012 18:30

hmm, having seen the photos on your profile I can see why you're reluctant to mess with the back of the house; it is very beautiful, unlike ours which was a complete eyesore. If I were you I would seek out a good architect to at least give you an idea of what might be possible; if you find a good one they might find you some really creative solutions that would give you extra space without ruining the aesthetics of the house.

I think it's worth investigating because having extra space especially with a young family is magic! We don't have room for a futility room (sigh) but having a big kitchen-diner space has completely revolutionised our family life. I don't care if it looks typically noughties (though we don't have the gloss kitchen and it certainly doesn't feel like a box room what with the big high sloping ceiling and lots of glazing) - it's brilliant!

Original poster

mistressploppy · 07/08/2012 19:43

This is all so so helpful.

I've been pacing it out and I feel that we could make it work without an extension. I'm going to find some more architects and probably pay for some drawings.

I really want to do this right! Ladymuckbeth - thank you for your pics; very interesting indeed. We are in Hampshire but I'd be interested to know who you used?

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ladymuckbeth · 07/08/2012 20:16

Do you have lots of space upstairs? One thing I've had my head turned by (but can't do here sadly; we have too much living space if anything on two floors, and a scarcity of bedrooms/bathrooms) is the idea of having a utility room or area upstairs rather than down.

We almost bought a house in Kent a few months ago and the family bathroom was really big, with a separate area for washer/dryer/clothes storage/drying - to start with I was put off by the thought of it but eventually thought it actually made much more sense, if you have the room. After all, why does laundry ever need to clutter up downstairs space, if it can be helped? It's just another faff to carry it up and down - I'm so lazy bothered by it here in our house with far too many stairs that I insisted the architect build a laundry chute into our plans

More than happy to share name of architect - she's very local to us but is lovely and has been a dream to work with so far.

Original poster

mistressploppy · 07/08/2012 21:03

It's an interesting thought. But I think our utility room would be more of a boot room (two boys) so better downstairs!

Can you pm me the architect?

OP posts:

ladymuckbeth · 07/08/2012 22:03

Certainly understand the need for a boot room! :) Will PM architect's details...

Bonsoir · 08/08/2012 07:48

I agree that upstairs utility rooms (think: bathroom style with tiled floors and walls, a butler's sink for handwashing, separate baskets for sorting laundry, an ironing board that is permanently up, your washer and dryer stacked and a pulley dryer on the ceiling, with a big window to air it all) are a great idea as nearly all laundry returns to bedrooms/bathrooms/dressing rooms.

Bonsoir · 08/08/2012 07:49

Boot room is different to a laundry.

BerylStreep · 09/08/2012 17:18

Bonsoir, that sounds lovely. Especially the ceiling pulley.

ladymuckbeth · 09/08/2012 17:56

It's almost exactly what the set-up was in our almost-bought house - although they also had a beautiful linen press to store clothes. I'm a bit tempted to make the family bathroom in our house a bathroom-cum-utility although the final room will be something like 10 x 11' and I'm not sure that's quite big enough...

BerylStreep · 09/08/2012 18:57

Oh, you could have one wall with stacked appliances and a sink / worktop, ceiling pulley above, all hidden behind some lovely folding doors!

FishfingersAreOK · 10/08/2012 00:46

Our utility room is going to be tiny one cupboard( with watersoftner) washing machine, dogs bowl/basket and that is about it. No more room for bigger without spending thousands. Nowhere for boots... so also have the boot room issue. Have plans in my head for some kind of large storage bench (with water proof boxes in it) by the back door to be used as boot store. Also can sit on it to put them on. Not seen one. May not work. May have to get custom made. Which will have to ages down the line as spending though without adding benches to it! But am hoping will be the solution...

FishfingersAreOK · 10/08/2012 00:48

Bench outside on the decking/patio bit (when built) not inside...

confusedperson · 10/08/2012 09:42

I am the only one who found that modern extension posted by Cheshire lovely?
I have a Victorian terrace house with a conservatory at the back - serves for washing machine, drying line in rainy weather and boots! Admittedly is a bit messy but I don't care, as we have a good space kitchen/diner indoors (the wall was knocked down).

RCheshire · 10/08/2012 09:51

No comment confused one, but please go and wash your eyes out with vinegar . Seriously though, the vendors must have spent a lot/presumably liked it...

mistressploppy, the back of your house is very attractive. Is there no opportunity to go down for the extra space, i.e. any cellars, digging that could be done?

libelulle · 10/08/2012 14:17

I thought the inside was great, confused but the outside was a bit of a hatchet job, no?

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