What would you do with this ground floor?

[fatpony]

We've just had our purchase of a house fall through and thinking of putting in an offer on this house (the other house we were going to buy was completely done - in terms of extensions etc). This is a lovely end of terrace but a bit tatty. I think the obvious thing would be to knock down the lean to and put in a side return and open up the kitchen-dining space (so no rear extension needed). Anyone have a rough estimate of how much this kind of project would cost? I'm not keen on the big bifold doors onto the garden on a Victorian house so maybe that would save some money. Thanks!

Hey fatpony. We didn't mention on the east London thread the fun you can have sorting out layout with the over extended housing stock.
I can't help with costs, still going through that minefield sorting out my own house. All I know so far is estimates vary a lot.

If I were fixing layout with that house I would stop the morning room being a corridor by adding a door between front reception and hallway. I would add an external window to the kitchen and combine with dining room.

Opening the dining room to lean to will be extra expensive as there is a chimney breast. Plan a would be to incorporate lean to current dining room, and then put toilet and utility in lean to next to current kitchen. Maybe add door from kitchen . this leaves the morning room as a dark corner and access to toilet may not be ideal. Moving the toilet may also add to expense.

Cheaper plan b would be to leave lean to as is (or rebuild stronger) use as a utility/ toilet , maybe add access from new kitchen diner. One thing to be aware of is, knowing the area, the lean to may not have been done officially so changing it may not be as easy as you would hope.

Thanks ftm123. Yep, we've just pulled out of a beautiful house because the extension had not been properly done - definition of cowboy builder/owner so very aware of this stuff now! Some good points, thanks.

With lean tos you are looking at starting from scratch with the additional cost of removing dodgy old work. I would guestimate £50k and over depending on finishes to do a side return. How about extending the kitchen where it already is, putting in a proper utility toilet shower room where the wc is and then a dining space open plan into the new larger kitchen area. As you don't like the big bifold movement this would be a good way to avaoid creating and awkward dark corners. The window from the morning room into the extended kitchen could even be changed into a door if it suits the way you use the rooms. This layout may help avoid the costly problem of removing the chimney in the dining room.