Planning an extension this year - anyone else?

[pigsinmud]

Anyone fancy joining a support thread for extension planning & building! We have lived in our current house for nearly 15 years. It was built in the 1870s and had a kitchen extension at the back built in the 1950s. We are going to demolish that and build a 2 storey extension converting the current music/dining room in to a kitchen/diner and a new bedroom with en suite above. The kitchen has a terrace and steps/slide down to the garden.

A planning application has just been put in and I'm nervous! Plan is to start building when ds1 has finished his gcses this summer. Anyone else got plans?

I just finished (well nearly) - extra storey over single story, remodel to add extra bedroom /shower room/ knock through kitchen diner/ new kitchen/roof/utility/interior doors/ rads. Phew!!! Hard work, at times nearly unbearable- happy to share hints and tips one of which would be - for Gods sake don't do it in the winter!!!!

Does anyone want to share the size sq metre, cost and location?! We're planning on one early next year and I want to see if the 1000 - 1500 per square metre rings true.

Thanks!

Kazza ours is about £150 m2.

150 or 1500? If it's 150 and your builders good does he come to Oxfordshire?!

Sorry, £1500

I want to extend out from the kitchen but am dithering a conservatory or an extension. I know nothing about it. I think an extension as I want a wall down one side then a half wall half window and French doors into the garden.

I don't know whether to get it made so it can be extended up easily. Or just save the money.

I naively assume the builder will do it all, do I need an architect or planning permission? I don't think so.

I need a new kitchen too, and a new floor all throughout. I don't know where to start. I have a builder though. He has a good reputation.

Its not as ambitious as some of yours though! And not as expensive ( hopefully!)

Marking my spot as we are in the early 'thinking about it' stages. Want a 2-storey side and single-storey rear extension but think we probably can't afford it. I've met with one architect so far who made some interesting points but was v pricey. He said budget for £1500 per sq m for each storey. I am accepting that this may not get done until next year now as I am not being very proactive.

Lavender if you go for a conservatory, make sure you put heating in or you won't use it for half the year.

There are a few different options out there - yes, conservatories can be cheaper but a brick extension with lots of glazing looks more like a natural part of the house rather than stuck on, and still lets in a lot of light. Personally my preference was a 'garden room'. I found some stuff about the different types of extensions useful, like this

Westbury Garden Rooms (mentioned in the link) have some lovely images of finished extensions too!

Here are some of the lovely pictures from Westbury

Hi, We're thinking of doing a single storey L-shaped extension this year. I am an Architectural Technician so am able to do the drawings myself, but we've not had building work done before so it's all new and a bit scary! The extension will give us a Family Room, Bedroom with En-suite shower room and a Garage.

We've had a builder round that we use at work. He charges 900/sq m to give us a shell. It will be timber frame with concrete beam & Block flooring.

Also we have to factor in Structural Engineer fees (750) and Building Control fees (750)

Can I join the thread too please? We are doing a loft conversion, plus downstairs playroom & one extra bedroom/ensuite upstairs, just got PP and everything is falling apart already, wish I'd never started the goddamned thing!

My architect has fallen out with my project manager/builder & won't work with him any more, and now it turns out he (architect) hasn't done half the drawings/plans needed anyway, so I am back to square one.

And the Structural Engineer has just quoted me over £4k plus VAT for his drawings, which has shocked me. Can this be right?

And don't get me started on how long this all takes..

This dropped off my threads I'm on :(
I'm done!
Phase 1 (building), anyway. My house was so quiet today with no builders no children! If anybody is in the Chester area I cannot recommend my builders highly enough: they even dug a hole for my cat when he was run down when they were here, and replaced the ridge tiles (from a completely unrelated part of my house) after the storms.
The painter is starting Saturday and my new kitchen is coming next month.
Phase 3, removing the old kitchen, tba.

My architect was rubbish though

Can I join too? Planning to replace the conservatory type extension on our 1930s semi with a proper extension and knock through wall between kitchen and dining room to create a large open plan space.

I came on here tonight to ask how you all managed/plan to manage with no kitchen or utilities.

Had a builder around to quote today. Worst thing he said is that external structural support needed when taking down walls would mean drilling holes in our brand new bathroom

There are moments when I wonder if it will all be worth the expense and hassle but I worry if we don't do it this year when I'm on maternity leave we never will

BigBadBarry: what was so bad about your architect?

Well apart from the story about a restaurant he'd been to that was run by "a complete poofyer" complete with mincing impersonations (I have no idea what I did to make him think that might be appropriate on our third meeting) he cocked up the measurements! Then after footings had been dug he was still sending random unasked-for plans with different measurements again to my kitchen planner. Then radio silence (apparently he is usually on the phone all the time) and he hasn't provided odd things - doors, handles - that he said he would source personally.
You live and learn :) between the builders and the kitchen planners we have a very nice extension!

