feedback on extension layout

[mum2015]

We live in a detached bungalow and planning an extension and loft conversion. Currently it is 3 bedroom, living room, separate kitchen layout. We are thinking of a side extension, rear extension and loft conversion.

The loft conversion will give us 2 or 3 bedrooms and a shower room.

I have created rough plan of how the ground floor will be after extension and need feedback on it.

I really like the big open plan room at the back (want to do something similar with my house). Lots of MNers not keen on open plan though.

The possible issue I can see is the front reception sandwiched between two bedrooms. What are those three rooms going to be used for? For example if the reception room is your evening TV room, and there are small DC sleeping in the two bedrooms, that's a problem as they would be woken up. If those two bedrooms would actually get used as study/workroom then not such an issue.

Looks like a very sensible use of space. Although the rear of the house is open plan, you do still have a separate reception room at the front.

Open plan is fantastic imo - if you have another reception room, which you do. So I think it looks a really good layout.

we are thinking of having bedrooms in loft for kids and groundfloor one as master bedroom. The small bedroom at front as guest room.

If I understand correctly the 2.4m side extension is all the way down the side of the house? So you're completely taking out the original side and back walls? If so it's some pretty serious structural work you're doing. And what happens with the roof?

I like the open plan main space, but like minipie I'm not so sure about the front reception room. I'd also be very careful over what you think you can do with windows. If you've got any neighbours it is pretty unlikely you'd be allowed clear windows on the side of the house.

If the plan is to have kids upstairs and you downstairs then I would rejig things to have an ensuite.

Very similar layout to my brother's and the bay window room at the front is their master bedroom with an ensuite (in the side extension area).

I would have your second reception room where the bedroom is with access off the large open plan room, perhaps with double doors.

In fact with an ensuite downstairs I'd lose the bathroom and have a very large hallway instead.

I think it would be a good idea to get an architect involved too given the amount of remodelling and building you'll be doing.

Hmm so the master bedroom would be the one on the left?

I personally wouldn't want a master bedroom where the only window is above eye level (have I read that right? The window is 1.7m up?)

Also I am not sure about a master bedroom which is sandwiched between the two living areas. What about when your DC get up before you on the weekend and start turning on the TV/getting breakfast noisily... ? What if you are ill and want to retreat in quiet? etc.

I think I would probably use that side room as the separate reception room (make it a TV snug, it wouldn't matter about the window). Then I would use the front reception as a master bedroom and ensuite. I might make the separate reception/TV snug a bit bigger by stealing some extra space from the big back room, or maybe from the master suite.

Cross posted with Lizzie who has suggested the same thing!

here's an idea

first of all thank you so much for looking at it. We have appointed an architect and he will be visiting next week. I have read so many valuable threads on musnet that I thought I should ask here for suggestions and feedback.

@whatsthecomingoverthehill,
yes, all of the sidewall is going. As it is bungalow, it doesn't have any first floor to support. We are thinking of either getting new roof with loft rooms in the new roof or install supporting steel where removing the walls so the current roof can be supported and create rooms in loft with dormers. We had one architect/project manager person who said cost would be roughly the same but may be a builder can give better estimate about best options for loft.

@minipie and lizzi,
We currently have the front room as master bedroom. Even though we have a decent size front garden, and house is a bit on height from street somehow we end up keeping it with closed curtain all the time. That is what made me think of using it as reception kind of room and make side room as master bedroom.

I will post the current layout later in evening so you can give me more ideas on what would work as better layout.

attaching current layout

I think the rear extension space is great (maybe slightly biased as its very similar to what we have). I would say your utility is quite big.

The only thing I'd say is that if you're intending to use the ground floor as your master suite, I would have try to re-jig the layout to get an ensuite in downstairs, and just a cloakroom. The 2 rooms upstairs and bathroom mean you don't need a family sized bathroom on the ground floor. I would be tempted to re-jig the main entrance if you can so that its further towards where the bathroom is now in order to get more out of the 2 bedrooms at the front.

namechange,

i can think of swapping the stairs and groundfloor bathroom so it can be ensuite. i will check with architect if we could still get required headroom for stairs or not.

minipie,
thanks for new layout image.

keep the ideas coming. i couldnt have thought of all this on my own. With ypur help, by next week I will have some really thought out layouts

I think it would be nice to have a bigger/grander hallway with a house of that size. I'm wondering if you could fit 3 bedrooms upstairs if you built a proper second floor and just keep one ensuite guest room downstairs. Then you could turn the downstairs bathroom into a spacious hallway.

I would consider moving the kitchen space to the part of the back extension that receives the least light, which might be where the current planned living area is? It would require more plumbing moves but would then allow your living area to be nearer the bifold doors and natural light, and the kitchen won't suffer as you can add lots of lights.

I'd say the complete opposite (as in kitchen at the back of house) but really depends how you think you'll use the space. Here, spend vast majority of our time pottering in kitchen part, sitting at island, kids doing homework there. Lovely that its light and overlooking garden. The "living" area only really gets used to watch TV in evenings, lamps are on etc and doesn't matter that the living part has less natural light than kitchen. Also if you have living area near bifold doors you might feel you need blinds or something so that you don't feel you're on display in the evening when the house is lit up. Having the living further back towards the middle of the house gives a little more privacy.

Hmm yes I see the privacy issue. Though, I still think I would choose that over having my bedroom between the two living areas...

If you want to keep the master bedroom at the side, then yes if you can swap the stairs with current bathroom that would definitely be better. Gets you an ensuite and a better grander/more open hallway. Whether you can do this depends on shape of your loft conversion ie will there be enough head height above the current bathroom to take stairs.

There is another option. Have your bedroom where the current kitchen is. Then the big family room takes up where the current middle bedroom and livign room are, plus extension to the left. Utility room is in part of the current middle bedroom.

I think i will keep the kitchen and utility room as in this plan to minimize cost. We have a side door in current kitchen( future utility) to side access which i find very useful for getting in home delivered groccery, taking out bins etc.

After your feedback I am thinking of swaping the front room to bedroom and middle room to reception. Also liked the idea of getting extra space from side extension to middle room. I was also thinking what if i dont extend front room to side, and give all of the side space to middle room. it will then be like a L shape room and will get extra window from front... will that look ok?

Yes it would be more expensive to move the kitchen.

For privacy for your front bay, how about shutters?

Yes if you don't extent front room to the side then your middle room gets an extra window i.e not just the high level one. If you are going to do that then I would definitely want to swap the stairs and the bathroom so that your bathroom can be ensuite to your master bedroom (it could also have another door from the hallway so others can access it, if you want). However as I said this depends on having enough head height on that side of the house.

thank you minipie.