Complete remodel of interior - layout ideas, cost & time ideas!

[Mymadworld]

After much talk of moving we are finally realising that we might be better off reworking our own house. This is the floor plan from 8 years ago when we brought it and very little has changed bar the addition of an en-suite in the master bedroom (crudely drawn by me )& some minor cosmetic work.

We will ultimately be selling as our plan to move area in a few years still stands so whilst we will be doing it initially for our own benefit, it does need to work financially & advice is open up downstairs & find a way of adding a 4th bedroom upstairs.

The obvious is big open kitchen/diner at the back with bi-folds onto the garden, living room at the front but can't work out where to house wc or what to do with current kitchen (playroom &/or utility would be ideal). Upstairs we reckon bathroom + bit of landing could be bedroom 4 and maybe big cupboards a family bathroom but it all seems a bit tight.

We can move out for 3 or 4 months (6 at most!) and would get an architect & project manager as we both work but nervous about spending money if we can't make the space work. Would a major remodel take longer than this and are we talking £50/60k as DH thinks or £100k as I think (any more and it's not viable!)

Any suggestions? Is this complete madness?

Floorplan here

I've lived in several houses like yours (while renting) and personally I wouldn't try to get a fourth bed upstairs. The nature and proportions of houses like that would be quite spoiled.

Opening up the back downstairs would be lovely and let more light in. I'd make a big open plan L shaped room containing family kitchen diner (I have interior wooden bifold/concertina doors in mine so I can make it into 2 cosier rooms in the winter). Keep utility but open off the kitchen entrance. Lose the door into kitchen and have big open archway so you can see straight through from the front door to the patio doors - gives a real feeling of length and airiness.

Have two separate rooms at front and use middle for study/playroom/sofa bed for extra visitors. Front room for nice/quiet/posh/tv sitting room.

I think upstairs having a family bath plus ensuite shower would be more marketable for families. If you make a big bathroom incorporating cistern and loo you can probably squeeze in a shower too. Instead of cutting bits out of the landing, why not use it for additional storage space, like floor-ceiling bookcases, an ottoman, shallow cupboards etc.

Excuse my felt-tip on your drawings 😀

DH reminded me that his dad lived in a house just like yours. After he moved out the new owners immediately did a loft conversion, as did nearly all the other houses in the road. Would this be an option for you? You could put a double bedroom with ensuite up there and leave the first floor as is.

I think you're right about upstairs I've had a play around and think loft conversion at a later date might be the way forward. Thanks

I'd make the current kitchen into a large utility with WC. Then have the whole of the back of the house as a kitchen diner. Agree re loft conversion. Separate lounge at the front.

Thanks again for your input it's been really helpful. Excuse the crude drawings clearly not to scale but we both like the idea of this layout for our family - we don't need 4 beds so might just address that when we come to move!! DH's best mate is a builder so buying him a pint & going to bend his ear this week whilst we consider finances & check renting options.

I’d squeeze your toilet into the utility somehow so you can have a coat cupboard under the stairs. My sil has this, with a pocket door between toilet and utility. Also under stairs loos are quite cramped so I only think they’re worth doing if only option