Hi all. Joining in too please :)

We bought a 3 bedroom semi detached bungalow last year and we have already got an architect on the case. Glad we did it too as they have come up with some amazing ideas and are reasonably priced (although they are doing us a deal as they are friends of DH). So currently they are drawing up the plans ready to send to the council.

I doubt we will be able to get started until September or even later dependant on builders. However we are having a shell built, RSJs put in and walls removed then we are doing the rest ourselves including plumbing, electrics etc. So I am not sure whether to wait until next spring as it may be a complete nightmare in the winter!

So our plans are to knockdown the single glazed conservatory that runs down the entire back of the house and the attached lean to utiltiy which is in the side return. Then we will brick build on top adding an extra metre to the back (will need permission as we will go 4m out). Walls done and RSJ in and we will end up with a 4.7mx8m kitchen diner and a 3.5m by 7m lounge with a small covered porch on the back.

We are also including the plans for the 2nd phase which is a loft conversion with 2 bedrooms for the kids plus a bathroom and landing area which should be big enough for a hangout area for them. The rest of the downstairs will then be shuffled around the create a larger hallway with storage, a covered porch with benches, a large ensuite for us, utility room, linen cupboard and guest loo.

We are going to do a lot ourselves and I reckon it will take about 7 years to complete but it will be worth it :)

So, How's everybody extensions going? Our plans are in and our notice is up, but we've had an objection. Really disappointed as our neighbours had seen and discussed the plans with us and seemed very positive about them. The objection is due to light issues with part of their garden and kitchen window. They want us to just build single storey, but we need the bedrooms. Ho hum I suppose we'll just have to wait for the site visit to see what they say.
They've also asked us if we do get permission if we could wait until they're married and returned from honeymoon, not sure about that one.

Hi all, we have finally got approval from the council that our single storey is under permitted development here. We had got builders lined up for starting next week but now that is delayed til the end of the month so a little disappointed. We still have a few final details to sort out and source. One of these is that one existing kitchen window is going to look into the new garden room (the other kitchen window will still look/open to the outside). I was considering taking out the upvc window and replacing with a non opening decorative glass in a wooden frame. On the garden room side I thought of some floating glass shelves to make a feature but allowing light in the kitchen and veiwing of kids in garden room/garden whilst in the kitchen. Does this sounds feasible or bonkers!
Hopefully we will have it started soon, excited but apprehensive with a dog and three small children to consider!

Our preliminary plans are back and look great! Bit concerned that the bedrooms in the loft conversion will be too small but not sure we can claw back the space anywhere else as the top of the staircase is in the way. Going to discuss with DH when he gets home from work trip tomorrow then get back to them. I really want the application to go in by the end of April at the latest. This whole process feels so long and drawn out. If we get approved in 8 weeks how long do building regs drawings usually take to complete and be approved? Looks like we won't be getting started building till next spring at this rate which is disappointing.

Oh handy, joining this one. HAve an architectural technician round tomorrow to measure up to draw plans for planning submission for an almost 5mby5m familyroom/dining room out from a spare room which we are turning into our new kitchen. Nervous about building stage and final fitting out/decoration to make sure it looks "designed" and not just full of all our old crap.

We are into our second week now. Old conservatory gone, diggers in! It is a right mess! We are doing 5x3 single story and knock through. I am now trying to think about flooring etc. was thinking woven strand bamboo as have read lots if good things. But want to match it to the surfaces that will be solid oak....decisions decisions!

Ours is at waiting for planning approval. Should come through first week on April. We're in a semi, building single storey L shaped extension all along the bAck and side of the house. (Knocking down cold damp old lean to where we have to keep our fridge, washing machine, tumble drier and dishwasher. Can't wait to be rid of that!).

Will hopefully end up with a downstairs loo, proper utility, kitchen diner, bigger rear living room and a separate sitting room in the front which we currently have our dining table in as well as our computer desk, kids' guitars Etc).

Very excited. Had a couple of builders round and one quote. Waiting for a couple more. One of our neighbours poo-poohed my suggestion that he look at our plans and just said "oh go for it - it'll be fine, no issues from us." The other one was going to look at the plans online and get back to us if she had any concerns. Am hoping she doesn't cos it'll just add to the stress.

Mine's dooooonnnne! Kitchen worksurfaces were templated today so I reckon by the end of the month we should be all finished.
(Then we have to start Phase Three, which is removing the old kitchen, but I can't bear to think about that yet.)