extending not-forever-home, worth it?

[DiggersRest]

We are in London, in a 2 up/down with utility room extension. We aren't quite ready to move but need a bit more space. We've had an architect draw up some ideas and basically it will be 3m x 2m extension to make the kitchen, dining room and utility room one big space with a bit more floor space.

I had hoped we'd naturally outgrow our house and move. I never thought / wanted to be here for a long time. But we're just not ready to make a move yet.

I think for the £50,000+ plus more importantly pain-in-the-arse actual building process it's not worth it but dh has seen the drawings with shiny new things and wants to do it

My suggestion has been to put french doors in the kitchen / diner and take out chimney breasts from this room and the bedroom above and at a push convert loft to a hobby room (can't do loft conversion for proper room).

just wondering what others have done/would do?

In London I'd do it. I wouldn't anywhere else though.

I am in total agreement with smeared why would an EA say stay put?!

I would do your own research - post a link to a similar house to yours on a nearby street with proposed layout to this forum and there are many on here who would be able to suggest if it is worth doing etc.

Moving in 3 years is a bit tight tho - will take months to get plans drawn up and approved then many more months to find a reliable builder - anyone any good will be booked out for next year with the shortage of trades - so realistically dont expect it to be finished until the end of the year....so only 2 years use....fine if it adds value to sell on - a waste if just for your personal pleasure £25k/year.

In what way have you outgrown it?

Children needing bedrooms? You or DH needing a home office? Wanting pay space downstairs? Wanting a bigger kitchen?

3 years is nothing don’t bother extending and start saving for your new house instead.

Totally agree with another it will probably take best part of a year if you start now, from plans being drawn up, getting planning permission, finding a builder, waiting for the builder to start etc and then your moving in 2 years anyway, a very very expensive stop gap unless it substantially increases the value of you house.

OP here from 2016!

Glad we didn't extend as we are planning on moving in the next 12 months back to Australia.

We are in London and houses prices did go crazy but they are on the slide now and as not too many around here have extended we will be the 'norm' when we sell.

I clicked on this link as I was interested but totally surprised it was my thread!

Good for you Diggers! - you might save yourself another £50k by getting your house sold sooner rather than later even if it means you had to rent before you go to aus.....

Funny you say that another as I tried to talk dh into that recently but he wasn't having it.

We're just saving and paying down mortgage as much as we can. The slide has definitely started and I'm hoping it's not a huge crash but more a gentle correction?

Keep a close eye on the “sold house prices” page on RM for similar properties in the surrounding streets - so that you are at least realistic when you put on the market and can sell in a timeframe that suits you.